Syllabus Quiz part of Online Teaching:Activities for Teaching Online
This quiz helps students make sure they understand the important policies of the course before they embark into the course. Because students in online courses need to digest all of the course rules by reading ...

Guided Discovery and Scoring Rubric for Petrographic Analysis of a Thin Section part of Metacognition:Activities
A guided discovery approach is used to "unpack" the methods and observations used by "master" petrographers in the petrographic analysis of a thin section. A series of spread sheets are used to ...

Writing to Support the Theory of Plate Tectonics part of Earth Exploration Toolbook:Writing to Support the Theory of Plate Tectonics
DATA: Topography, EQs, volcanoes, seafloor ages. TOOL: Browser, Learning with Data CD-ROM. SUMMARY: Examine and interpret images to write a paper supporting the Theory of Plate Tectonics.

Wheel of... Geology! part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Games:Examples
This quiz game is intended to help students review for an upcoming exam. Topics of questions are randomly determined by spinning a wheel. Teams answer questions using electronic CPS handhelds. -

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.

ConcepTests part of Teaching Methods:ConcepTests
ConcepTests are conceptual multiple-choice questions that focus on one key concept of an instructor's learning goals for a lesson. When coupled with student interaction through peer instruction, ConcepTests represent a rapid method of formative assessment of student understanding.

Reflection After Exam #1 part of Metacognition:Activities
Students did poorly on the first exam, so I borrowed and modified this exercise. It is intended to get them to think about what THEY can do to improve performance on future exams. The original idea came from Marsha ...

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).

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.