Using Digital Globes to Explore the Deep Sea and Advance Public Literacy in Earth System Science

ABSTRACT

Digital globes are new technologies increasingly used in informal and formal education to display global datasets and show connections among Earth systems. But how effective are digital globes in advancing public literacy in Earth system science? We addressed this question by developing new content for digital globes with the intent to educate and excite the public about biological and geophysical processes and exploration in the deep ocean. We developed the content in tight collaboration with scientists, educators, and graphic artists. We used global datasets, including a new dataset for locations of deep-sea vents, and imagery from deep-diving vehicles to create two narratives, Life Without Sunlight and Smoke and Fire Underwater, each targeting a set of Earth Science and ocean literacy principles. Here, we evaluate perceived learning outcomes for the narratives delivered as movies and as live, docent-led presentations with the room-sized Science On a Sphere®. Both narratives led to median responses of “Some” to “Quite a bit” of perceived learning per literacy principle. Perceived learning outcomes were greatest for adult lifelong learners, followed closely by students (under age 18); adult educators generally reported less learning. We found no significant differences in the effectiveness of our movies compared to docent-led presentations for any of the literacy principles, and all presentations led to “Quite a bit” of excitement for all viewers. Our evaluation provides an initial indication that digital globes can be effective in teaching the scientific literacy principles, and we make recommendations for additional assessment of digital globes as educational platforms.

Key words::

• hydrothermal vent
• ocean literacy principles
• Earth Science literacy principles
• Science On a Sphere

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank S. McCue from the National Deep Submergence Facility, K. Kostel from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, S. Bean and J. Mitchell from the Ocean Explorium, the NOAA SOS Technical Team, and many scientific colleagues who helped in selecting imagery and providing information for the educational materials. The closing credits in our movies contain detailed acknowledgments. Funding for the Global Viewport to Deep-Sea Vents was provided by the National Science Foundation (No. 1202977) to S.E.B. and A.S.