Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement in the Earth Sciences

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A series of regional workshops is offered to help faculty develop improved teaching skills in introductory earth science, earth science-related interdisciplinary courses, and/or courses in science teacher preparation. The goal is to encourage faculty to be intellectually vigorous in science courses, to gain experience in effective teaching methods and educational technologies, and to explore the beneficial outcomes of reform-based strategies for student learning. Participating faculty will be provided with methods and materials that will integrate the geosciences with other academic disciplines. Instructional methods that will be demonstrated include problem-solving exercises; an issue-based model in which the teacher plays the role of facilitator; integrated learning environments that incorporate field work, experiential learning, and technological access to data into more traditional classroom/laboratory activities; development of communities of science learners by establishing student teams and by building a greater regional or national community through telecommunication access; and use of local and regional issues to demonstrate relevance and to foster in students a sense of stewardship in their communities. Participants will continue workshop activities as they develop strategic plans for collaborative teams at their home institutions. Follow-up reports, including evaluative assessment of plan outcomes, such as implementation strategies, student learning achievement, and dissemination beyond the workshop, will provide information useful to others interested in improving their educational programs in introductory earth science, earth science-related courses, and courses in (earth) science teacher preparation. This information will be compiled into a database that will be accessible to the community through AGI's Clearinghouse for Earth Science Education, including hard-copy and electronic format.