NSF GEO request for input on cyberinfrastructure support

NSF 06-007: Request for Community Input on Cyberinfrastructure Support for Geoscience Education

Complete announcement: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsf06007/nsf06007.jsp

On November 30, 2005, Dr. Margaret Leinen, Assistant Director of the NSF Directorate for Geosciences, issued a "Dear Colleague" letter soliciting input regarding the future characteristics of cyberinfrastructure in support of geoscience education. Cyberinfrastructure in support of geoscience education is currently provided by the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE). In fiscal year 2006, the NSF Directorate for Geosciences intends to entertain new and/or renewal proposals to design, maintain and operate the next generation of geoscience education cyberinfrastructure.

The Directorate for Geosciences would like to receive input from the community regarding design specifications for the future cyberinfrastructure component of the geoscience education portfolio. All community input will be carefully considered by the Directorate for Geosciences. Please submit no more than three (3) pages, single-spaced, of information in response to this Dear Colleague Letter. Input can be emailed to dlesecomments@nsf.gov by January 31, 2006.

Topics you may wish to address include:

* What basic services and architectures should be provided to enable inquiry-based learning for users of a geoscience-education website (e.g., the ability to search by topic or grade level, discovery and delivery of scientific information related to current events, and the ability to personalize web interfaces)?

* What cyber services should be provided to educators (e.g., relationship to National Science Education Standards, information about best-practices, teaching guides, educational assessment tools)?

* What services should be provided to educators and scientists who wish to submit educational materials for publication on a geoscience-education website (e.g., assistance with format, keywords, or metadata)?

* What are the advantages and disadvantages of maintaining a collection in addition to linking to external resources/collections and providing metadata resources?

Jill Karsten, Ph.D.
Program Director, GEO Education & Diversity
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22230
703.292.8500 (phone)
703.292.9042 (fax)
jkarsten@nsf.gov (email)