What are different laboratory activities? Discuss internet as a source of science skills and processes.

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 Assessing Laboratory Activities
Laboratory settings can provide students with the opportunity to apply their content understandings in new situations and apply the skills that geo-scientists use when working with Earth materials, images and data sets. Laboratory work usually entails an element of group work, so let's begin with some of the differences between individual and group assessment. Usually laboratory settings are favorable for small group, collaborative work. This work increases communication and application of content knowledge to the task at hand. Before planning an assessment strategy decide if roles in the group are going to be interchangeable, that is, will each student be expected to know every role, or will you ask students to become "experts" in one facet of the group effort. Assessment of the content element can either be performed individually for each group member and the group process grade factored in or alternately, the instructor may assess both content and process for each group as a whole. For more insight into the assessment process for group projects, view "Assessment of Cooperative Learning".

Assessing a Group Activity Using Global Carbon Dioxide Data
The activity Carbon Dioxide Exercise introduces students to the process of plotting and interpreting graphs. The exercise has several learning objectives. These are:

• Estimate changes in global carbon dioxide concentrations over a 5-year span
• Learn about variation in the carbon cycle driven by photosynthesis
• Understand how important sampling interval can be when studying changes over time
• Practice basic quantitative skills

Individual Assessment of the Short Report The instructions given to the students need not be complicated or time consuming, but should be detail ed
enough to provide everyone with the ground rules for good writing. Here is an example: The summary report you are preparing this evening should be at least a paragraph in length and include the stimulated changes in global carbon dioxide concentrations over a 5-year span; the reason for the variation we see in the annual carbon cycle driven by photosynthesis; and the how important sampling interval can be when studying changes over time. Each assertion you make must be explained by supporting evidence. Cite the source of all supporting evidence (your group graph, your lecture notes or any additional sources). In this way assessment serves as a model for scientific writing as well at the vehicle through which student attainment of the activities learning objectives is measured. For additional ways of assessing laboratory activities see the resources below.

• A Hands-On Approach to Understanding Topographic Maps and Their Construction. Students are taught the basic principles of topographic map construction and are then required to make a map of a section of campus. The author claims that this approach has improved student test performance and resulted in a better understanding of topographic maps.
• The Laboratory in Science Education: Foundations for the Twenty-First Century. [Hofstein and Lunetta, 2004] This article from Science Education is an analysis of previous scholarship on contemporary goals for science learning, current models of how students construct knowledge, and information about how teachers and students engage in science laboratory activities.Map and Compass Lab. [Koons, 1997] This article in Science Scope presents an activity that is part of a unit on topography and land masses. It helps students learn about scientific inquiry by comparing model representations with actual topographic features. Students also practice making and interpreting scale drawings and learning about computation, estimation and new instrumentation. =
• Development of an Assessment of Student Conception of the Nature of Science. Results from 991 students permitted a statistical analysis of this instrument's validity and reliability. Examples from two courses, one laboratory-based and the other grounded in collaborative learning, are provided to demonstrate the utility of these types of scales in assessing both prior knowledge and course outcomes.(citation and description)
• An Earthquake Lab for Physical Geology. [Lumsden, 1990] This article from the Journal of Geological Education describes an activity in which students locate the epicenter of several earthquakes, plot the trends of the two faults involved, and determine the sense of motion along the plane of the two faults. The article provides objectives, background information, procedures, and data necessary for the activity.
• Active Learning in Secondary and College Science Classrooms: A Working Model for Helping the Learner to Learn. [Michael and Modell, 2003] This book by Joel Michael and Harold Modell is designed for professionals interested an active learning approach to teaching students. The main topics covered in this book are how to build the foundation for active learning, roles for the teacher in creating an active learning environment and creating active learning environments. =
• Design and Assessment of an Interactive Digital Tutorial for Undergraduate-Level Sandstone

Include: the internet, newspapers, journals, transcripts from radio or TV programmes, leaflets, photographs and other artefacts (man-made objects).

Within the category of books there are many different types and genres, for example: fiction and non-fiction, including dictionaries, encyclopaedias, biographies, almanacs, archives, yearbooks and atlases, to name just a few. There are even more categories of websites and other internet resources. All sources of information can be of relevance depending on the subject matter of the research or project you’re working on.

