Making Meaning from Geoscience Data: A Challenge at the Intersection of Geosciences and Cognitive Sciences

New York
Descriptive
Science
Secondary
Higher Education
Principal Investigator: 
Kim Kastens
Project Overview
Background & Purpose: 

The study is trying to better understand how people interpret geoscience data visualizations in terms of causal processes, how people look at dots, squiggles and blotches of color in data visualizations and reason towards inferences about earth processes.

Setting: 
  • one suburban high school in New York State.
  • two urban universities, one in New York City, one in Philadelphia.
  • one geoscience research lab in New York state.
     
Research Design: 

The project uses a cross-sectional and comparative research design and will generate evidence that is descriptive [observational]. Original data is being collected on high school children earth science students using observation [personal observation and videography], survey research [structured interviewer-administered questionnaires], and eye-tracking.

Findings: 

Findings will be posted as they become available.