AGI surveys have clearly shown the disconnect between the time spent emphasizing skills in the undergraduate curriculum and the amount those skills are needed in careers. The differences are largest in the non-technical skills such as communication, project management and entrepreneurship. Other technical skills such as computer programming are also lacking. To address this problem, the Department of Earth, Environmental & Resource Sciences at UTEP have been revising our curriculum from Introduction to Physical Geology to our capstone Field Camp courses. The first step is to make students aware of the skill desired by employers. One method is to provide resume templates to all majors so they see directly what skills they should acquire in their path to graduation. As they acquire these skills, they can change items from "greyed out" to normal text. This has the added benefit that they are sure to emphasize these strengths during any networking and interviewing they do. We have brought in alumni who have been successful in industry to speak to students and mentor them on career skills. Providing insights into the twists and turns careers are likely to take allows students to see the need to gain skills that make them adaptable to change rather than focusing on a narrow range of content. Team-building group projects become the norm in geoscience courses and each course is sure to emphasize skills that have been encountered previously and will again in future courses. An integrated curriculum helps students see the big picture. Combined with internships, students gain the confidence to take ownership of their educations rather than being passive participants.

Introductory geology courses provide crucial opportunities to learn how to apply scientific information and practices, and help recruit students to the major. As such, high quality instruction is important, regardless of teaching modality (online, in-person, or hybrid). Inquiry-based activities can increase student knowledge and interest (Areepattamannil, 2012) thus should be considered when reforming instruction. This study assesses the level of inquiry within introductory geology labs at five US institutions, covering a range of topics in different modalities. Inquiry levels were determined using a rubric adapted from Buck et al. (2008) and Ryker and McConnell (2017) which is based on the amount of the scientific method students are given autonomy over, ranging from confirmation (no student inquiry), to structured, guided, open, and authentic (all student inquiry). Examination of fall 2020 and spring 2021 labs (n=86, 85) and their activities (n=319, 338) indicates that instructor-made activities contain a higher proportion of inquiry than previously examined published labs. In both semesters, 20% of labs contained confirmation activities, though only two relied entirely on confirmation. Small shifts were observed in the percentage of activities from fall to spring at the confirmation (85% vs. 89%, respectively), structured (41% vs. 45%) and open (13% vs 14%) levels. The most common ways students engage in inquiry-based activities are discovering conclusions for themselves (85% of activities) and determining how results should be analyzed (70%). Additional analyses of inquiry by teaching modality (online vs. in-person) will be presented using data from fall 2021 and spring 2022. Understanding inquiry levels within introductory geology lab activities from fall 2020 to spring 2022 clarifies how teaching modality and transition between modalities impacted instruction.

Inquiry-based lab activities offer students opportunities to engage in authentic geoscience learning experiences in which they also interact with their instructors and peers. We hosted a 2020 EER workshop in which instructors developed new inquiry-based introductory geology laboratory activities, which are now peer reviewed and published at https://serc.carleton.edu/inquiry_intro_geo/index.html. We have studied student learning and interest in seven of those labs along with other lab activities used at five US institutions. Weekly interest surveys assess students' immediate feedback on their level of interest in each lab (Likert Scale) and possible changes that would increase their interest. Pre- and post-semester surveys also measure students' general interest in taking an online lab course. During fall 2020, pre and post-semester survey responses indicate that student interest in taking an online lab generally decreased or stayed the same from the start to end of the semester; during spring 2021, students' interest either stayed the same or increased slightly over the semester. Weekly surveys indicate most students believe their labs were either equally or less interesting online (53%, 43%, respectively), and only 4% of students indicate lab activities were more interesting online than face-to-face. Students suggested that their interest in lab activities would increase with additional hands-on learning (25%), increased relevance (22%), gamification (18%), field trips to see concepts in the real world (14%), and decreased challenge/complexity (13%). Pre- to post-semester changes in students' interest in an online lab course are likely partially related to factors beyond the scope of lab curriculum (e.g. Zoom familiarity or fatigue) or could be influenced by modifications to lab activities that accommodate online instruction. Additional interest factors may include the topics of labs, in that students more frequently ranked climate-, weather- and atmosphere-related topics as more interesting online and, not surprisingly, rock and mineral labs as less interesting online.

