The “www” of waves, weather and water: digital libraries help bring atmospheric and ocean sciences to life (Centre Greene Building 12, CTTC)

The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE; www.dlese.org) supports excellence in education by providing broad access to a library of innovative web-based resources for teaching and learning. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), DLESE is the Earth science member of the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and provides collaborative opportunities for scientists, educational researchers, and educators to catalyze the critically needed change in how science is taught in K-12 classrooms. DLESE provides scientists and Earth, ocean and atmospheric science research programs an opportunity to contribute to scientific literacy and education and impact a broader segment of society more rapidly, more directly, and more cost-effectively than ever before. For educators, the library provides high-quality, scientifically accurate, pedagogically reviewed materials that are freely available to anyone in the world with Internet access. Designed for Education and Outreach professionals, classroom teachers, and potential library contributors, this hands-on workshop will highlight the ways in which interactive electronic resources can be employed to make some of the more difficult and abstract ideas about the interactions of the Earth, atmosphere, and ocean both concrete and relevant, especially for students lacking local access to field study opportunities. Pedagogic resources that support effective learning strategies will also be highlighted.