Researching 33 teenagers
The past two weeks I have been working on a grant project funded by the National Science Foundation. The grant funded a summer institute on geographic information technologies, which was hosted at UNM. There is active research involved in the project in finding ways to teach GIT and spatial concepts. The first week of the project we worked just with teachers from across the country. My job was to help prepare some of the material we would be teaching and to assist in the lab, mainly helping to explain some geography concepts and provide assistance on the geographic information systems (think spatial analysis/mapping software). The week went well, while there is always room for in improvement I think the teachers learned some new stuff, I know I did.
The second week of the institute was a whole different ball game. We hosted 33 teenagers, high schoolers, who attended the institute with the same objective of learning some GIT tools and concepts and potentially different ways of learning and working with their teachers. My main role this week was chaperon, but also working with students and teachers in the lab. This was really hard work! Not the geography or technology part, but trying to control 33 teenage kids! It was crazy! There were some really great kids, but there were also some really terrible rude ones with huge attitude problems. It was really challenging to deal with all the attitude, and foul language, and dirty jokes and conversations. Hopefully they all got something out of the week. I learned a ton through observation and feedback about the learning and learning challenges that were going on. I am kind of tired right now so I am sure I am not doing the week justice. My chaperoning duties included staying with these kids 24×7 which meant I lived in the dorms for a week. It was a good experience and I’m glad I had the opportunity. UNM is applying to the NSF to have the grant renewed so I may have the more opportunity to work on the project in the future. I have lots of ideas should that happen. =)