Helping students and teachers make sense of remote sensing via the Internet

Remote sensing (RS) using aerial and satellite imagery can supply local, regional, and global views of the Earth and its different interrelated systems. It can provide a powerful means for students to visualize their place in the world. The "translation" of professional-level RS data and results into useful educational materials for classroom use is a formidable task from the teacher's point of view, however. The data sets are immense in comparison to the memory capabilities of typical computers in schools; there are many different kinds of specialized data sets-each requiring a unique information base to understand; many data sets of high interest are too expensive; and the information content is complex and often intimidating. The authors describe their (ETE) Exploring the Environment project in which they are exploring ways to take RS data efficiently and effectively into the classroom. They are developing Earth science modules utilizing a problem-based learning pedagogy, which places students in the role of active investigators of complex, ill-structured problems that mirror real-world problems. These modules are designed for delivery over the World Wide Web.