- Globe researchers have suggested that Globe is an example of anchored instruction. Do you agree or disagree with this statement and why?
Anchored instruction is a technology-centered learning approach where students are given math and science problems to solve in realistic contexts. The first example of an anchored instruction that I came across was the Jasper problems. Looking at Globe, a few weeks later, it only fills me with joy knowing that we started at Jasper and have landed at Globe in a couple of decades. The first article that I read on “Mathematics in the streets and in schools” by Carraher and Schliemann, is about children selling food on the street and being super-efficient at doing mental math while when those children are asked to perform mathematical calculations on a piece of paper, they were not as efficient. These authors raise an important question at the end of the paper, “(are) schools out to allow children simply to develop their own computational routines without trying to impose the conventional systems developed in the culture?” (Carraher and Schliemann, 1985, p. 28). I think the answer to this question will be ‘yes’ for the majority of the schools, while there are few schools that use TPCKs such as Globe can be excluded from the list.
Therefore, I think the answer to the posed question is obvious that, yes, Globe is not only an example of anchored instruction but the definition of what anchored instruction should look like. Globe offers collaboration and learning for K-12 grade students across the world in 110 countries that not only benefit students but also the teachers and the admin. The website is designed to be very welcoming where “anyone” can join and be a part of something bigger than we can imagine. There are mobile apps that can record videos and take pictures that can be uploaded in the form of data collection to the website. In result to all of this, Herron and Robertson explain in their paper how “Using the Globe program to educate students on the interdependence of Our planet and people” is possible and happening. “Students recognized how people in the city and surrounding areas might be impacted by research on biomass. Many students focused on the benefits that could be experienced by the immediate community, while other focused on the impact of local industry” (Herron and Robertson, 2013, p.30). Students from all around the world are not only helping third world countries make a difference in their lifestyles or help scientists make new inventions, but they are making difference in their own communities as stated by Herron and Robertson.
Although, as I familiarized myself with the program- Globe, I was a bit skeptical about the data that is collected from a variety of sources, whether the data can be trusted or not. Penuel and Means’ article on “Implementation Variations and Fidelity in an inquiry science program: analysis of Globe data reporting patterns” addressed my point. After they analyzed data and surveyed teachers and students, they there may be some lack of confidence in the data reported. I think there must be some sort of filter that is applied once the data is received by the staff working at Globe to verify whether the data is acceptable or not.
However, other than the above, I cannot think of anything else that I could pinpoint to make this program any better than it already is. In the end, I think there is no option left for all of us but to go global with Globe and make a real difference in the world.
References
Carraher, T. N., Carraher, D. W., & Schliemann, A. D. (1985). Mathematics in the streets and in schools. British journal of developmental psychology, 3(1), 21-29
Herron, S. S., & Robertson, J. L. (2013). Using the GLOBE Program to Educate Students on the Interdependence of Our Planet and People. Creative Education. 4(A). pg. 29-3
Peneul, W.R., & Means, B. (2004). Implementation variation and fidelity in an inquiry science program: Analysis of GLOBE data reporting patterns. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41(3), 294-315