Faculty Accounts of Teaching Geoscientific Thinking

Geoscience methods applied to real-world problems
Kathleen Harper, The University of Montana
This webpage is an educational essay discussing how geoscience methods—such as observation, measurement, and modeling—are applied to real-world problems like natural hazards, resource management, and environmental issues, with regional and global case studies to enhance science education. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Field-experiences in every geoscience class: the key to facilitating developmentally appropriate instruction
Sean Cornell, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Essay advocating for mandatory field experiences in geoscience education to enhance observational skills, active learning, and developmentally appropriate instruction, with examples from introductory and upper-level courses. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Introducing the methods of geoscience to physical geology students
Beth Dushman, Howard Community College
A geoscience education essay page detailing strategies for teaching non-majors and majors in physical geology through critical reasoning, scientific method application, observational labs, communication exercises, and media literacy, with an emphasis on plate tectonics, natural hazards, and ongoing geological research. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

The child as history: recapitulation goes to school
Kip Ault, Lewis & Clark College
An academic essay page analyzing the historical influence of recapitulation theory and Herbartian philosophy on child-centered education, emphasizing evolutionary analogies in developmental pedagogy, the role of G. Stanley Hall and John Dewey, and connections to modern science teaching methods in geoscience education. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Geoscience by example
Ntungwa Maasha, College of Coastal Georgia
This personal essay page details a geoscientist's experience revising Liberia's University of Liberia geology curriculum and reflects on teaching methodologies, departmental resilience during civil unrest, alumni success, and the importance of collaborative, example-based pedagogy in geoscience education. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Emphasizing the science in geoscience
Laurel Goodell, Princeton University
An academic essay page advocating for rigorous, inquiry-based geoscience education through data-driven student investigations, authored by Laurel Goodell of Princeton University as part of the InTeGrate teaching initiative. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Teaching the methods of geoscience in a mineralogy class
Dave Mogk, Montana State University
A pedagogical essay page detailing how mineralogy instruction can scaffold geoscience methods—integrating historical scientific development, theoretical reasoning, analytical techniques, and societal relevance—to cultivate students' scientific habits of mind and professional preparation in geoscience education. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Differences in the methodology and justification of the field sciences and the classical experimental sciences
Carol Cleland, University of Colorado Boulder
Philosophical analysis comparing the distinct methodologies of historical field sciences and classical experimental sciences, emphasizing how time asymmetry in causation shapes their evidential reasoning, with field sciences relying on trace-based "smoking gun" detection for past events while experimental sciences focus on controlled prediction. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

My personal journey into the methods of geoscience
Jennifer Anderson, Winona State University
Personal reflection page by geoscientist Jennifer Anderson discussing her evolving understanding of geoscience methodologies, contrasting them with traditional scientific approaches, and exploring implications for teaching across physics, geology, and education disciplines. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

A metacognitive approach to teaching geologic reasoning
Steve Reynolds, Arizona State University Campus Immersion
An academic essay page detailing a metacognitive pedagogical approach to teaching geologic reasoning, emphasizing strategies like think-aloud modeling, concept sketches, and disembedding to enhance students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills in geoscience education. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.