Initial Publication Date: August 1, 2007

Workshop Program

Saturday, August 11, Day 1

SAR graphic of deformation associated with model quake on San Andreas

6:00 Dinner

7:00 Welcome and introductions

7:30 Keynote Talk and Discussion

'Teaching Geophysics: What Our Students Think They Know, What They Don't Know, and What They Need To' Seth Stein (Northwestern University). Seth's talk will be followed by panel comments and a general discussion about student misconceptions, persistent errors in textbooks, the use of language and analogy that inadvertently reinforces misconceptions, and strategies for addressing student misconceptions.

Sunday, August 12, Day 2

7:00-8:00 Breakfast

8:15-8:30 Preview of the day

8:30-10:00 Accessibility and usefulness of large data sets for teaching undergraduate geophysics concepts

Susan Eriksson (UNAVCO) and John Taber (IRIS) will start by bringing us up to date on what is available through Earthscope and how readily (or not) faculty can find useful data/examples.

Download John Taber's presentation (PowerPoint 16.7MB Aug12 07) with hot links to his data examples.
Download Susan Eriksson's presentation (PowerPoint 37.7MB Aug13 07) with hot links to her data examples.

In the second part of this session, participants will have a chance to brainstorm and comment on what they would like to see in terms of accessibility of data from large efforts such as Earthscope, RIDGE, National Geophysical Data Center, etc.

10:00-10:30 Break

10:30-12:00 Great strategies for teaching geophysics. This time block is divided into three sets of concurrent presentations. You may go to any one in each time block. These presentations will be repeated on Tuesday morning.

10:30-10:55 Set 1

1a Bac-Ho Consulting Project (Near-Surface Geophysics) (Gregory Baker, University of Tennessee)
Link to the activity/assignment

1b Wysocki Farm Refraction Project (Laurie Brown, University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
Link to the activity/assignment

1c Use of Seismic Refraction in the Characterization of Alluvial Aquifers (Horacio Ferriz, California State University, Stanislaus)
Link to the activity/assignment

1d Using Geophysical Field Studies as the Basis for a Problem-Centered Learning (PBL) Course in Introductory Geophysics (PowerPoint 24MB Jul10 12) (Paul Kelso, Lake Superior State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

11:00-11:25 Set 2

2a Theoretical Estimation of Cooling Times (PowerPoint 259kB Jul10 12) (Steven Dickman, Binghamton University)
Link to the activity/assignment

2b Interseismic Deformation: Crustal Deformation Between Large Earthquakes (Shimon Wdowinski, University of Miami)
Link to the activity/assignment

2c Izmit Earthquake (PowerPoint 14.6MB Jul10 12) (Sarah Titus, Carleton College)
Link to the activity/assignment

2d ArcGIS Project on the Geophysics of Papua New Guinea (PowerPoint 4.8MB Aug13 07) (Andrew Goodliffe, University of Alabama)

11:30-11:55 Set 3

3a Measuring the Gravity Field: "The Stairwell Lab" (Samuel Peavy, Georgia Southwestern State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

3b The Gravitational Attractive Force of the English Department (Bill Witte, University of Alaska, Fairbanks)
Link to the activity/assignment

3c Free Air Gravity Exercise (PowerPoint 2.2MB Jul10 12) (Jeffrey Nunn, Louisiana State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

12:00-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:00 Gadgets and gizmos

Vince Cronin and John Dunbar (Baylor University) will start this session by demonstrating some of their gadgets and gizmos that help students develop a deeper (and more intuitive) grasp of concepts.

In the second part of this session, participants will brainstorm to come up with other great ideas for under $100, and each table will pick its best couple of ideas and post an informal poster for each idea.

3:00-3:30 Break

3:30-5:00 Great strategies for teaching geophysics. This time block is divided into three sets of concurrent presentations. You may go to any one in each time block. These presentations will be repeated on Tuesday afternoon.

3:30-3:55 Set 4

4a SeisMac Seismogram Modeling (Michael Wysession, Washington University)
Link to the activity/assignment

4b Scorpions as Seismologists (Laura Wetzel, Eckerd College)
Link to the activity/assignment

4c Ray Paths Exercise (PowerPoint 5MB Aug13 07) (Jeffrey Nunn, Louisiana State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

4:00-4:25 Set 5

5a Estimating GPS Positional Error (Bill Witte, University of Alaska, Fairbanks)
Link to the activity/assignment

5b Gravity and Magnetic Consulting Project (Larry Malinconico, Lafayette College)
Link to the activity/assignment

5c Learning to Use Electrical Resistivity Soundings for Interpretation of (Sediment) Stratigraphy (PowerPoint 5.2MB Jul10 12) (Remke Van Dam, Michigan State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

5d In-situ Density from Gravity by Nettleton's Method (Scott White, University of South Carolina)
Link to the activity/assignment

4:30-4:55 Set 6

6a Vibroseis Correlation - An Example of Digital Signal Processing (Larry Braile, Purdue University)
Link to the activity/assignment

6b Finding the Moho (Stephen Boss)
Link to the activity/assignment

6c Trans-California Seismic Profile Analysis (PowerPoint 1.5MB Jul10 12) (Magali Billen, University of California, Davis)
Link to the activity/assignment

5:00-5:15 End-of-day wrap-up

6:00-7:00 Dinner

7:30-9:00 Posters

Monday, August 13, Day 3

7:00-8:00 Breakfast

8:15-8:30 Preview of the day

8:30-10:00 Designing effective assignments and activities (Barbara Tewksbury, Hamilton College)

Barb will introduce a rubric for evaluating the quality of an assignment/activity. Participants will consider strategies for improving the effectiveness of a sample activity in preparation for reviewing collection submissions after the break.

