LITERACY FRAMEWORKS Kevin Kloesel College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences

A Definition Atmospheric Science Literacy  the scientific knowledge and understanding an individual must have to meaningfully communicate about Earth’s atmosphere and climate and make informed and responsible decisions 3 For organizational and practical purposes, the required knowledge and understanding are expressed in terms of a few overarching Essential Principles and a limited number of supporting Fundamental Concepts

In The Beginning … Natural philosophy in the late 1700s 3 3 Holistic; no formal disciplinary boundaries Geology: early 1800s – the parent earth science Meteorology : mid-1800s, but “modern” meteorology post-WW I; expansion began post- WW II with growth of air service Oceanography : mid-1800s, but “modern” oceanography in the mid-1900s, growing with onset of the cold war

Reductionist Period – 1945 to ~1990 Focus narrowly on components of Earth System to build the knowledge base  research driven Development of narrow subspecialties 3 3 Continued proliferation for last 50 years Much, much progress in both understanding and applications, but … 3 3 Loss of connection to the life sciences 3 3 Loss of perspective of the whole: POINT: Modern science education, independent of particular discipline, has evolved to be largely reductionist in structure, with early specialization

Now - A Turn Toward Integration View from space  Again seeing Earth as whole View from space  Again seeing Earth as whole Knowledge base has reached stage where again need to consider Earth’s two fluid envelopes surrounding a solid earth as an integrated system  Earth System Science; such a perspective required to address: Knowledge base has reached stage where again need to consider Earth’s two fluid envelopes surrounding a solid earth as an integrated system  Earth System Science; such a perspective required to address: 3 Environmental Quality 3 Water Issues 3 Climate Change 3 Evolution of life Bio-geoscience  formal reconnection to the life sciences Bio-geoscience  formal reconnection to the life sciences 3 Life an integral part of the Earth System Scientific foundation for sustainability Scientific foundation for sustainability

1 Example from Ocean Literacy 1 The Earth has one big ocean with many features a The ocean is the dominant physical feature on our planet Earth — covering approximately 70% of the planet’s surface. There is one ocean with many ocean basins, such as the North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian and Arctic. b An ocean basin’s size, shape and features (islands, trenches, mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys) vary due to the movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates. Earth’s highest peaks, deepest valleys and flattest vast plains are all in the ocean.

Essential Principles  “Big Ideas” Is a pithy statement that captures the essence of a system Is a pithy statement that captures the essence of a system Organizes more detailed concepts into a coherent whole Organizes more detailed concepts into a coherent whole Stands alone  Would never fit “under” another concept or principle Stands alone  Would never fit “under” another concept or principle Each Essential Principle …

Fundamental Concepts  “Important Details” Supports one or more Essential Principles Supports one or more Essential Principles Represents foundational knowledge without which it would be impossible to understand an Essential Principle and possibly even other Fundamental Concepts Represents foundational knowledge without which it would be impossible to understand an Essential Principle and possibly even other Fundamental Concepts Can be deconstructed (unpacked) into sub- concepts that must be introduced at age- and developmentally appropriate times (grade levels) in order to lead to an understanding of the fundamental concept Can be deconstructed (unpacked) into sub- concepts that must be introduced at age- and developmentally appropriate times (grade levels) in order to lead to an understanding of the fundamental concept Each Fundamental Concept …

II. Education In The Atmospheric Sciences: The Present Entering a Golden Age ? A More Demanding Customer Base New Demands on Education Growing Interest In Education

Entering a Golden Age? Knowledge base has grown to where we can begin to understand the Earth as an integrated system 3 3 Climate and climate change New tools and techniques promise unprecedented opportunities to explore the Earth System on a wide range of scales 3 3 Now able to “see” phenomena in ways impossible only a few years ago POINT: Education must prepare all people for continuing major advances in understanding and in capabilities to monitor and prediction

A More Demanding Customer Base Atmospheric sciences rely on the support of society – government, industry 3 3 Shrinking discretionary budgets 3 3 Increasing Accountability Utilitarian Perspective of Science  Applications to Decision-Making 3 3 Support to decision makers in government and industry 3 3 Establishment of a global society sustainable in long term

New Demands on Science Education Knowledge base is large and growing 3 3 Making sense of what we know  frameworks Ability to use wisely an ever-growing range of technical tools – skills vs. knowledge 3 3 The WEB, search engines, digital libraries  healthy, informed skepticism for sorting wheat from chaff 3 3 Computing tools necessary to utilize the data streams -- GIS, MIS Prepare students for life-long learning 3 3 Personal re-invention several times during a career POINT: Educational programs should be flexible, adaptable to prepare students for a rapidly evolving personal and professional environment

Two Goals for Tomorrow’s Teachers and Students Development of integrated understandings of Earth processes that combine measurements from observing systems with numerical simulations/prediction models Development of skills for accessing, manipulating, and analyzing massive data streams, converting “data” into “information” for decision-making POINT: Tomorrow’s educational programs must prepare students to live in a very complex, very challenging world

What we need from you! Know the basic physical, chemical, and life science principles that govern the functioning of the Earth System (what scientists have come to know -- “facts”, theories, models -- about Earth processes as reflected in observable events) 3 3 Quantitative as well as qualitative appreciation of the natural world and the events that occur within it 3 3 Interconnections of Earth’s major subsystems 3 3 Earth history: Evolution over long time - Origin, composition, and structure of the planet - Co-evolution of life and the planet

What we need from you! Understand that science is a systematic method for exploring the natural world (how scientists have come to know what they know - processes, methods) 3 3 Development of scientific “habits of mind”  critical thinking, arguing from data, mathematical and reasoning skills, and problem solving experiences

What we need from you. Able to apply knowledge and understanding to the solution of novel problems 3 3 Uses a suite of appropriate “technology” – IT, GIS, GPS, visualization – in problem solving 3 3 Accesses relevant parts of the accumulated body of knowledge about the natural world 3 3 Recognizes, quantifies uncertainties and risks POINT: Foundation for further study, living and working a hi-tech world, informed decision making, life-long learning

Special Place for Atmospheric Sciences Education Readily accessible natural laboratory; 3 3 many interesting phenomena with short time scales Inherent natural interest of students in atmospheric phenomena 3 3 Some students born to be meteorologists! Only geoscience with its own 24-hour TV show: The Weather Channel Combination of science/high technology with the out-of-doors Environmental concerns Community building – weather connects us all

Closing - Challenge to the Atmospheric Science Educator Teaching environmental ethics and values; humankind as part of an integrated environment; students prepared to contribute to development of a sustainable society. Development of an entrepreneurial spirit with regard to science education, breaking with traditions of last 100 years 3 3 Recognize that excitement as well as content must be communicated; emphasize critical thinking and problem solving skills 3 3 Re-orient to serve the needs of the work place

Questions and Activities!