Transforming Zooniverse Data into STEM Lessons in a Secondary Classroom
Abstract: This poster highlights Zooniverse as a citizen science tool where the original citizen science collection's data can be translated into tangible lessons for K-12 classrooms. Through this online tool, the [University] is able to have secondary science pre-service teachers use the data collected and their own research questions to create a project that they can incorporate into their classrooms. Zooniverse.com provides a variety of opportunities and activities to create a data mining research community (Borne, 2001). Data mining is an emerging interdisciplinary field with many challenging concepts for secondary students: learn and identify settings to improve outcomes, gain insight and explain phenomena, all through computerized methods (Romero & Ventura, 2012). Using Zooniverse as a resource can be insightful for secondary teachers as they help make connections between computer science, statistics, and science. By implementing this type of technology into the classroom, students will have access to real-world phenomenon while also engaging in real-world, applicable research that will bridge these concepts together. This poster highlights how 6 pre-service secondary science teachers used Zooniverse to create challenges for future K-12 students to think critically about data mining, collection, and analysis. The team shares how a single Zooniverse project can be transformed to fit any of the secondary science disciplines while connecting it to NGSS, DCIs, CCCs, and SEPs.
Presider: Scott Mavers, University of North Texas