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Andrea Bair
Science/Geosciences, Science & Mathematics
Delta College
I currently teach and head a small geology program at a community college in mid-eastern Michigan.
My background includes a Geology BS (Michigan State), a Geology PhD specializing in Vertebrate Paleontology (Nebraska), and had a post-doc Science Teaching Fellowship as part of the Science Education Initiative at the University of Colorado-Boulder (http://www.colorado.edu/sei/), where I supported research-based transformation of undergraduate geology courses.
I maintain a small research program at the interface of GER and cognitive science, particularly how novices interpret expert visualizations, and utilizing cognitive psychology findings to improve our use of visualizations in teaching. I'm also interested in effective use of technology in teaching and learning (especially the use of clickers and computer simulations), physical models and analogies in teaching and learning science, conceptual learning in the geosciences, scientific explanation and argumentation, and the geology and paleontology of the North American Great Plains.
Website Content Contributions
Activity (1)
Teaching about geologic structures with craft foam models and hands-on guided exploration activities part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2019:Program:Teaching Demonstrations:Friday
Classroom instruction on geologic structures often involves models demonstrated by the instructor, and/or student construction of paper or clay models. While these models can be useful for conceptual learning, ...
Conference Presentations (2)
Connecting magma formation, origin of crust, and the meaning behind igneous rocks using research-based diagrams, analogies, and games in physical geology part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2016:Program:Teaching Demonstrations:Thursday B
This activity aims to: dispel common misconceptions about the origin of magma (i.e., from a liquid layer of Earth), promote understanding of the processes of magma generation, help students see igneous rocks as ...
Teaching and learning evolutionary trees: how cognitive science predicts "better" and "worse" diagram styles part of Rendezvous 2015:Program:Abstracts
A cladogram is a branching diagram commonly used to depict hypotheses of evolutionary relationships, and is a central representation of evolution in the fossil record. Biological education research has identified ...
Other Contributions (4)
Town Hall part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2023:Program:Town Hall
The town hall will allow us to collectively reflect on the lessons we learned as a community at the Rendezvous, and to address any opportunities we see for collective action or impact.
Communities
Central Section, Geo2YC: The Two-Year College Division, Geoscience Education Research Division
July 2022 Earth Educators Rendezvous 2015
July 2015 Teaching Geoscience Online
ICON Education Interest List
Education Icon
Project EDDIE FMN Spring 2022 Participants
SAGE 2YC Cohort 2 Change Agents
Earth Educators' Rendezvous 2016
NAGT All
GETSI Community
Teach the Earth
Eyes on the Hydrosphere: Tracking Water Resources Interest Group
GETSI Interest Group
Environmental Justice and Freshwater Resources Interest Group
Humans' Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources Interest Group
Ice Mass and Sea Level Change Change interest Group
NAGT Webinar Series Interest
Monitoring Volcanoes and Communicating Risks Interest Group
Measuring the Earth with GPS Interest Group
Interactions between Water, Earth’s Surface, and Human Activity Interest Group
TIDeS Interest
Earth Educators' Rendezvous Interest Group
Workshop Leader
EER 2020 Th PM Broadening Participation
Workshop Participant (38 workshops)
July 2021 GETSI Virtual Short Course 6 Volcanoes and Risks
February 2021 Teaching Online Introductory Geoscience Labs
July 2020