Educational Seismology Research Articles

Examining the impact of open schooling in science education: the case of educational seismology

ABSTRACT This study explores the impact of science education projects focusing on educational seismology to enhance school openness and enrich students’ civic responsibility and views on their science learning. The sample comprised 515 students from 33 different schools. The study involved specialised training for educators and administrators on integrating seismology into an open schooling framework. Schools then developed and implemented projects that incorporated stakeholder engagement and addressed societal issues. The evaluation employed four tools, namely the seismology-related projects developed by each school, a Self-Reflection Tool to measure organisational changes of participating schools, the ‘My Science Classes’ questionnaire assessing student views of their science learning, and the ‘Civic Responsibility Survey’ to assess students civic responsibility awareness. Data, analysed through qualitative and quantitative methods, revealed varied project types, differing in terms of student involvement and stakeholder engagement. Results showed a significant rise in perceived school openness post-project and a positive shift in student views towards science learning and civic engagement awareness. These findings highlight the effectiveness of integrating real-world issues through science education, such as educational seismology, suggesting significant implications for curriculum design and educational policy by emphasizing the importance of project-based learning and community engagement in fostering academic and civic excellence.

Local earthquake monitoring with a low-cost seismic network: a case study in Nepal

Seismic monitoring matters both for research and for populations living in areas of seismic hazard; however, it comes with a cost that is not fully affordable for developing countries. Compared to classical approaches with very quiet sites and high-quality instrumentation, it is therefore worth investigating low-cost seismic networks and how well they perform at detecting and characterizing seismicity. We analyze 1 year of seismic data from an educational seismology network in Nepal, create our own earthquake catalog, and compare it to the publicly available national observatory catalog. We find that despite the noisier seismic station sites, the overall results are comparable and all the main features relevant for seismicity are found. We present quantitative analyses of locations, magnitudes and their frequency distribution in our catalog, as well as differences with the observatory catalog. Differences between the two catalogs primarily stem from the respective network geometries and their coverage, as well as daytime noise level differences. We conclude that if properly planned and installed, low-cost seismic networks are a viable, feasible and significant complement to monitor seismic activity.Graphical

Educational Seismology through an Immersive Virtual Reality Game: Design, Development and Pilot Evaluation of User Experience

Virtual Reality (VR), especially in its immersive form, is a promising technology employed to support education and training in various fields. VR offers unique opportunities to experience situations and environments that are otherwise inaccessible or risky. Educational Seismology aims to inform and educate the public on earthquakes; to this end, the use of VR is investigated as an attractive solution. VRQuake is an immersive VR application designed and developed for Educational Seismology purposes. VRQuake is structured in five consecutive scenes and is organized as a game. It allows users to interact with virtual objects in real time and apply learned rules and good practices in reaction to an earthquake, thus providing a dynamic learning environment. A pilot evaluation of VRQuake is performed by volunteer university students who play the game and then answer a questionnaire with closed- and open-type questions referring mostly to the user experience. Analysis of the answers has shown positive results regarding usability, clarity and acceptance of the application. Answers are also encouraging as to the educational potential of VRQuake. Furthermore, qualitative analysis of open-type questions has contributed user suggestions and demands that point to interesting new directions for further improvement of user experience and learning outcomes.

Sismos a l'Ecole: A Worldwide Network of Real-Time Seismometers in Schools

After each large destructive earthquake in the world, shocking images are presented to the adults and children on the TV and through the Internet. All sorts of questions arise: Some of them are very rational, whereas others are driven by fear of a global catastrophe or even a curse. For example, in March 2011, after the giant Tohoku, Japan, earthquake, seismologists everywhere were asked to provide explanations and often to give their opinion on what had happened. How could there be such a disaster? Can it happen to us? Many took the time to talk to students in classrooms to make clear what we know and what we are still trying to understand and also tried to limit irrational fears. Teachers, as well as researchers, were on the front line, particularly those who actively participate in networks of educational seismology in the United States (e.g., Levy and Taber, 2005), England (e.g., Denton, 2009), Italy (e.g., Cantore et al. , 2003; Solarino and Eva, 2009), Switzerland (e.g., Sornette and Haslinger, 2009), and other countries in the world. Thanks to Sismos a l’Ecole (SaE) network stations, accessible in real time in various parts of the world, students saw the waves of the many aftershocks passing through their school and through other schools in the world. Thus, they immediately understood that the waves of Japanese earthquakes first arrived at the high school stations in Taipei, then in Canberra, and then in Istanbul before arriving under their feet at their school. Let us see how this network is structured and how it allows …

