Toward Integration of Educational Seismology Programs: The U.S. Educational Seismology Network

Over the course of the past decade, a growing movement in science education circles has sought to address perceived gaps in the scientific literacy of America's students. Among the primary concerns of this educational reform movement is the need for in-depth, interdisciplinary, inquiry-oriented learning in science classrooms, combined with improved access to technology for all students ( e.g., National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, 2000). Seismology, by nature interdisciplinary, technology-oriented, and applicable to critical societal problems, is ideally suited to answer this calling. A number of science education programs have stepped up to the challenge and are defining a new coalition between scientific research and science education. They have refined a simple mechanism to engage students actively in research: deployment of seismological sensors in an educational setting. These science education programs, while diverse in their approach, have a common goal: to use seismographs and seismic data to improve scientific literacy, spark student interest in …