Best Practices for Implementing Dual Enrollment Programs

Conveners: Joel Johnson, The University of Texas at Austin, Kathy Ellins, The University of Texas at Austin, and Alison Mote, The University of Texas at Austin

Monday, July 13 | 12-2:30 PT / 1-3:30 MT / 2-4:30 CT / 3-5:30 ET

Dual credit college courses for high school students have great potential to expand geoscience education, to ease students into college rigor and improve college outcomes, and to attract students from underrepresented groups to study geosciences in college. Because they are also challenging to structure and develop, our workshop will explore best practices for implementing dual credit college courses. The conveners' experience with UT Austin's OnRamps dual credit geoscience course (Earth, Wind and Fire) will be the basis for discussing learning goals, curriculum development, course structure, course delivery systems, assessments, academic integrity, teacher training and support, recruitment strategies, and successful partnerships between institutions of higher education and secondary school systems. Workshop participants will be encouraged to share their experiences and concerns, leading to a collectively-developed list of recommendations for designing and implementing dual enrollment and distance education courses. Participants will also have the opportunity to outline their own action plan for creating a dual enrollment Earth science course. We encourage anyone interested in expanding connections between secondary and college-level geoscience education to attend.

Getting Started in SoTL

Conveners: Katherine Ryker, University of South Carolina-Columbia and Laura Lukes, George Mason University

Monday, July 13 | 12-2:30 PT / 1-3:30 MT / 2-4:30 CT / 3-5:30 ET

What are the best parts of your course? How do you know?

This session is for those who want to systematically investigate their teaching, applying the same scholarly habits we use in the lab and field to make our learning environments as effective as possible. Participants will leave with a plan to collect data on an upcoming course such that they can present the results of their Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) work to the next class of students, at a department meeting, or at EER 2021!

Navigating and Contributing to Teach the Earth

Conveners: Jen Wenner, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Kyle Fredrick, California University of Pennsylvania

Monday, July 13 | 12-2:30 PT / 1-3:30 MT / 2-4:30 CT / 3-5:30 ET

Have you developed an activity that you're especially proud of and think others might benefit from it? Have you ever visited the Teach the Earth portal (sometimes known as SERC) and felt overwhelmed? If the answer to either (or both) of these questions is yes, this is the mini-workshop for you! We'll present what is available on Teach the Earth, tips on navigating the site , and what went into the development of quality activities found there. In addition, we'll talk about the review process and how to contribute an activity that could be a part of our Exemplary Collection.

Imposter Syndrome

Convener: Sharon Browning, Baylor University

Monday, July 13 | 12-2:30 PT / 1-3:30 MT / 2-4:30 CT / 3-5:30 ET

Imposter syndrome is a perception of inadequacy, self-doubt, or fraudulence often experienced by even the highest achievers. Left unchallenged, it may hinder confidence, career development, or relationships. This workshop will be an extension of the round table discussion at the 2019 Rendezvous, focusing on common perceptions of inadequacies and self-doubt experienced by many high achievers. Goals include highlighting the diversity of perceptions in the Earth Science community and sharing strategies and resources to address this issue.

Strategies for Incorporating Sustainability Throughout your Earth Science Course

Convener: Chris Berg, Orange Coast College

Monday, July 13 | 12-2:30 PT / 1-3:30 MT / 2-4:30 CT / 3-5:30 ET

So you've heard about some of the new data-rich, sustainability-focused activities in teaching collections like InTeGrate, but you're not sure how to successfully adapt your course to incorporate them (or other active-learning materials such as the GETSI or EDDIE collections)? In this mini-workshop, we will explore and discuss some of the opportunities and challenges someone may face in transforming their earth science course with these materials. Logistics—including classroom setting, technology, target audience, learning objectives—as a former InTeGrate Research Team member who replaced half the content in a traditional large lecture Physical Geology course with InTeGrate materials, I will discuss my own experiences with these challenges and facilitate strategic discussions on implementing these activities in your own classroom.

The Water-Literate Citizen: Help Develop a New Framework Document for Water Literacy

Conveners: Hillary Hamann, University of Denver, Sarah Johnson, Wild Rose Education, Kim Kastens, Columbia University in the City of New York, Anne Egger, Central Washington University, and Anteneh Abiy, Florida International University

Monday, July 13 | 12-2:30 PT / 1-3:30 MT / 2-4:30 CT / 3-5:30 ET

Be a part of the development of a Water Literacy Framework Document, similar to the Earth Science Literacy, Ocean Science Literacy documents comprised of "big ideas and supporting concepts." Such a framework can guide educators, curriculum developers, policy makers, and other stakeholders to work towards a populace where every American understands the basics of water, and is empowered, skilled, and motivated to take action to ensure a sustainable water future. In this workshop panelists will review water literacy research, discuss Project WET's water literacy curriculum and describe best practices in literacy framework development. Participants will contribute to group discussions to brainstorm key ideas that should be included in the Water Literacy Framework and will plan future steps to make this document a reality.

Designing and Running Effective Workshops

Convener: John McDaris, SERC

Thursday, July 16 | 1:30-4 PT / 2:30-5 MT / 3:30-6 CT / 4:30-7 ET

The geoscience education community has made great strides over the last two decades in part because an increasing number of faculty have taken part in high-quality professional development opportunities around topics such as active learning; broadening diversity, equity, and inclusion; and preparing students for geoscience careers. This workshop will feature workshop design and implementation principles that have been developed through SERC's collaborations with dozens of faculty professional development projects over the course of running hundreds of professional development workshops and meetings. Participants will have time to start a workshop action plan and will come away with materials and resources to help them conduct their own workshops and engage more effectively with their colleagues.

