Digital archive of human-induced landscape change with k-16 students in Vermont
MASSEY, Christine A., Education and
Geology Departments, cmassey@zoo.uvm.edu; MALLARD, Laura D.,
GSA Abstracts with Programs, vol. 32, no. 7.
With NSF funding, we provide research
experiences for Vermont high school students and teachers in an ongoing project
that documents 150 years of human-induced landscape change in Vermont. Students
locate and scan historic photographs depicting local landscapes and rephotograph
the sites digitally. Students help create digital versions of their findings
for the University of Vermont (UVM) "Digital Archive of Human-Induced Landscape
Change," website (http://geology.uvm.edu/landscape). The website houses a statewide
database of historical/modern image pairs with text describing the historical
context. The database is searchable by location within Vermont (town, county,
and school) and also by geomorphic process responsible for landscape changes
(landslide, flood, deforestation, etc.). Our work with Vermont students and
teachers transfers easily to other parts of the world, and the digital archive
remains a permanent record for future researchers. Pilot studies with two high
schools provided 50 students and three teachers opportunities to investigate
local Vermont landscapes in three counties and allowed us to hone the program.
Summer research with a UVM undergraduate and a motivated high school student
investigated another 67 towns in 14 counties. In the coming 2000-2001 school
year, students from 16 more schools will participate, bringing the coverage
to 50% of the towns in Vermont. At a culminating conference and poster session,
over 300 students will showcase their research findings to their peers, teachers,
and UVM faculty. Our work with teachers and K-16 students provides interdisciplinary
opportunities to explore earth science, environmental science, historical research,
geographic studies, creative writing, and the scientific method. The Vermont
Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities outlines these content and
skill areas as a required part of the Vermont curriculum for high school students.
The Vermont Framework also helped shape the teacher and student manuals we created
for use with the classroom technology (GPs, digital cameras, scanners, and iMac
computers)
