Joint Education Initiative

A  project  was initiated at the U.S. Geological  Survey  (USGS) 
which has the potential of making a real difference in the future 
of  America's educational system.  As part of a joint  initiative 
involving  the  National  Aeronautics  and  Space  Administration 
(NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(NOAA), the USGS developed a set of educational materials to 
enhance  and  promote the teaching of earth science at  the  pre-
college level.  The unique aspect of this project lies in the fact 
that  these  teaching materials incorporate many  of  the  actual 
databases  used by earth scientists and environmental researchers 
in  the  various agencies.  In many cases,  these are  the  same 
databases  used  to  study such critical  global  issues  as  the 
greenhouse  effect,  depletion  of the ozone layer,  and  coastal 
erosion.

In the past,  analysis of these types of earth science  databases 
has  required  the use of mainframe or  minicomputers.   However, 
through the use of today's powerful microcomputers along with the 
storage medium of CD-ROM, the analysis of earth science databases 
can now take place on a desktop. The JEdI Project was designed to 
take  advantage  of  this "downsizing"  trend  in  earth  science 
computing  and  allow  teachers and students to access  the  same 
databases and software analytical tools that are currently in use 
throughout the professional earth science community. 

The  JEdI Project brought 20 teachers into the USGS for a  period 
of  three weeks to mold the "raw materials" of data and  software 
into  a series of teaching activities.  These activities use  the 
real  world  data  and  the software  tools  contributed  by  the 
participating  agencies  to  convey  concepts  and  relationships 
associated  with  space  and  earth  science.  JEdI  also  helped 
establish  close  links between the scientists  involved  in  the 
project  and  the  workshop teachers in an effort to  foster  the 
transfer of knowledge from the science agencies into our schools. 

JEdI  produced  11 activities based around a set of CD-ROM  discs 
specifically  created  for  the  workshop.   Summaries  of  these 
activities were presented at the closing ceremonies held  Friday, 
July  27  at the USGS National Center.  Dallas Peck  opened  this 
ceremony,  followed  by  the  project leaders who  described  the 
results and gave recognition to the various project participants. 

Thus far, private industry has donated over $175,000 in goods and 
services (including 20 complete computer systems) to the  teachers 
and schools participating in JEdI. This project has shown how the 
spirit  of  volunteerism and cooperation between the  public  and 
private  sectors can be combined to help improve our  educational 
system.  In addition,  as one teacher remarked, "the JEdI project 
has  helped  move CD-ROM technology from the school library into 
the science classroom."