The My NASA Data Project

Locating the right dataset, then figuring out how to use it, is a daunting task in Earth system science. Nonetheless, this process is essential to exploring authentic Earth system science data, and thus to inquiry-based education, which is an important goal in U.S. K–12 national education standards. While some K–12 students working with special teachers have been able to navigate available data for their projects, expecting all high school or middle school students to persevere through the current challenges of locating and deciphering data in order to pursue a question is not realistic. Fortunately, emerging information technology and open-source standards can make this problem more tractable at all educational levels.