Classroom Seismographs and the Challenge of Encouraging a Culture of Scientific Inquiry in K-12 Schools

Curiosity about how the world works, and systematic reasoning to investigate what we are curious about—these lie at the heart of what it means to be a scientist. In our experience with operating seismographs in K–12 schools, we are finding that what it means to be a student (and a teacher) is often very different. While curiosity does seem to be alive and well in the minds of young elementary school children, it is sadly less and less apparent as students progress through the later years of elementary school and beyond ( e.g., National Research Council 2000). Furthermore, we are finding that few K–12 science teachers tend to dwell within a culture of curiosity and scientific investigation. We are thus experiencing a noticeable culture gap when we collaborate with teachers and students on educational seismology projects. Theoretically, seismographs-in-schools projects provide an opportunity for us to encourage curiosity and a culture of inquiry and scientific investigation in K–12 schools and to give young students a full appreciation of the nature of scientific inquiry. But then we hit this culture gap: Often the students do not show evidence of curiosity, nor do the teachers appear able or willing to model and reinforce such curiosity. How then might we promote the development of curiosity and scientific reasoning in K–12 schools? To foster new generations of scientists and scientifically literate citizens will require teachers who are themselves comfortable with inquiry and the open-ended nature of research. And so we face a conundrum, as the teachers with whom we seek to collaborate are themselves products of an educational system that is sorely lacking a culture of curiosity and inquiry. This presents a formidable challenge. In this article, we describe our efforts to encourage a culture of inquiry and scientific investigation in K–12 schools as part of …

Lessons Learned in Eight Years of Seismology Outreach in Arizona Schools

One of the most exciting moments after installing a new seismic station in a high school classroom is recording an earthquake. Students leave their desks; teachers stop midsentence, as if the classroom beneath their feet were shaking! Earthquakes are a fascinating, powerful, and uncontrollable force that capture the attention of people young and old and naturally lend themselves to engaging students in the classroom. Focusing on earthquakes in schools creates unique opportunities for seismologists to share their knowledge, tools, and excitement for the study of the Earth and to become involved in kindergarten through high school (K-12, ages 5-18) education. However, the steps from conducting seismology research in a university laboratory to using seismology as a teacher in a K-12 classroom are not always clear or easy to take. After nearly a decade of promoting educational seismology, the seismology community has made critical advances in identifying what is effective and what is needed for success (USESN, 2001). Much credit must be given to the pioneers in educational seismology and programs such as PEPP (Princeton Earth Physics Project) and PSN (Public Seismic Network) which first wrestled with these challenges. Their efforts sparked interest within the seismological community, so that today a classroom teacher has many options and opportunities for incorporating seismic data into the daily instruction. While the tools and educational resources available have improved substantially, challenges still remain. Two philosophical branches of educational seismology are emerging that offer similar learning opportunities with somewhat different goals. One branch uses higher quality instrumentation and sophisticated networking software for automated data gathering and archiving. The seismometer can serve the dual purposes of education and extending local or regional research seismic networks. The other branch focuses on simpler instrumentation with opportunities for greater interactivity and classroom experimentation. This branch has a secondary purpose of …

Toward Integration of Educational Seismology Programs: The U.S. Educational Seismology Network

Over the course of the past decade, a growing movement in science education circles has sought to address perceived gaps in the scientific literacy of America's students. Among the primary concerns of this educational reform movement is the need for in-depth, interdisciplinary, inquiry-oriented learning in science classrooms, combined with improved access to technology for all students ( e.g., National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, 2000). Seismology, by nature interdisciplinary, technology-oriented, and applicable to critical societal problems, is ideally suited to answer this calling. A number of science education programs have stepped up to the challenge and are defining a new coalition between scientific research and science education. They have refined a simple mechanism to engage students actively in research: deployment of seismological sensors in an educational setting. These science education programs, while diverse in their approach, have a common goal: to use seismographs and seismic data to improve scientific literacy, spark student interest in …

