Globe Year 7 Evaluation: Exploring Student Research and Inquiry in Globe

Introduction

SRI International (SRI) prepared this evaluation research report for the GLOBE Program. This is the seventh in a series of annual evaluation reports provided to the GLOBE Program by SRI, which has been evaluating the Program since its inception. The Year 7 evaluation report focuses on student research and inquiry in GLOBE. Student research and inquiry have been part of the Program’s vision from the beginning, but supporting students in developing their own research questions and investigating them by using GLOBE data has become an important focus of the Program’s efforts. SRI’s Year 7 report is designed to highlight issues related to implementing student research and inquiry in K-12 classrooms that use GLOBE and investigating the aspects of GLOBE implementation that contribute the most to the development of student inquiry skills.

We relied on data collected in the 2001-02 school year to study how student research and inquiry are being integrated into GLOBE classrooms. We conducted a survey of GLOBE teachers to learn more about the reach of GLOBE, as well as the breadth and depth of GLOBE implementation in their classrooms. We also conducted case studies of GLOBE schools that engage students in inquiry using GLOBE data. To supplement these case studies, we conducted interviews with both United States and international schools where students are engaged in student research projects, some of which engaged students from two or more countries. Finally, we conducted an assessment of student conceptual understanding and inquiry skills in the Atmosphere Investigation Area. In this assessment, we explored which aspects of GLOBE implementation were associated with deeper conceptual understanding and more sophisticated inquiry skills.