Workshops

Making the Most of your Intro Course

Convener: David McConnell, North Carolina State University

Monday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 15 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: UMC 247

Intro courses are one of the most important courses in any program, as they serve as the beginning and end of many students introduction to a discipline, topic or way of thinking. This session allows you to work with others to improve your intro course. With support, you will be able to improve your course to capitalize on backward design (including student learning outcomes), InTeGrate intro modules and design rubric, Cutting Edge resources and rubrics, and materials from this week's afternoon sessions. Participants will leave with many of the components of a redesigned course, ready to incorporate into Fall classes.

Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards: Strengthening student understanding of science and engineering practices

Convener: Aida Awad, Maine East High School

Monday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 15 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: REC Center Medium Ice Overlook Room

This workshop will focus on how faculty and institutions can support future K-12 teachers in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards. Participants will focus specifically on ways to integrate cross-cutting concepts across scientific disciplines and support explicit integration of science and engineering practices.

Synthesizing Geoscience Education Research: Where are we? What is the path forward?

Convener: Heather Macdonald, College of William and Mary

Monday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 15 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: REC Center Large Ice Overlook Room

This workshop will communicate the current status of Geoscience Education Research with the greater geoscience community. Participants will prioritize needs and directions for future Geoscience Education Research. This working session will contribute to a synthesis to be published on the NAGT site, and build on information shared during this week's afternoon sessions.

Strengthening your Department or Program: Goal setting, design, and assessment

Convener: David Matty, Weber State University

Monday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 15 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: CHEM 133

This session will guide participants through a strategy for formulating student learning outcomes for a degree program. We will then use a matrix based approach to map how the outcomes are currently addressed in the program and demonstrate how this map can be used to strengthen the program and address program evaluation. Participants will be prepared to engage their colleagues in a planning process when they return to their department.

Developing your Cultural Competency: Individual actions to improve the climate for all

Convener: Gary Weissmann & Roberto Ibarra, University of New Mexico

Monday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 15 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: REC Center Lower Gym Meeting Room

Science and academia have a culture that can be challenging for students, particularly those from groups underrepresented in the STEM fields. This session will engage participants in activities to increase their self-awareness of their personal culture and biases, and the impact these have on their own careers and teaching. With this grounding, participants will build competency in engaging with students who don't share the same cultural attitudes.

Strengthening your Upper Division Course

Convener: Thomas Hickson, University of St Thomas

Monday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 15 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: CIRES Fellows Room

Participants in this session will work together to improve their upper division courses for majors or graduate students. With support, you will be able to improve your course to capitalize on backward design, Cutting Edge and InTeGrate collections and resources, and materials from this week's afternoon sessions. By the end of the workshop, you should leave with a redesigned course that is ready for you to implement with your majors.

Maximizing the Value of your Intro Course for K-12 Teachers

Convener: Anne Egger, Central Washington University

Thursday, July 16 - Friday, July 17 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: CIRES Fellows Room

This workshop will highlight an array of strategies for increasing the opportunities for students in your intro course who are interested in teaching, from rethinking the pedagogy in your course to incorporating teaching discussions as part of a special lab section. Participants will explore resources and develop a plan for increasing the value of their course for future K-12 teachers that is appropriate for the range of students in their course and their institutional context.

Teaching with InTeGrate Materials in a 2YC Environment

Conveners: Elizabeth Nagy-Shadman and Dave Douglass, Pasadena City College

Thursday, July 16 - Friday, July 17 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: HALE 240

Focusing on InTeGrate's goal of increasing geoscience literacy for all undergraduate students, participants in this session will develop plans for fostering adoption of InTeGrate materials. Specifically designed to address the challenges of instruction in two-year colleges, we will discuss the specific concerns and unique challenges faced by participants. These may include issues such as: adapting and using the materials in a diverse classroom, making use of the student learning outcomes and assessments, overcoming articulation issues, develop administration buy-in, and build interest among colleagues including adjunct faculty.

Education Research Methods - How to

Convener: Julie Sexton, University of Northern Colorado

Thursday, July 16 - Friday, July 17 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: REC Center Large Ice Overlook Room

This session is for those who want to increase their ability to conduct education research. Participants will have a chance to learn about principles of research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, and the standards of evidence and proof, and will have time to work on research plans and problems.

Strengthening Sustainability Learning in your Program

Conveners: Dave Gosselin, University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Walt Robinson, North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Thursday, July 16 - Friday, July 17 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: UMC 247

This session explores program-scale ideas for integrating learning about the Earth with the exploration of societal problems of sustainability and the environment. Participants will have an opportunity to learn from successful examples and identify and discuss strategic opportunities for strengthening their own programs, whether they are taking the first steps to incorporate sustainability on campus, capitalizing on a campus-wide area of focus, or seeking to strengthen a program with a strong existing sustainability component.

Improving the Odds of Student Success: Academic supports and more

Convener: John Matsui, University of California at Berkeley

Thursday, July 16 - Friday, July 17 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: REC Center Lower Gym Meeting Room

To successfully reach educational goals, students need academic support, motivation, a sense of community, and professional opportunities. After reviewing what we have already learned about those needs - especially for underrepresented STEM students, participants in this session will develop strategies for helping their students find the services and support they most need, through courses, programs, and connections with college-wide programs.

Engaging Students in Scientific Research in Your Course

Conveners: Kim Hannula, Fort Lewis College & Jeffery Ryan, University of South Florida & Laura Guertin, Penn State Brandywine

Thursday, July 16 - Friday, July 17 | 8:30am-11:30am | Location: REC Center Medium Ice Overlook Room

The national PCAST report makes a strong call for using research in our courses. Integrating research into the courses we teach offers students training and practice with what we do as scientists and helps to bridge the gap between our teaching and our research. In this session, we will share examples of successful undergraduate research projects in courses, and strategies involving different components of research into courses at all levels. Participants will leave with a concrete plan for integrating research in one of their own courses.