Protocol eTraining
Update: The Pedosphere training modules are now web-based and are available for all to access. The other web-based sphere modules will be available in April 2024.
Protocol eTraining
As of 2021: Please note that the email address for the GLOBE Community Support team has changed, but this change has not been reflected in the eTraining slides. For questions regarding eTraining module content, email globehelp@ucar.edu.
In order to enter measurements for all GLOBE Protocols using the GLOBE Observer app or the online Data Entry system, GLOBE members must become formally trained by passing the required eTraining assessment tests or by attending an In-person or virtual GLOBE workshop.
Please review the eTraining Requirements to learn which modules are required to become a trained GLOBE Educator or GLOBE Observer.
Existing GLOBE members who are trained can continue to expand their GLOBE protocol knowledge by completing additional modules and assessment tests.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
A summary document about GLOBE eTraining is available for download.
View the eTraining Requirements
Atmospheric conditions can have an important impact on the types of plants and animals that live in a particular area as well as soil formation. The atmospheric measurements collected by GLOBE are important to scientists studying weather, climate, land cover, phenology, ecology, biology, hydrology, and soil. Students and scientists investigate the atmosphere through the collection of data using measurement protocols and instruments that meet certain specifications in order to ensure that data are comparable. The training slides in this section will introduce you to the measurement protocols for the various atmosphere measurements in GLOBE.
The Biosphere is comprised of all living things. GLOBE’s Biosphere investigation areas are Biometry (Land Cover) and Phenology. All living things––including humans––depend on their habitat for survival. Land cover measurements describe the vegetation that provides shelter, food, and protection. Land cover also has a direct effect on the kinds of animals that will likely inhabit an area. Phenology is the study of living organisms’ response to seasonal changes in the environment in which they live. Green-up and green-down marks the beginning and end of the the growing season for plants, and seasonal animal migration is tuned to the yearly changes in habitat. Identifying trends in the timing of green-up and green-down as well as the seasonal migration of organisms promote understanding of the impacts of changes in long-term weather patterns. Students and scientists investigate phenology and biometry using standardized measurement protocols and using instruments that meet certain specifications in order to ensure that data are comparable.
The Hydrosphere is the water component of our planet, and includes liquid water, ice and vapor. Changing any part of the Earth system, such as the amount or type of vegetation in a region or from natural land cover to an impervious one, can affect the rest of the system, and water plays a role in many of these changes. Rain and snow capture aerosols from the air. Acidic water slowly dissolves rocks, placing dissolved solids in water. Dissolved or suspended impurities determine water's chemical composition. Water is a good solvent and participates in many of the chemical reactions that take place in the Earth system. Scientific measurement programs in many areas of the world cover only a few water bodies a few times during the year, so GLOBE students provide valuable data to help fill these gaps and improve our understanding of Earth's natural waters. Students and scientists investigate hydrology through the collection of data using measurement protocols and using instruments which meet certain specifications in order to ensure that data are comparable.
Soil is the great integrator storing and affecting the chemistry of water, storing and releasing heat at Earth’s surface, retaining the effects of past climate and other forces of soil formation, while providing the medium for virtually all plant growth on land. Soil moisture and temperature can change rapidly while soil characteristics typically persist for a century or longer. The soil measurements collected by GLOBE cover the full range of properties. Students and scientists investigate the pedosphere – the global layers of soil – through collection of data that are generally unavailable from any other sources and address the significant local variations in soils. The training slides in this section will introduce you to the investigation of soil and the measurement protocols that enable you to contribute to it through the GLOBE Program.