NSF Awards: 1755449
In July of 2018, more than 400 participants from 40 countries attended the sixth GLOBE Learning Expedition (GLE) in Killarney National Park.
This extraordinary event will live on in the minds and hearts of participants for years to come. The video provides a sense of the power of place, bringing science to life as students explore field sites in hauntingly beautiful Killarney National Park; participate in student research and cultural presentations; and listen to extraordinary student keynote speakers from around the world.
This video was shortened from the original 12 minute video that provides a deeper connection to the 6 students featured in the film. If interested, you can view that video on the GLOBE website at http://bit.ly/2018GLEvideo
ABOUT THE GLOBE PROGRAM
The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is an international science and education program that provides students and the public worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, and contribute to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment.
Teachers learn to conduct the GLOBE scientific measurement protocols and to implement learning activities in their classrooms. GLOBE students use the scientific protocols to collect consistent, scientifically valid measurements and then upload these data to the GLOBE database.
GLOBE’s global network provides opportunities for international collaboration through multi-national partnerships, an annual International Virtual Science Symposium, and GLOBE Learning Expeditions. From K-12 and beyond…GLOBE provides the foundation for research about our global environment, engaging participants in more than 120 countries in meaningful research about the Earth.
In 2020 GLOBE will celebrate its 25th Anniversary!
Camellia Sanford-Dolly
Senior Research Associate
I resonated with the quote stating that a common interest in science unites us. Could you say more about how the in-person experience that was features in the video differs from the virtual symposium? What goals do these two events share and are there any goals that are unique to either activity?
Tony Murphy
Director, GLOBE Implementation Office
Thanks for the question Camellia. The International Virtual Science Symposium as you can tell is a virtual platform where students can submit their GLOBE related research. Once submitted the reports are assessed by a judges from the GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN). Students who submit can also be mentored by members of the GISN. Almost all contact is virtual. The overall goal is to encourage students to use GLOBE data and do scientific research.
The GLOBE Learning Expedition (GLE) is more like a science conference with students coming together to present their research to their peers and others from the GLOBE community. They also experience fieldwork in addition to cultural exchange. The goal of the GLE is to bring together students to share research, learn more about a specific environment they are in and to have a cultural exchange with other GLOBE community members from around the world. We find that students who have this experience develop friendships and even ideas for collaborative research.
Susannah O'Shea
Jake Foster
Founder
Thank you for sharing this overview of the 2018 GLE. I love the combination of field work and symposium, and obviously culture is important. One key reason for having an international focus is that environmental issues are global in nature; no one country will solve many of the environmental challenges we face. How is that conveyed or taken up by the variety of participants in the international learning expeditions?
Tony Murphy
Director, GLOBE Implementation Office
Often we have keynote speakers that present about the challenges facing the local and national area where the GLE is taking play. In addition, the students often come with a good understanding of the issues that are facing their countries and regions. Their research projects also deal with many international issues or issues that are transboundary. Finally, the international nature of the gathering also helps create a foundation and fosters friendships and international collaborations. It is hoped that should some of these students follow STEM careers that they may also work together in the future to resolve environmental issues.
Jake Foster
Founder
Thank you, Tony. What role do GLOBE mentors have in the GLE, particularly when it comes to looking or working across boundaries? Or are the mentors just involved with the students at the local level before the GLE (where they may still have a role in supporting cross-boundary perspectives)?
Tony Murphy
Director, GLOBE Implementation Office
Hi Jake, I hope I didn't confuse in the answer. The GLOBE mentors work with students in the International Virtual Science Symposium to help with their research projects. Some of those projects may then be presented at the GLE. The mentor may work with the students on a local basis on their projects or they may also be online.
Breanne Litts
Assistant Professor
Thank you for sharing your work! This seems like a great opportunity for youth. It's great to hear the young people's voices throughout. It looks like the program draws a very diverse group of participants. I'm curious how do kids get to the island to participate in the community? What do they do when they arrive? If a student or parent is watching, how could they participate in this program?
I wonder how meeting in Ireland shapes the overall experience for the students. What sorts of fieldwork is possible there that supports new ways of understanding the world? What sorts of fieldwork are not possible there that could benefit children? How is the meeting place integrated (or not) into the overall experience?
Additionally, I notice above Tony commented that students might work on collaborative research. How is that facilitated and supported?
Jan Heiderer
Communications Coordinator, GLOBE Implementation Office
Hi Breanna, Thank for your comments. To clarify, the Ireland GLOBE Learning Expedition (GLE) took place in July 2018. it was one of a series of GLEs that take place every 4 years, always in a new location internationally.The previous GLE took place in New Delhi in 2014. Before that it was held in Cape Town..and several others before that. The next one will most likely occur in 2022. Hundreds of students arrive, with teachers and chaperones. GLOBE partially funds some teams who take part in the annual International Virtual Science Symposium (by random drawing) to help defray the cost of attending, but for the most part students pay their own way, often fundraising for months ahead of time.
