Introducing research concepts to middle school students via a geospatial science gateway

Tools developed for the Geospatial Data Analysis Building Blocks (GABBs) project that are available on MyGeoHub.org have been used for a geospatial experience for middle school students at Turned Onto Technology & Leadership (TOTAL) summer camps at Purdue University during 2016 and 2017. Thirty to thirty-six middle school students from diverse backgrounds and from around the United States used one such tool, MultiSpec Online to determine the area of a flood which occurred in June 2008 in southern Illinois and Indiana using Landsat 5 multispectral satellite data. The students also got hands-on experience using the GeoBuilder tool to find locations within Indiana with the highest reported rain events. The students received introductions to remote sensing, Geobuilder and MultiSpec Online during a one-day session and the following day they participated in a 75-minute active learning session to work through the exercises. The GABBs team worked closely with the students in multiple sessions helping them with technical questions and at the same time, collecting valuable feedback in how to improve the tools. At the end of the session for the second year, the students completed a four-question evaluation form to provide structured feedback. It was clear that the students were much more excited about the active learning session than the introduction (presentation) session.