Initial Publication Date: March 13, 2017

Workshop Synthesis

The final session of the workshop asked participants to summarize their closing thoughts about the workshop topics and experiences. The list below represents a synthesis of some of the common themes regarding strengthening Geoscience competency for HBCU pre-service teachers.

Synthesis

  • Teacher preparation programs at HBCUs that address Earth Science need to be strengthened.
  • The HBCU Geoscience working group and the InTeGrate modules and implementation program models can help infuse Earth education across the curriculum.
  • Workshop participants shared a commitment to increasing number of Earth literate black people.
  • Prior to the workshop, some were unsure of how to contribute, but now see the similarity of issues at many HBCUs and the role InTeGrate and the HBCU Geoscience working group can play in addressing these issues.
  • It was very useful seeing and discussing modules that have been implemented - participants valued learning about them and plan to use them.
  • The InTeGrate teacher preparation resources can be used to increase Earth Science knowledge for the licensure exams.
  • Bringing dean level administrators into the discussion would strengthen opportunities for improvement. Potential strategies for doing this include:
    • A webinar for administrators that highlight HBCU successes;
    • Developing a workshop for teams that includes administrators.
  • The workshop participants felt that it was productive to talk across the institutions.
  • It is important to build connections between the InTeGrate project and other efforts such as the GLOBE program.
  • The HBCU Geoscience working group will continue this workshop series with the next workshop at Morehouse College on Pan-African pedagogy and Geosciences.