10:00-10:30 Break

10:30-12:00 Reviewing submitted activities and assignments

Participants will review activities that have been submitted to the online collection for this workshop and provide feedback to authors.

12:00-1:30 Lunch

1:30-2:00 Great strategies for teaching geophysics. This time block is divided into three sets of concurrent presentations. You may go to any one in each time block. These presentations will be repeated on Wednesday morning.

1:30-1:55 Set 7

7a Using Concept Sketches to Help Students Prepare Effectively for Class (Barbara Tewksbury, Hamilton College)
Download more information on concept sketches, with examples (Microsoft Word 475kB Jun15 05) :: Download an example of a final project involving concept sketches, with samples of student work (Microsoft Word 3.1MB May18 19)[endsmall]

7b Concept Puzzles about Geophysical Methods (Sarah Titus, Carleton College)
See the activity/assignment

7c Earthquake! A Term Paper and Presentation Assignment (PowerPoint 20.1MB Jul10 12) (Laura Wetzel, Eckerd College)
Link to the activity/assignment

7d Sequenced Writing Assignment (PowerPoint 26kB Jul10 12) (Stephen Jaume, College of Charleston)
Link to the activity/assignment

2:00-2:25 Set 8

8a Digital Analysis of Geophysical Signals and Waves (DAGSAW) Filtering (George Jiracek, San Diego State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

8b Groundwater Depth and Fracture Pattern Determination (Larry Malinconico, Lafayette College)
Link to the activity/assignment

8c Resistivity Profile in an Urban Setting (PowerPoint 1MB Jul10 12) (Bill Montgomery, New Jersey City University)
Link to the activity/assignment

2:30-2:55 Set 9

9a Driving Forces of Plate Tectonics and the Importance of Inertia (Donald Forsyth, Brown University)
Link to the activity/assignment

9b Radar, Seeing with New Eyes (PowerPoint 23.8MB Jul10 12) (Susan Sakimoto, The University of Notre Dame) Ground-penetrating and Space-borne Radar

9c Field Refraction Exercise for a Hydrogeology Course (PowerPoint 5.6MB Aug13 07) (Devin Castendyk, State University of NY, College at Oneonta)

9d Examples of Spreadsheet Activities in Introductory Geophysics (PowerPoint 1.4MB Jul10 12) (Sarah Kruse, University of South Florida)

3:00-3:30 Break

3:30-5:00 Group discussions focused on teaching particular types of courses. This session is divided into two 40-minutes sessions that will give participants a chance to talk with others about what they are trying to accomplish in a particular type of course, what the challenges are, what they think critical concepts and content are, and perhaps look at syllabi or course outlines. You may choose one course or type of course in each session.

3:30-4:10 Geophysics courses. Choose 1) exploration geophysics, 2) introductory geophysics, or 3) upper level geophysics.

4:15-5:00 Courses other than geophysics. Choose 1) intro geology or 2) other core courses (TBA).

5:00-5:15 End-of-day wrap-up

6:00-7:00 Dinner

7:30-9:00 Optional session on effective course design (Barbara Tewksbury, Hamilton College)

Download Barbara Tewksbury's PowerPoint presentation (PowerPoint 357kB Aug14 07)

Tuesday, August 14, Day 4

7:00-8:00 Breakfast

8:15-8:30 Preview of the day

8:30-10:00 Great strategies for teaching geophysics. This time block is divided into three sets of concurrent presentations. You may go to any one in each time block. This is a repeat of the Sunday morning session.

8:30-8:55 Set 1

1a Bac-Ho Consulting Project (Near-Surface Geophysics) (Gregory Baker, University of Tennessee)
Link to the activity/assignment

1b Wysocki Farm Refraction Project (Laurie Brown, University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
Link to the activity/assignment

1c Use of Seismic Refraction in the Characterization of Alluvial Aquifers (Horacio Ferriz, California State University, Stanislaus)
Link to the activity/assignment

9:00-9:25 Set 2

2a Theoretical Estimation of Cooling Times (PowerPoint 259kB Jul10 12) (Steven Dickman, Binghamton University)
Link to the activity/assignment

2b Interseismic Deformation: Crustal Deformation Between Large Earthquakes (Shimon Wdowinski, University of Miami)
Link to the activity/assignment

2c Izmit Earthquake (PowerPoint 14.6MB Jul10 12) (Sarah Titus, Carleton College)
Link to the activity/assignment

