GLOBE Program
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The GLOBE Program or Programme is a worldwide, hands-on, primary and secondary school-based education and science program. It seeks to teach young students experimental skills using real experiments and equipment and collaboration with students in a global network of over a hundred other participating nations. GLOBE is an acronym for Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment.
The program is operated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) out of Boulder, Colorado and sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, and the National Science Foundation.
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[edit] History and Mission
The GLOBE program has the following objectives:
- To enhance the collective awareness of individuals throughout the world concerning the environment and the impacts of human activities on it.
- To increase scientific understanding of the earth by using the dense worldwide network of schools to collect environmental observations.
1994 - The GLOBE Program launched by former US Vice-President Al Gore on Earth Day, April 22
2003 - NASA is selected University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), to operate GLOBE HQ
2005 - GLOBE celebrates its 10th birthday
[edit] GLOBE Activities
GLOBE provides the opportunity for students to learn by:
- Taking scientifically valid measurements in the fields of atmosphere, hydrology, soils, and land cover/phenology - depending upon their local curricula
- Reporting their data through the Internet
- Creating maps and graphs on the free interactive Web site to analyze data sets
- Collaborating with scientists and other GLOBE students around the world
[edit] Contribution by schools
As of 2006 CE there are students in over 15,000 schools and 109 countries making observations following protocols and reporting their findings via the Internet. Through the use of the Internet, these schools monitor environmental changes both locally and worldwide. All data is in the public domain.
Students participate by making a core set of environmental observations at or near their schools, which they report through the Internet to a GLOBE data processing facility. They will then receive and use global images created from worldwide GLOBE school data.
Students study environmental topics in the classroom. Measurements are made by students in the four areas of atmosphere/climate, hydrology, land cover/biology and soil. The data acquired in these areas support environmental research and other environmental science programs.
[edit] Contribution by scientists
Members of the international science community are involved in the design and implementation of the GLOBE program. Their contribution helps ensure that GLOBE environmental measurements make a significant contribution to the global environmental data base.
Scientists worldwide have been involved in helping select GLOBE environmental measurements, developing measurement procedures and ensuring overall quality control of data. This is important so that scientists all have confidence about these results and their findings.
[edit] Joining GLOBE
Teachers and other educators that wish to lead students in GLOBE need to attend special workshops in order to fully participate in the program. They should first contact their country GLOBE Point of Contact.
[edit] Miscellaneous facts
- The GLOBE program logo is a picture of three students making measurements of the environment and solving a puzzle on the surface of the planet Earth.
- Since 1995, over a million primary and secondary students in more than 15,000 schools have taken part in the GLOBE program. There are more than 28,000 GLOBE-trained teachers.
