Lab using Volcano Scenarios: Hazard Maps and Communicating Risk part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Activities
This is a lab activity in which small groups of students work with maps, rocks, photographs of volcanic deposits, and textual data to construct a hazard map and a risk communication plan for a specific volcano. Each group is assigned a "volcano scenario," which is based on real volcanoes.

Intro to Environmental Geology Writing Assignment part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Activities with Rubrics
Students in an introductory environmental geology class research the Dust Bowl, analyze information and data and develop a written argument.

Knowledge Surveys part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Knowledge Surveys
This module was developed for On the Cutting Edge by Karl Wirth at Macalester College and Dexter Perkins at the University of North Dakota. Knowledge surveys play an essential role in all of my classes. The ...

Place Attachment Inventory (PAI) part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Activities
This is an experimental psychometric instrument that measures an individual's attachment to specific or general places, by means of two dimensions: self-identification with a place, and the capacity of the place to support a person's activities or goals. The 12 items used in the PAI were devised, normed, and validated by Williams and Vaske (2003) and adapted for use in geoscience courses by Semken and Piburn (2004, 2005).

A Concept Mapping Assessment of Climate Change Concepts part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Activities
After a brief tutorial on hierarchical concept maps, we ask students in a course on planetary climate change to construct a hierarchical concept map about climate, prompted by several leading questions about climate, climate science, and climate change around which we (roughly) organize the course. We conduct this exercise at the beginning and end of the semester, score the concept maps (two scorers with results reconciled and averaged), and evaluate changes in the scores statistically.

Geological Map Problem part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Activities
This is a lab activity that is designed to help introductory, non-science majors integrate their geological knowledge near the end of the course. In this activity, students work in self-selected groups of up to four per group on the history of a sketch geological map.

Assessment Using Rubrics part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing
What are Instructional Rubrics? Rubrics are written criteria that details expectations of what students will need to know and be able to do in order to receive a given grade. Rubrics help instructors to develop ...

Researchers Investigating Geoscience Student Learning part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing
The following faculty have conducted important research into the assessment of learning in the Geosciences. If you would like to be included in this list, please contact Suzanne Savanick at ssavanic@carleton.edu. ...

Assessment Using Peer Review part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing
What is Peer Review? Peer review is having students review each other's written work and oral presentations. For in depth information and step-by-step guide, including sample peer review questions and ...

Knowledge Survey Questions - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Knowledge Surveys:Knowledge Survey Questions
Bloom's Taxonomy Level - 1 What is the definition of a formation? Bloom's Taxonomy Level - 2 Outline the basic descriptive parameters needed to characterize sedimentary rocks in detail. Compare and ...