2d ArcGIS Project on the Geophysics of Papua New Guinea (Andrew Goodliffe, University of Alabama)

9:30-9:55 Set 3

3a Measuring the Gravity Field: "The Stairwell Lab" (Samuel Peavy, Georgia Southwestern State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

3b The Gravitational Attractive Force of the English Department (Bill Witte, University of Alaska, Fairbanks)
Link to the activity/assignment

3c Free Air Gravity Exercise (PowerPoint 2.2MB Jul10 12) (Jeffrey Nunn, Louisiana State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

10:00-10:30 Break

10:30-12:00 Geophysics in the field

This session will address 1) approaches for bringing field geophysical data collection into a field trip that currently has no data collection component or no geophysical component and 2) ways of organizing an efficient weekend session involving collection of geophysical data.

12:00-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:00 Great strategies for teaching geophysics. This time block is divided into three sets of concurrent presentations. You may go to any one in each time block. This is a repeat of the Sunday afternoon session.

1:30-1:55 Set 4

4a SeisMac Seismogram Modeling (Michael Wysession, Washington University)
Link to the activity/assignment

4b Scorpions as Seismologists (Laura Wetzel, Eckerd College)
Link to the activity/assignment

4c Ray Paths Exercise (PowerPoint 5MB Aug13 07) (Jeffrey Nunn, Louisiana State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

2:00-2:25 Set 5

5a Estimating GPS Positional Error (Bill Witte, University of Alaska, Fairbanks)
Link to the activity/assignment

5b Gravity and Magnetic Consulting Project (Larry Malinconico, Lafayette College)
Link to the activity/assignment

5d In-situ Density from Gravity by Nettleton's Method (Scott White, University of South Carolina)
Link to the activity/assignment

2:30-2:55 Set 6

6a Vibroseis Correlation - An Example of Digital Signal Processing (Larry Braile, Purdue University)
Link to the activity/assignment

6b Finding the Moho (Stephen Boss)
Link to the activity/assignment

6c Trans-California Seismic Profile Analysis (PowerPoint 1.5MB Jul10 12) (Magali Billen, University of California, Davis)
Link to the activity/assignment

3:00-3:30 Break

3:30-5:00 Work on revising submitted activities. Participants will revise one or more of the activities submitted to the online collection based on review comments from the Monday morning session.

5:00-5:15 End-of-day wrap-up

6:00-7:00 Dinner

Evening on your own

Wednesday, August 15, Day 5

7:00-8:00 Breakfast

8:15-8:30 Preview of the day

8:30-8:55 Set 7

7b Concept Puzzles about Geophysical Methods (Sarah Titus, Carleton College)
See the activity/assignment

7c Earthquake! A Term Paper and Presentation Assignment (PowerPoint 20.1MB Jul10 12) (Laura Wetzel, Eckerd College)
Link to the activity/assignment

7d [file 35006 'Sequenced Writing Assignment' (Stephen Jaume, College of Charleston)
Link to the activity/assignment

9:00-9:25 Set 8

8a Digital Analysis of Geophysical Signals and Waves (DAGSAW) Filtering (George Jiracek, San Diego State University)
Link to the activity/assignment

8b Groundwater Depth and Fracture Pattern Determination (Larry Malinconico, Lafayette College)
Link to the activity/assignment

8c Resistivity Profile in an Urban Setting (PowerPoint 1MB Jul10 12) (Bill Montgomery, New Jersey City University)
Link to the activity/assignment

9:30-9:55 Set 9

9a Driving Forces of Plate Tectonics and the Importance of Inertia (Donald Forsyth, Brown University)
Link to the activity/assignment

9b Radar, Seeing with New Eyes (PowerPoint 23.8MB Jul10 12) (Susan Sakimoto, The University of Notre Dame) Ground-penetrating and Space-borne Radar

9c Field Refraction Exercise for a Hydrogeology Course (PowerPoint 5.6MB Aug13 07) (Devin Castendyk, State University of NY, College at Oneonta)

9d Examples of Spreadsheet Activities in Introductory Geophysics (PowerPoint 1.4MB Jul10 12) (Sarah Kruse, University of South Florida)

10:00-10:30 Break

10:30-12:00 Effectively teaching tough topics

Over the course of the workshop, we will have identified the "tough nuts to crack" - the topics that are hard to teach effectively. Table discussions during this session will be focused on taking what participants have learned at the workshop and brainstorming ideas for dealing with the "tough nuts".

Each table will produce an informal poster of ideas that will be presented after lunch.

Things that DO help students with math anxiety (Microsoft Word 24kB Aug15 07), Sarah Kruse

12:00-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:00 Informal poster session Posters created during the morning session on "tough nuts".

3:00-3:30 Break

3:30-4:30 Discussion of follow-on activities.

4:30-5:00 End-of-workshop evaluations

6:00-7:00 Dinner

7:30-8:00 Field trip preview. Bob Smith (University of Utah), who will lead the optional field trip on Thursday, will do a preview of the field trip.