Improving Teaching/ Courses
The Rendezvous will bring together faculty from all disciplines who are interested in improving their teaching about the Earth. Interactive morning workshops give participants an opportunity to learn from experts and from one another to strengthen their introductory or upper division courses (morning workshops require pre-registration). The afternoon program includes mini workshops and oral sessions that allow you to explore specific teaching topics and techniques. The afternoon program is open to anyone registered for that day (no pre-registration required).
Evidence-Based Teaching in the Earth Sciences: Where are we now?
Nora Newcombe, Temple University
Monday, July 13 | 4:30pm-5:30pm | Location: UMC 235
Over the past two decades, a rapidly-evolving science of learning has begun to develop evidence-based practices for education across the age range from preschool through university. At the same time, discipline-based education research (DBER) has been developing its own evidence and ideas about best practices in teaching particular scientific disciplines. This talk will review a variety of techniques that may be useful in earth science education suggested by the science of learning, evaluate the degree to which they are currently supported by evidence, and place them in the context of DBER approaches.
Teaching about controversial issues: The case of Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation (aka Fracking)
Panelists: Mike Hannigan, University of Colorado at Boulder & Steve Sonnenberg, Colorado School of Mines
Moderator: Patricia Limerick, Center of the American West
Tuesday, July 14 | 4:30pm-5:30pm | Location: UMC 235
The goal of the panel is to inform the attendees about the scientific and societal issues related to fracking and to help the attendees think about how to use fracking and related issues as opportunities for teaching critical thinking.
Systems Science
Daniel Wildcat, Haskell Indian Nations University
Thursday, July 16 | 4:30pm-5:30pm | Location: UMC 235
The scale and complexity of the Earth system's environmental crises now requires systems thinking. No Peoples on the planet have richer worldview traditions based on holistic or complex systems thinking than the First Peoples of North America. It is time to enact cultural climate changes in order to address the physical climate changes now under-way. It is time to explore the power of Indigenous ingenuity or INDIGENUITY based on the deep-spatial systems thinking of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Making the Most of your Intro Course
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.
Strengthening your Upper Division Course
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.
Teaching with InTeGrate Materials in a 2YC Environment
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.
Engaging Students in Scientific Research in your Course
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.
Online and Hybrid Learning
Sarah Harris, University of British Columbia
Monday, July 13 | 1:30pm-4:15pm | Location: REC Center Lower Gym Meeting Room
How do we maximize student learning opportunities in on-line and hybrid* courses? In this workshop, we will explore ways to best take advantage of student contributions, instructor expertise, and existing resources to benefit learning in these formats. Participants will develop a draft structure for an on-line or hybrid course that fits their context.
*Hybrid courses are those that include both on-line and in-class activities.
Developing Systems Thinking
Hannah Sherer and Rachel Seman-Varner, Virginia Tech
Tuesday, July 14 | 1:30pm-4:15pm | Location: REC Center Lower Gym Meeting Room
Many of the challenges we now face require complex solutions that cross disciplinary boundaries and take into account multiple perspectives. How do we as educators prepare students to think in this way? Participants will be introduced to the components of systems thinking (e.g. boundaries, reservoirs, feedback, resilience) through an interactive activity and learn about strategies for incorporating systems thinking in undergraduate courses through a guided exploration of existing resource collections. The remainder of the workshop will be determined by the needs of participants, but may include: work time, further exploration, small group discussion, or focused discussion of emergent questions and concerns from participants.
The Role of Societal Issues in your Course or Program
Sarah Fortner, Wittenberg University
Wednesday, July 15 | 1:30pm-4:15pm | Location: CIRES Fellows Room
Building courses and programs around societal issues equips students to face earth resource challenges into the future. Linkages around societal issues can unify departments, stakeholders, and institutions, and support a shared vision and growth. Participants will identify and share ways to link courses and programs around societal issues and high impact practices (e.g. InTeGrate Modules) to support deep learning and growth through program development, articulation, and stakeholder opportunities.
Teaching Controversial Topics
Patricia Kelley, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wednesday, July 15 | 1:30pm-4:15pm | Location: REC Center Lower Gym Meeting Room
Although teachers may be tempted to avoid controversial topics in the classroom, topics such as geologic time, evolution, and climate change are fundamental to our field. In addition, addressing a controversial issue may help students learn skills such as critical thinking. We will explore different approaches for handling controversial topics, as well as successes and challenges in implementing these approaches. Participants will develop plans for handling controversial topics in their classrooms.
What are Students Learning in your Course: Strategies for assessment
Karl Wirth, Macalester College
Thursday, July 16 | 1:30pm-4:15pm | Location: UMC 247
This workshop focuses on how we know what our students know and learn in our courses. Beginning with the end in mind, the workshop will consider the roles of learning outcomes and then explore a variety of authentic ways to gauge prior knowledge at the beginning of a course or unit, to provide feedback for improvement during learning, and to evaluate learning at the end of a unit or course. Participants will leave the workshop with several instruments ready to be deployed in their next course offering.
Teaching with Geospatial Technology
Declan De Paor & Carol Simpson, Old Dominion University
Thursday, July 16 | 1:30pm-4:15pm | Location: REC Center Lower Gym Meeting Room
At this BYOD (bring your own device) workshop, participants will obtain hand-on experience with innovative hardware and software designed to enhance geoscience education and undergraduate research. Topics will include Google Maps and Google Earth-based games and mapping challenges, creating your own Photo Spheres and 4D "digital Viewmaster" field trips, augmenting real field trips with digital content delivery at the outcrop, optimizing trips to your local digital planetarium, automated assessment, and teaching geospatial concepts in both large and small on-line and on-site classes.
Connecting Students to the World They Live In
Michael Phillips, Illinois Valley Community College
Friday, July 17 | 1:30pm-4:15 pm | Location: REC Center Lower Gym Meeting Room
Courses in earth sciences have an inherent connection to the world in which our students live. In this session, we will begin with a discussion of pedagogies that engage the students and use faculty experiences to provide examples. We will discuss course experiences that appeal to students' current interests and surroundings while delivering information that the students may continue to use long after completion of the course. Some participants will want to develop an exercise while others will already have that and will be looking to broaden their approach. The shared experiences discussed at the beginning will be broad, and, as the session progresses, we will accommodate the desired outcomes of participants based on the needs and expectations expressed.
The pedagogies discussed will include Service Learning, Using Local Examples and Data, Using Real World Examples, Utilizing Field Work, and Contrasting Narratives. More information is available here: Integrate: Connecting Students to the World We Live In.