A Real-time Interactive Educational Seismology Exhibit

Modern seismology has rapidly passed the level of many educational displays. While seismologists almost exclusively use digital data, the traditional pen and ink drum recorder remains the mainstay of many educational seismology exhibits in museums. Although a drum recorder retains several major advantages, such as familiarity and visual appeal, it also has several clear disadvantages, both technical and educational. Chief among the technical disadvantages are the poor data quality of many museum displays due to high noise levels and the difficulty and cost of replacing paper, pens, and ink on a routine basis. The use of a drum recorder also gives a misleading and antiquated impression of how modern seismologists work. Another feature of museum displays is that the sensor is usually kept well away from the actual display to reduce seismic noise levels. However, having a sensor near the display is useful for adding interaction to the display. Visitors can create their own seismic signals by jumping, a feature which is especially popular with children. In general, interactivity in museum displays has been shown to increase the attractiveness of the display. Interactivity is believed to promote learning, at least for some learning styles, although it is not always clear exactly what is being learned (Feher, 1990; Falk and Dierking, 1992). In this paper we describe an innovative exhibit that provides interactivity, displays high-quality seismic data, and transmits the data in real-time to a local seismic network. A strong-motion sensor is located under the display, allowing people to jump, stamp feet, and otherwise create seismic waves that appear almost immediately on a computer monitor. During periods of little museum activity, which is at least 14 hours per day, the sensor records useful low-noise data that can be merged with regional seismic network data for scientific analysis. In addition …

The EduSeis Project in Italy: An Educational Tool for Training and Increasing Awareness of Seismic Risk

The Educational Seismology Project (EduSeis) is a scientific and educational effort which involves high schools, scientific museums, and research institutes in four different European countries: France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany. This paper discusses the Italian program, which is part of an existing cooperation between the “Citta della Scienza” Science Center of Naples and the University of Naples. The program has the aim of developing modern and advanced educational tools in Earth sciences, using seismology as a vehicle for scientific learning. In a region characterized by an elevated seismic and volcanic risk, the EduSeis project has a remarkable impact on the mitigation of the seismic risk. This effect is achieved in two ways: by involving students, teachers, and their families in schools and by using museums to educate the general public. Although there is a risk of strong earthquakes in the Mediterranean area, the amount of information and awakening to seismic mitigation are insufficient by comparison with analogous initiatives undertaken in other seismic regions in the world. The EduSeis project in Italy has recently received financial support from the Department of Civil Protection through the National Group for Earthquake Defense of INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia). As a result of this program, a network of digital seismographs has been installed in a number of high schools in central and southern Italy. The purpose of this network is to make advanced, research-level instruments and data analysis tools available to schools and to increase students' attention to observations of Earth phenomena and Earth science in general. Products from the network are available to the schools hosting the EduSeis seismograph, to the Science Center's visitors, and to the general public via an Internet Web site (http://eduseis.na.infn.it). The project has several educational, scientific, and social aims. The main educational objectives are to …

Evaluating the Network Time Protocol (NTP) for Timing in the South Carolina Earth Physics Project (SCEPP)

Last fall, the ES faced a dilemma. He could spend time writing a full-length article for the special SRL Educational Seismology issue by late September OR wait nine months and write an ES column for the issue. Guess which choice came out on top? Yup, the ES procrastinated. Then, as the June deadline approached, a third choice presented itself: Have someone else write the column! So, in the spirit of the Educational Seismology issue, our lead guest author this month is Andrew Frassetto, a rising senior Geophysics major at the ES's home institution. Andrew has been working with the ES and his famous sidekick, Philip Crotwell, on the South Carolina Earth Physics Project (SCEPP) for a couple of years, getting a true education in both the challenges of modern seismology and the challenges of working in the K-12 educational system. For the ES, working on the SCEPP project has provided some of the most satisfying and most frustrating experiences of his professional career. Teachers are some of the most interested and motivated students that the ES has ever encountered. However, they and everyone in their school districts are very busy, which caused the ES more than minor frustration when trying to get their attention to install a seismograph station in their school. The ES and other SCEPP staffers quickly learned that minimizing the efforts that teachers and school district personnel need to make on your behalf is the single most important factor in getting instruments into schools. Having schools prepare outdoor sites was extremely difficult; asking them to locate instruments near outside walls where we could have GPS signals and Internet connections was merely difficult. Fortunately, asking them to find a location anywhere they wanted within reach of an Internet drop was something most schools could handle in the limited …

New science education initiative brings seismology into the classroom

Prince Galitsin's invention of the electromagnetic seismograph in 1914 revolutionized the young science of seismology. Now, the venerable research instrument is proving to have an equally powerful impact—in the arena of public education. Over the past 5 years, a number of initiatives have extended the boundaries of seismology research outside the ivory towers of research institutions and into America's schools, museums, and teaching colleges. These initiatives are built on the premise that educational seismology offers a special opportunity for capturing students' innate curiosity for natural phenomena in the world around them, and that this curiosity can be used to teach a wealth of fundamental principles of physics and Earth science. These school‐based seismograph stations, now numbering in the hundreds, are demonstrating a growing potential to contribute both to science education and scientific research.