The students are kept busy from morning til night, listening to student speakers, giving presentations of their own research projects, taking part in workshops (such as the storytelling workshop with professional storytellers from Dublin who helped students make their presentations come alive) and also for several days, engaging in field studies. In Ireland, field studies took place in Killarney National Park, the oldest national park in that country. Park Rangers were superb hosts, filing student in on the flora, fauna and lore of the area. Evenings are spent in cultural presentations.
Students of course have the opportunity to meet throughout and it is at these events that students often plan research projects that will help them stay in touch after they return to their respective homes. They engage in GLOBE sponsored projects that spread across borders, such as the international Phenology Campaign, and regionally sponsored campaigns such as the Lakes Project. One year students from Texas organized the international friends they made at the GLE to engage in the international Adopt A Highway service project and were able to take that project to the White House Science Fair. The GLE definitely empowers students to think outside the box. It's easy for them to take those leaps when they are being exposed to so many new and interesting points of view at a GLOBE Learning Expedition!
Camellia Sanford-Dolly
Senior Research Associate
Jan,
To your last point, I'm curious how long you follow-up with past participants and what kinds of outcomes you track. Any lessons learned regarding collecting longitudinal data?
Tony Murphy
Director, GLOBE Implementation Office
Camellia, great question. Given the scope and the dispersed nature of the program, it would be challenging and very expensive to track participants in a systematic manner. each country implements the program as it sees fit to meets its needs so they would also be in charge of tracking the students if they can/want to. However, the main office does what it can to encourage students to remain part of the program after their formal schooling ends by becoming a GLOBE Alum and helping with the program in their area. In addition, we encourage them to send us information about how their careers are forming and any highlights and we distribute these to the community through our STEM and Star stories. We do have examples of these on our website.
We would welcome collaborations with researchers to look at the development of studies that would consider some of these aspect of the benefits of the program on a longitudinal scale. In addition, I would also refer you to Jan's reply below where we were able to contact an alum of the program and had he give a video address at the most recent GLE.
Terri Norton
Thanks for sharing this amazing work! I have a couple of questions. Do you stay in contact with GLE past participants? Is possible for the GLE alums to attend the conference and share with present participants? How do you select the host locations for the GLE conference?
Jan Heiderer
Communications Coordinator, GLOBE Implementation Office
Terri, We do indeed stay in touch with our GLOBE Alums. For this GLE in Ireland, we did our best to contact all the student speakers from the 2008 GLE in Cape Town South Africa, to find out how their life choices might have been influenced by their involvement in GLOBE and to hear them reflect back on their GLOBE experience, after 10 years. See this very powerful 2 minute testimonial by Natasha Hope projected from the stage to the GLE students in Ireland: https://youtu.be/05lpdiCmR5o
Jan Heiderer
Communications Coordinator, GLOBE Implementation Office
Terri, Here’s another vidoe that shows the exuberance of GLOBE Alumni...made BY alums... attending the 2014 GLE in New Delhi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2njnYFvXDY&...
Susannah O'Shea
This is amazing work and a great way to develop research skills among young students. How do students become involved in GLOBE Learning Expeditions? Do these student-researchers continue their research beyond the expedition and if so, do they keep in contact with one another to continue sharing ideas on their study?
Jan Heiderer
Communications Coordinator, GLOBE Implementation Office
Thanks for your post, Susannah. Yes many of our students are engaged in research projects that continue beyond a single school year. This is especially the case in schools that have constructed weather stations where students continue to collect data for years. Some schools have GLOBE Clubs, where students do GLOBE in after-school programs. These kids become very invested in collecting data.
Do students keep in contact with one another to continue sharing ideas? Let me pull from my response to a similar question from Breanna above: .....(students) stay in touch after they return to their respective homes. They engage in GLOBE sponsored projects that spread across borders, such as the international Phenology Campaign, and regionally sponsored campaigns such as the Lakes Project. One year, students from Texas organized the international friends they made at the GLE to engage in the international Adopt A Highway service project and were able to take that project to the White House Science Fair. The GLE definitely empowers students to think outside the box. It's easy for them to take those leaps when they are being exposed to so many new and interesting points of view at a GLOBE Learning Expedition! Thanks for asking.
Matt Silberglitt
It is wonderful to see GLOBE building a community of scientists that crosses borders and includes so many cultures!
Tony Murphy
Director, GLOBE Implementation Office
Yes, Matt, thanks for the comment. These experiences that the community have are very important in helping to strengthen the community and also for the GLOBE students to see a diversity of scientists and role models. Because GLEs occur only every 4-5 years we also have students and teachers attend our annual meetings each year. The experience there is slightly different but still extremely beneficial for the students. They get to present their GLOBE research and have a field experience away from the adult participants for a number of days. They return to the main meeting and present what they have learned on their field experience to the rest of the group.
Further posting is closed as the showcase has ended.