The Learning Lab funded for Green Valley High School (GVHS) transforms science classrooms by providing full, wireless access to cyberlearning materials that have been developed under the NV NSF EPSCoR project, Climate Change Cyberlearning Curriculum Development (C4D). The wireless affordance of the learning lab allows the project staff to test the full potential of the cyberlearning materials at scale, in a blended instructional model. Students use the computer models to predict the impact of climate change on food webs, to research and analyze metadata associated with alternative fuel sources and carbon emissions, and to consider the impact of policy decisions in Nevada. Creating a blended learning environment with the cyberlearning tools provides a strong motivator for students on task implementation and achievement.Since 2010, the C4D materials have been piloted and field studied at GVHS in Henderson, NV for the Clark County School District (CCSD). GVHS has a 41% minority student population and 8% with documented disabilities. Four science teachers (including one special education teacher) and approximately 500 students from GVHS are participating in the research and development of C4D materials.
Science teacher Cindy Kern has been at the forefront of the development of the C4D lab. She stated, “C4D has impacted my classroom on many levels. As a practitioner, I have had the opportunity to build climate change curriculum in a collaborative effort with university professors, scientists, fellow doctoral students and teachers. The experience has helped me to better understand teaching strategies and implementation, student learning, and the content associated with climate change education. Cyberlearning is a powerful tool for students who bring native use computer skills to the classroom. C4D’s donation of 10 MacBooks and a MacLearning lab has provided the opportunity for student engagement in a blended learning environment, rich with the developed curriculum as well as opportunity to work with data available on the climate change portal. On a daily basis, 240 students are using the MacBooks as a tool in their science education. Finally, the Moodle learning management system has provided students with a teacher developed cyberenvironment where they can exchange their science ideas with peers, build WIKIs, and review classroom materials. The overwhelming show of support C4D has provided secondary science students has contributed to student learning!”
For more information on this project, visit the Climate Change Learning Portal webpage at: http://climatechange.education.unlv.edu/
