Workshop Overview

This workshop will be an exciting collaborative effort that will bring together faculty who teach courses in sedimentary geology, geomorphology, paleontology, marine geology, and paleoclimatology to address questions of how to teach these disciplines most effectively at the undergraduate level.

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Workshop goals and format

Exchange ideas and strategies for effective and innovative ways to teach sedimentary geology, geomorphology, paleontology, marine geology, and/or paleoclimatology: The workshop will showcase outstanding strategies that participants use for teaching these disciplines above the introductory level, and all participants will submit assignments and activities for actively engaging students in the classroom or for providing effective and innovative lab or field experiences. Oral and poster presentations by workshop participants will be based on submitted activities and assignments. Exercises that highlight the intersection(s) between these disciplines are particularly welcome!
Explore strategies for integrating sedimentary geology, geomorphology, paleontology, marine geology, and paleoclimatology into the courses we teach for majors:

What innovative strategies can we use to integrate sedimentary geology, geomorphology, paleontology, marine geology, and paleoclimatology into the courses that we teach for majors? What case studies could be used effectively to give students experience at the intersections among these disciplines? What are some strategies for addressing aspects of all of these disciplines if a department has only one or two required courses?
What is the appropriate balance of basic and applied aspects? What strategies can we use to help students become better at applied decision-making? What role can GIS and remote sensing play in integrating some or all of these disciplines?
What strategies work well to teach students to be adaptable and flexible thinkers and problem-solvers?

Review of the Cutting Edge online resource collection: All participants will review at least two activities submitted by fellow participants to this workshop.
Develop a plan for new assignments, activities, or approaches for one or more courses.
Email list: an email list for workshop participants will promote discussion before and after the workshop.

Dates

The first workshop event will take place at 5 pm on Monday, June 16, and the last at noon on Friday, June 20. There may be an optional field trip after the end of the workshop (on Friday afternoon, July 20 and/or Saturday, July 21).

Expectations

Workshop participants must:

Participate in all workshop sessions, as well as pre- and post-workshop activities.
Submit at least two activities or assignments for actively engaging students in the classroom or for providing effective and innovative lab or field experiences.
Submit at least one description of an undergraduate course addressing one or more of the course foci - sedimentary geology, geomorphology, paleontology, marine geology, paleoclimatology.
Review at least two activities submitted by other participants in the workshop.
Participants will have the opportunity to present a poster based on one of their submissions and may be invited to give an oral presentation.

Costs and Logistics

Our National Science Foundation grant provides funding for some of the operational costs of this workshop. To be supported by these funds, a participant must be either a US citizen, a permanent resident, or in the employ of a US institution. If you don't meet these requirements and are interested in participating in this workshop at your own expense, please contact the workshop conveners.

Workshop registration fee: The registration fee is $450 ($400 for NAGT members) and will include lodging and most meals. The optional field trips, if offered, will have an additional fee, which will cover transportation and meals.Learn more about how workshop registration fees are used

Location and facilities: The workshop will be held at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. The campus is located between St. Paul and Minneapolis on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River gorge. New conference and dining facilities provide an exceptional venue for the workshop.

Travel and lodging. The registration fee covers costs to stay in the dorms at the University of St. Thomas (very new, air-conditioned facilities). We will post more details on logistics of travel to and from the Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) airport at a later date.

Participants must arrive in St. Paul in time for the first workshop event at 5 pm on Monday, June 16. The workshop will be over at noon on Friday, June 20.

Stipends: In cases where the cost of attending this workshop would cause financial hardship, you can apply for a stipend to help defray these costs. The deadline for workshop stipend applications is March 12, 2014.

Application and Selection Criteria

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Applicants for this workshop must have a faculty position at a two- or four-year college or university and either teach a course in sedimentary geology, geomorphology, paleontology, marine geology, and/or paleoclimatology or have expertise in one of these disciplines plus experience in integrating the discipline in a significant way into courses in the curriculum above the introductory level. We welcome applications from all academic ranks. The workshop is limited to 70 participants, and the final list of participants will be established with the goal of assembling a group representing a wide range of experiences, educational environments, and specialties.