Instructor Stories
Explore how instructors from diverse disciplines are transforming their classrooms with TIDeS materials. These stories highlight innovative approaches to engaging students, fostering active participation, and connecting course content to real-world applications. From building scientific confidence to inspiring collaboration and inquiry, these instructors share their strategies for making science education more meaningful and impactful.
Earth Science
Angela Daneshmand at Santiago Canyon College. ERTH 121: Earth Sciences for Educators is a 4-unit lecture/lab combination course for education majors (pre-service teachers) that meets the physical science general education requirement. Students take my course because it is required for their major. Most students who take this course are education majors who feel that they cannot excel in science courses and are apprehensive about teaching science to their future students. In this course, students practice the process of science and learn foundational concepts in Geology, Astronomy, Oceanography, and Meteorology through an inquiry-based approach. With the TIDeS material, the course now builds students' confidence in their own ability to "do" science by incorporating student-focused content that is both interactive and relevant.
Karen Viskupic at Boise State University. GEOS 104: Geoscience and Society is an introduction to geoscience with a focus on the societal relevance of understanding Earth processes, history, and how humans interact with the Earth system. The goal of the course is to give students the opportunity to explore how the Earth system operates, the ways in which the scientific process allows us to understand the Earth system, and the many ways in which humans both depend upon, impact, and are impacted by, the planet. Increasing students' understanding of the practice of science, I think, helps them to develop more trust in the scientific community, and that is one of the most important things a student can take away from an introductory general education science course.
Mark Abolins at Middle Tennessee State University. GEOL 1030: Introduction to Earth Science is a course that helps students learn how scientists actually solve societal problems. The students investigate ways to design a habitable future. Students gain up-to-date knowledge about recent natural events and scientific discoveries. In doing so, students primarily investigate discoveries and events post-dating their birth and generally dating back less than 5-10 years.
Beth Dushman at Howard Community College. PHYS 106: Earth and Space Science is a combined lecture and lab introductory course that explores topics in geology, meteorology, and space science. The course fulfills a general education science class and is required for some education majors. The overall course goal is to improve students' comfort with science and for students to recognize the importance of Earth science in their everyday lives. With the TIDeS material, students engage with scientific practices, ask questions, and analyze data many times throughout the semester, helping them to build confidence in their ability as scientists and teachers.
Physical Science
Sandra Penny at Russell Sage College. SCI 104: Physical and Earth Sciences is a general-education course open to all majors at Russell Sage College. It is a required course for education majors and more than half of the students are early childhood education majors. In this TIDeS course, we really push the limits on what can be accomplished in a traditional classroom in a good way. Students get used to completing mini-labs and activities virtually every day and lecture/class discussion are used just for introduction and wrap-up/synthesis.
Natalie Bursztyn at University of Montana-Missoula. Geo 224: Physics and Geoscience is a 5-credit, semester-long course that meets the physical science general education requirement. Students taking this course are education majors pursuing the Teacher Education Program, most with elementary education as their area of emphasis. Most students taking these courses do not have aspirations of teaching science and/or have fears of having to teach science in their classroom.
Units from Both Courses
Darryl Reano at Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus. GLG 101: Intro to Geology I (Physical) is an introductory course designed primarily for non-majors to satisfy a general education science requirement. The course focuses on understanding the geological processes that shape Earth, exploring their connections to climate, oceans, and life throughout Earth's history. Students examine how geological materials and hazards impact society and their everyday lives, with an emphasis on building practical knowledge for personal and professional decision-making. Incorporating TIDeS materials and group activities, the course encourages collaboration and engagement while connecting students to the relevance of geology in their lives.
