The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Program is a worldwide hands-on, science and education program focusing on the environment, now active in over 120 countries worldwide. It works to promote the teaching and learning of science, enhance environmental literacy and stewardship, and promote scientific discovery. Students and teachers collect data and perform research in collaboration with scientists from numerous international agencies, and their work is made accessible through the GLOBE website.
Background
The GLOBE Program seeks to teach young students experimental skills using real experiments and equipment. Students, teachers, and scientists collaborate in a unique global learning network. The program is housed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and sponsored by NASA, NOAA, and the National Science Foundation, through an inter-agency agreement signed in 1998. The U.S. Department of State supports the work of the GLOBE Program internationally ; many other organizations support the GLOBE Program in the US and around the world.
Mission
The GLOBE Program's Mission is to promote the teaching and learning of science, enhance environmental literacy and stewardship, and promote scientific discovery. Specific goals include:
Improve student achievement across the curriculum with a focus on student research in environmental and Earth system science;
Enhance awareness and support activities of individuals throughout the world to benefit the environment;
Contribute to scientific understanding of Earth as a system;
Connect and inspire the next generation of global scientists; and
2014: NASA selected the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research to operate The GLOBE Implementation Office
2015: Earth Day, GLOBE celebrates its 20th birthday; GLOBE launches new data entry app for schools, an enhanced website, and an updated teacher's guide; 51 protocols in the Program; 128 million data entries in the international database
2016: GLOBE provides online eTraining; hosts International Virtual Science Fair and six regional U.S. science fairs, and various student scientific campaigns
2017: Data reaches over 140 million measurements; International Virtual Science Symposium increases in number of submitted projects and worldwide representation, and new mosquito protocol
2018: 6th GLE held in Ireland
Activities for learning
The GLOBE Program provides the opportunity for students to learn by taking scientifically valid measurements in the fields of atmosphere, hydrology, soils, land cover, and phenology, depending upon their local curricula. Students report their data through the Internet, create maps and graphs to analyze data sets, and collaborate with scientists and other GLOBE students around the world. All the GLOBE data and observations are in the public domain.
Contribution by scientists
Members of the international science community are involved in the design and implementation of the GLOBE Program. Scientists are involved in helping select GLOBE environmental measurements, developing measurement procedures, and ensuring overall quality control of data. This is important to ensure that other scientists have confidence about these results and their findings. Their continued support and direction helps to ensure that GLOBE environmental measurements make a significant contribution to the global environmental database.