Geology field camp (field camp) is a required part of the undergraduate curriculum at many geology programs in the United States. Field camp is generally a capstone course for juniors and seniors where students apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Field camps are typically residential in nature, with students and instructors living and working together for several weeks often surrounded by the geology they study. Previous work indicates the geoscience community places high value on field camp and that field-based experiences increase geoscience concept learning, but concerns about logistics, liability, and accessibility exacerbated by the Covid pandemic make the field camp enterprise more challenging. Given these obstacles, it is important to assess the impact that field camp has on the next generation of geoscientists. Does participating in field camp change student self-perceptions of themselves as scientists through the development of technical and interpersonal skills? Are students transformed in avenues unrelated to their future geoscience careers? Can these changes be quantified?To address these questions, a 48-item, 7-point Likert scale survey based on the NAGT learning outcomes for capstone field experiences was developed. The survey was administered to a group of undergraduate geology students (n=16) pre- and post-field camp intervention. Students additionally completed a series of open-ended reflection questions post-intervention. Significant increases in normalized gains were observed for technical (+55%) and interpersonal (+43%) skills. Among the NAGT learning outcomes, students reported increases in designing strategies for data collection (+60%), interpreting past, current, and future processes for earth systems (+54%), working independently and collaboratively (+44%), and the development of "grit" (+40%). Student reflections strongly support the survey results. Students reported growth in geoscience and interpersonal skills, and common themes included improved confidence, well-being, and gratitude. These results show that field camp continues to be a transformative element of development for undergraduate geoscientists.

Hydrogeologists integrate three-dimensional data from maps, wells, field sites, and models to understand subsurface movement of groundwater and pollutants. This work is highly spatial. While many students enter STEM fields without well-developed spatial skills, targeted training of these skills can improve student performance and retention. However, specific spatial skills relevant to learning and practicing hydrogeology have not been documented, hampering efforts to improve training of students for careers in hydrogeology in response to societal need for groundwater resources. This study seeks to identify which spatial skills are important in hydrogeology among a cross-section of novices (undergraduate students) to experts (professional academic and industry hydrogeologists). We aim to produce a quantitative model in which measures of spatial skills and hydrogeology knowledge predict performance on typical hydrogeology tasks provided to students in undergraduate hydrogeology courses. To identify which spatial skills may be relevant, we surveyed expert hydrogeologists and found that one or more skills related to mental rotation, penetrative thinking, spatial scanning, or spatial frame of reference were perceived as important. With input from university hydrogeology instructors and pilot-testing with students, we developed a test of hydrogeology knowledge. We also developed a contaminated site characterization task in which participants use maps and site data to complete a cross section, draw a potentiometric surface map, complete a three-point problem, and contour a contaminant plume. Data have been collected thus far from 50 novice to expert hydrogeologists, with a subset of 15 completing a think-aloud as they worked through the suite of tests and tasks. Here we share findings from the quantitative model, identifying which spatial thinking skills are relevant to problem-solving in hydrogeology.

To address the wicked problems of sustainability in a global economy, students need instruction that drives them to use systems thinking and integrate ideas from across multiple disciplines. The NSF-funded Business and Science: Integrated Curriculum for Sustainability (BASICS) project developed two "common exercises" that incorporate systems and transdisciplinary thinking, piloted in primarily undergraduate courses at three institutions in a variety of disciplines. One exercise focuses on the challenge of downstream pollution in the Mississippi River watershed and the second on the implications of a linear versus a circular economy by examining a product's lifecycle. We present preliminary findings of assessment data from two academic years of student attitudes and abilities to address complex problems. Data are drawn from student surveys administered before and after the common exercise implementation. In the pre- and post-surveys, students were asked to report on their perceived importance of sustainability and rate their knowledge of systems concepts maps. Preliminary findings show significant increases in students' perceived knowledge of systems concepts maps. In addition, students responded to questions related to the common exercises, one addressing nitrogen pollution in the Mississippi River watershed (both academic years) and the second addressing challenges with plastic waste (2021-2022 year). Students were asked to indicate how important it would be to draw expertise from each of 22 different disciplines to address the given problem. Preliminary findings reveal significant increases in students' perceived importance of seeking expertise from humanities, business, and social science fields, an indicator of increasing transdisciplinary thinking. Finally, students were asked to indicate their reported learning gains (1=none to 5=very large) using items from the Research on the Integrated Science Curriculum (RISC) survey (Lopatto, 2018). Preliminary findings show that students enrolled in courses implementing the BASICS curriculum exceed those of the national comparison group in most categories.