Internet: Being able to research and use materials which back up your study or offer different interpretations of your study area is an essential aspect of studying and learning. Primarily you need to be aware of where to look for information, how to access it and how to use it. You must also be able to scrutinize your sources to check that they are relevant and of a suitable nature to be included within your work. Finding Information

You may assume, automatically, that academic text books are the primary source of information when you are engaged in a formal study programme. This may be true, to a degree, usually there is little need to question the credibility of such texts – they have probably been recommended by a tutor There are, however, many other sources of information which should not be overlooked. Such sources

It is important to understand that all information will have a certain degree of validity or otherwise. A document can be easily forged or altered, especially on the internet where anybody can publish anything. It is therefore necessary to use judgement when deciding which documents to use in the context of your study.

Internet Sources
There is a phenomenal amount of information available online, via web-pages, blogs, forums, social media, catalogs and so on. As there is so much information available and because such information can be published quickly and easily by anybody and at any time, it is important that you are vigilant in choosing reliable sources.

For many subjects the internet can be a very important place to research. In some disciplines the internet may be the most appropriate - or only - way of gathering information. This can be particularly true of subjects related to technology or current affairs. Whenever you use the internet for research, remember that the authorship, credibility and authenticity of internet documents is often difficult to establish. For this reason you need to be vigilant and take care when using the internet for academic research. If you are studying formally, in a school, college or university, you should check what your institution’s guidelines are for using internet sources in your work. Some institutions may penalize you, by marking down your work, if your references are mainly from online sources – especially sources that have not been specifically ‘approved’ by your tutor.

Use good judgement and common sense when researching online. Whether or not a source is appropriate or useful will largely depend on your area of study. Some quick tips for general internet research:

• Check the domain name of the site. Generally domain names that include .ac. or .edu. are educational establishments. Domain names ending in .gov are reserved for government purposes. In the UK the .gov.uk and .ac.uk domain names are subject to strict eligibility rules set by UKERNA (United Kingdom Education and Research Networking Association). This means that they can only be used by educational or government institutions. There are usually no such rules for registering .com, .org, .net or many of the other common and regional domain name types. You don’t have to be in the UK or meet any specific criteria to register a .co.uk domain name, for example. This is not to say that .com (or others) are not good, reliable sources of information, just be wary of quality and bias. Of course SkillsYouNeed.com is fine. :)
• How did you arrive at the source? If you followed a link from your college or university then the chances are you are being encouraged to read the online article. If you found the resource via a search engine or a link on another website then you may need to scrutinize it more carefully.

Social networking, funny videos and instant messaging may be tempting distractions from schoolwork, but the Internet still offers a variety of benefits in the educational sphere. As classroom technology and online courses become more prevalent and advanced, teachers and students alike have new ways to study, plan class activities, and present information. Online classes, interactive teaching, and streamlined research methods are just a few advantages of the Internet's educational growth.

Going the Distance
Hectic work schedules, family responsibilities, and commuting challenges no longer have to keep people from seeking a college degree. In 2012, a US News and World Report survey showed that roughly 62 percent of colleges offer online degree programs. Participants in a 2012 Ball State University study stated that flexible scheduling, affordability, and the ability to work at their own pace were key to their decision to take online courses. Internet classes don't just benefit college students, though. Many colleges, such as Liberty University, offer online programs to prepare high schoolers for advanced university work.

Energizing Education
Using the Internet in the classroom actually gets students more excited about learning, states the National Math and Science Initiative. Because Internet activities are often hands-on and interactive, students get the chance to directly engage with information rather than passively listen to lectures. The National Math and Science Initiative states that this is especially true for subjects like math and science, as many students find them challenging to learn and relate to. Internet activities can make these subjects easier to understand, and can present them in unique ways that fit students' affinity for technology.

Research and Reasoning
Once upon a time, students used library card catalogs, encyclopedias and magazines to find information for projects. Today, the Internet streamlines academic research through online databases and search engines, allowing students to view the full text of scholarly publications, of research studies, and even of books right from their computers. Doing this online research also lets them sharpen their critical thinking skills by evaluating Internet sources for credibility, bias and usefulness. Knowing how to determine a source's trustworthiness can help students evaluate online sources they come across both in and out of the classroom, making them smarter consumers of information.

Bridging Communication Gaps
Classroom Internet use can also help teachers say goodbye to communication mishaps such as lost assignment sheets and misplaced memos home to parents. Internet communication can make distribution of information easier, as well as increase class community and motivation, states University of Baltimore professor Hossein Arsham. For example, having a class blog or website can open up dialogue between teachers and students outside of school rather than confining their interactions to the classroom. Students can download course materials and readings, chat with other students, and share their work, while parents can receive reminders about upcoming due dates and events.
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