Applying the ICAP Theory of Cognitive Engagement to Active Geoscience Learning

Conveners: Cathy Cullicott, Arizona State University and Steven Semken, Arizona State University

Thursday, July 16 | 1:30-4 PT / 2:30-5 MT / 3:30-6 CT / 4:30-7 ET

While research supports the use of active learning methods in teaching geoscience and other STEM courses, determining what constitutes "active learning" is a challenge to incorporating more such methods. The ICAP Theory of Cognitive Engagement, developed by Michelene Chi of Arizona State University, addresses this by characterizing active learning in terms of the degree of student cognitive engagement with content, with interactive engagement > constructive engagement > active engagement > passive engagement for increasing student learning outcomes. By observing student behaviors, instructors can use ICAP to assess the engagement (and therefore active learning) level of their students. The ICAP framework informs design of new active-learning strategies while also allowing traditionally "passive" practices to be readily recast in ways that promote more active student learning. In this mini-workshop the co-leaders, pioneers in action research on ICAP in geoscience education, will introduce the theory and its base of research support, then guide participants in brief exercises and discussion to foster application of ICAP to their own curriculum design and teaching practice.

Facilitating Student-Centered Community Action Projects

Convener: Sarah Johnson, Wild Rose Education

Thursday, July 16 | 1:30-4 PT / 2:30-5 MT / 3:30-6 CT / 4:30-7 ET

Come learn from the Youth Water Leadership Program a few tips and tricks to creating student-centered authentic place-based learning opportunities for secondary students. Through interactive activities and group discussions we will explore nationally proven tools (Earth Force, Roots and Shoots, Library of Congress Education, National Geographic Education) that provide processes for how to get started with student lead community action projects. Get an overview and access to free tools to use to incorporate youth voice, student-driven inquiry, democratic decision-making, and place-based authentic problem-solving into classrooms preparing students for life-long environmental stewardship, civic engagement, and collaborative action. Gain a better understanding of how to engage students in learning that makes a difference, for students and communities.

Broadening participation in the geosciences through undergraduate on-ramps: Lessons learned in the SAGE 2YC Project

Convener: Andrea Bair, Delta College

Thursday, July 16 | 1:30-4 PT / 2:30-5 MT / 3:30-6 CT / 4:30-7 ET

The geosciences are currently among the least diverse of all science fields. Broadening participation at all levels likely requires both confronting issues of implicit bias and privilege, and concerted efforts along the pipeline to support underrepresented future geoscientists. This mini-workshop focuses on lessons learned about broadening participation through work in the SAGE 2YC project (Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education at 2-Year Colleges). We'll discuss strategies to support student success and science identity in introductory courses, provide inclusive out-of-the-classroom opportunities, and ease students' transition to upper level courses and 4-year college/university settings. Participants will plan how to integrate and implement strategies into their own courses and programs.

Theories of Change and Logic Models

Convener: Ellen Iverson, SERC

Thursday, July 16 | 1:30-3:30 PT / 2:30-4:30 MT / 3:30-5:30 CT / 4:30-6:30 ET (Note: this mini-workshop will run for 2 hrs)

Increasingly theories of change are expected to be a central component articulated within education research grant proposals and manuscripts. At the end of this short workshop, participants will be able to distinguish between logic models, theories of change, and theories of action; use program theory to construct and/or improve these models; and increase their awareness of additional related resources. Logic models, program theory, theories of change, and theories of action are useful tools for clarifying relationships between education research questions, intervention activities, and research measures. Workshop participants will examine example models, discuss opportunities for using these models, and discuss interactive strategies for working with groups on articulating program theory and its relation to a theory of change. In small groups participants will discuss and begin to develop one of their own models that relates to an education research investigation of interest to them.

Eos in the Classroom: Building Educational Resources with Science News

Conveners: Eric Riggs, Texas A & M University and Heather Goss, American Geophysical Union

Thursday, July 16 | 1:30-4 PT / 2:30-5 MT / 3:30-6 CT / 4:30-7 ET

The Earth and space sciences are exciting because they literally span the entire world—the entire universe—that we live in, but this magnitude can sometimes be difficult to capture and convey to students. Understanding why the world works the way it does—from natural disasters like earthquakes and eruptions, to anthropogenic effects on our climate—is easier when taught through real-world scenarios. That's why Eos, AGU's science news magazine for Earth and space science-interested public, in conjunction with AGU's Education section, is offering this workshop in order to form a collaborative vision for new geoscience education resources crafted from the earth science news reporting and online resources of Eos.

Many teachers already use Eos news articles as engagement material in high school and undergraduate geoscience classrooms. Now Eos and the AGU Education Section are working to develop curriculum- mapped articles specifically for educator use. This is an opportunity for educators to be involved from the very beginning in building a resource that is customized for their classroom needs. Participants will help create and offer feedback on the desired user experience of the resource site, how best to match news articles to types and length of curriculum available, how best to collect ongoing feedback, and what other assets at AGU could be integrated for educator use. This workshop is open to high school and undergraduate educators. Those with Spanish-speaking or ESL classes are especially encouraged to attend.