Increasing consensus about anthropogenic changes to Earth's climate within the scientific community is not fully reflected in current public opinion, suggesting that work needs to be done in fostering climate literacy through formal k-12 education. However, teachers often feel challenged teaching this topic, and students' misconceptions often intensify these challenges regarding the complexities of climate. Recently using Socioscientific Issues (SSI)-based instruction has emerged as an effective pedagogy for teaching scientific topics, such as Earth's Climate, within a complex social and political framework. Furthermore, technological improvements have provided a unique opportunity for teaching climate science as global climate models (GCMs) are now accessible in the classroom, allowing students to participate in authentic science using computer-based computational models and data visualizations to explain and make projections about the Earth's future climate. Through analysis of multiple data sources, we aim to understand (1) how teachers implemented an SSI model-based climate curriculum, (2) how the integration of a cloud-based global climate model enhanced curriculum enactment, and (3) the student outcomes of this climate curriculum among two learning dimensions—conceptual and epistemic. We utilized classroom observations, teacher reflections, and teacher interviews; we have identified multiple strategies enacted by all three teachers which afforded their students positive technology-enhanced learning opportunities Teachers noted after teaching with the model they had a better understanding of climate data and how it is used in the preparation of climate models, feeling better prepared to teach this unit in the future. Analysis of student assessment data shows statistically significant differences in students' pre-/post-module assessment scores. Additionally, students demonstrated significantly increased scores among both learning dimensions: conceptual and epistemic. This evidence suggests positive impacts from teachers' curriculum implementation and indicates opportunities for authentic science learning may benefit the teachers by enabling them to further their understanding of GCC.

"Reef Survivor: Jamaica" is an educational board game that incorporates elements of place-based education and Earth systems thinking to help players learn about reef ecology and resilience in the face of environmental change and human disturbance. "Reef Survivor: Jamaica" was modified from the undergraduate board game "Reef Survivor" to focus on modern threats to Caribbean reefs; modifications were informed by a qualitative study with locals in Jamaica and discussions with local conservation experts. The learning goals and assessment follow the Ocean Literacy Principles; we also incorporated theory and evaluation instruments used in Place-Based education, collaborative learning, and Earth systems thinking research. The Jamaican version of the game represents the marine environment in East Portland (fringing reefs) and the game highlights important connections among the land, people, and the ocean. For example, disaster cards illustrate how contaminants from rivers can produce algae overgrowth that is detrimental for the health of the reef. We evaluated the game in the community workshop ONE LOVE, ONE PORTLAND that took place in November 2021 in Portland, Jamaica. Participants played in teams and teammates represented people with very diverse backgrounds; for example, one team included a scientist, a farmer, a representative from the Moore Town Maroons, and a member of a conservation agency. In the game, the teammates worked together (competing with other groups) to build a healthy reef and protect it from different disasters. Enriching conversations and interactions emerged during gameplaying, which were registered by trained observers in a cooperative learning observation protocol. Preliminary results show that the game helped players learn about Jamaican coral reef organisms and served as a model of Portland marine environment. Moreover, the complex interactions that connect the land, people, and reef ecosystem are modeled through gameplay facilitating an opportunity for collaborative learning (learning from each other), which is especially valuable when players have diverse backgrounds and need to work together in geoconservation of their home.

Universities often require incoming graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) participate in a Teaching Assistant Orientation (TAO), though the scope and content vary. TAO at the University of South Carolina, provided by the Center for Teaching Excellence, is an intensive, mandatory, one-day event at the start of each semester. TAO provides information from campus-wide teaching-related policies and procedures, to campus resources for GTAs and undergraduates, to best pedagogical practices. Historically, TAO has been an in-person event; however in Fall 2020, the first semester of data collection for this project, TAO was moved online due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Recognizing online delivery of some TAO sessions allowed GTAs more freedom in personalizing their professional development (PD) based on GTA role, interest and concerns, a hybrid format has been used since Fall 2021. Beginning in Fall 2020, GTAs completed qualitative and quantitative surveys before and after TAO, at the semester midpoint and semester end. Data from the pre- and post-TAO surveys are presented. As motivations are complex and often influence one another, a cluster analysis was used to identify the relative roles and associations of GTAs' self-efficacy, excitement about their GTA role, and ratings of common concerns were considered via cluster analysis. This revealed distinct groups of GTAs with similarities in characteristics, teaching-related concerns, confidence and attitude toward teaching that otherwise would have gone undetected. A better understanding of the GTAs and their motivations could allow TAO organizers to provide and recommend specific sessions to GTAs in each cluster. These data also revealed which of GTAs' concerns were alleviated during TAO or persisted, suggesting germane topics for future PDs. This study allows us to better understand the diverse and complex needs of novice GTAs, identify similarities and differences between groups of GTAs and personalize the teaching-related PD offered and recommended during and after TAO.