Bringing Global Climate Modeling Data Into the Classroom: Effective Pedagogy With Available Resources and Possibilities for the Future

Climate modeling results can be an excellent tool for promoting inquiry into the dynamics of past, present, and future climates. Exposing students to global climate model (GCM) output early on in their exploration of the climate system offers them the potential to apply new knowledge to a growing understanding of climate theory in the context of model results. While there have been thousands of climate modeling experiments, very little model output is available in an easily accessible format for review by the general public. Much data is in a format that is difficult to access and requires sufficient technical skill for processing. There are a few sources of GCM output available online that may be directly utilized in the classroom. Effectively using this output in the classroom can require some preparation, however, as students need direction and context that is generally not provided on these websites. In this presentation, I review the sources of GCM output presently available online, and make suggestions for incorporating these model results into classroom lessons at the college undergraduate level. Ultimately, with some modification in presentation format and accessibility, GCM output could become an effective educational resource at all educational levels. Additionally, making GCM output more accessible to the general public offers the potential to increase awareness of global climate and environmental change, as well as enhance cross-disciplinary collaboration between the physical and social sciences. This presentation will include suggestions regarding how research and education communities might cooperate to develop effective tools for accessing processed model output, and how we might continue to develop the use of model output to promote scientific learning through inquiry.