[Geochemwksp] Start of the School Year Reminders and Requests--Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry

[Mogk, David]

Dear Friends,

 

Greetings from Montana!

It's hard to believe that summer has slipped past, and that we're
already looking at the start of the next school year.

 

This is my annual reminder for everyone to please use the on-line
teaching resources we've developed at SERC-use these resources to help
design your course, find new resources to support your teaching, use and
contribute to the teaching activity collection, and stay in touch via
the listserv:

 

Mineralogy: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/mineralogy/index.html


Petrology:  http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/petrology/index.html 

Geochemistry:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/geochemistry/index.html

 

We've been working to upgrade these sites, and to expand the URL and
teaching activity resource collections.  I would particularly like to
call your attention to:

 

*	Course Goal and Syllabus posting tool:  all of these sites have
this tool available.  As you prepare your course syllabus this year,
please take a few extra minutes and fill out the requested information
about your course.  We ask for some basic information about your course,
its context and goals, and then you can simply upload your syllabus and
any related resources.  We've had a lot of requests for this service,
and now is the time to populate the syllabus database. Folks are very
interested in seeing what and how their colleagues are teaching these
courses.
*	We are continually looking for additional web-based resources
that support teaching and learning about these subjects; please take a
moment and contribute (link on the websites) any resources that you
routinely use in these classes.
*	We are also making a big push to increase the teaching
activities in these collections (i.e. assignments that you hand out to
students).  We know that you all have one or two really cool exercises
that you have in your files.  We really need to expand these activity
collections, and to fill some important gaps in our coverage. So, as you
prepare for your classes and rediscover your own collection of
exercises, please take a few minutes and contribute to the overall
collection. If everyone submits just one or two new exercises we'll have
a tremendous resource to share with everyone.
*	In a case of shameless self promotion, check out the new modules
that Kent Ratajeski did this past year on:  using the EarthChem database
(http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/cyberinfrastructure/index.h
tml  (which has  some cool examples comparing magmatism at Crater Lake
and Yellowstone, magmatic differentiation at Kilauea Iki, and Igneous
Rock Classification and Plate Tectonics)  and using the MSA Crystal
Structure Database in a module on  Teaching Mineralogy with Crystal
Structure Dabases and Visualization Software
http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/crystallography/index.html .

*	Don't forget about the analytical instrument registry:  if you
have an instrument that is available for use by other faculty and
students, or if you and your students are looking for equipment for
class/research projects, please remember to contribute to and use this
database.
*	Encourage your colleagues to join the listserv.  We need to
demonstrate a "ripple effect" of the Cutting Edge workshops, and one way
to do this is to recruit new users and contributors. Please be our
ambassadors and encourage your colleagues to join and help out.  Please
continue to submit your own queries and thoughts to the listserv-we had
some very interesting and insightful discussions last year!
*	And, in your own teaching and other professional activities,
please remember to use these web resources (and other related resources
at SERC, Teach the Earth, http://serc.carleton.edu
<http://serc.carleton.edu/>  ), early and often.  We need to show growth
in our use numbers, and if you value these resources, we need to provide
evidence that use is growing as we seek future funding to sustain this
project.
*	Remember, when you make a submission or contribution, it takes
my staff a few days to work "at the back end" before the materials will
be made public on the website. So, please be patient.

 

On a personal note, let me just simply say that we really need your help
this year as we continue to grow and use these resources.  I have
funding and staff for only one more year  to continue to work on these
sites-so now is the time to redouble our efforts to further build these
collections and the  user base.  If you value these services, help us
develop these sites into a comprehensive and sustainable resource for
use by faculty and students for years to come.  

 

Wishing everyone a great new school year.  Keep us posted on the
listserv-we'd like to know what's on your mind.

With best wishes to all,

Dave Mogk

 

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