GP-Impact: Improving Geoscience Education Pathways through Engaging Scientific and Career Experiences

GP-Impact：通过参与科学和职业经验改善地球科学教育途径

• 批准号: 1540719
• 负责人: Brian Savage
• 金额: $ 31.2万
• 依托单位: University of Rhode Island
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-15 至 2020-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1540719&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: GP; Impact; Improving; Geoscience; Education

The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and the University of Rhode Island (URI) together reach 1500+ students annually through general education and introductory geoscience courses. These institutions train a subset of those students as geoscience majors (~70 URI majors presently) for societally important positions in education, industry, federal agencies, conservation organizations, and more. The American Geosciences Institute 2014 Workforce Report predicts a workforce shortage of 135,000 geoscientists by 2022. This imminent need for well-prepared geoscientists must be answered by the engagement of academic geoscience departments. The intellectual merit of this project is multi-layered. A tractable set of changes is being implemented in Rhode Island public institutions of higher education to yield measurable outcomes, in terms of increases in the number and diversity of geoscience majors. A variety of experiences are being integrated into and scaffolded with the undergradute curriculum that are based on research-identified recommendations and strategies to reduce barriers for becoming and remaining a geoscience major. The relative importance of each factor for increasing student involvement and greater diversity in the geosciences is being evaluated, with specific attention to the case of 2YC-4YC geoscience transfer students. In this way, future activities (in Rhode Island and elsewhere) can focus policies and resources on what will make the largest difference in student decisions to become and remain geoscientists. Overall, this project seeks to promote science and advance national prosperity by strengthening the geoscience workforce, both through direct engagement with students and sharing of successful strategies with other organizations and institutions of higher learning.Recognizing the growing importance of two-year colleges (2YCs) as the starting point for students who earn bachelor's degrees at 4-year institutions (4YCs), CCRI and URI are implementing a number of modifications and new programs that are aimed at increasing the number and diversity of geoscientists in each institution's programs. The goals of this program are to: (1) improve the 2YC/4YC transfer rate in the geosciences in Rhode Island; (2) increase the number and diversity of geoscience graduates; (3) enhance student training in geoscience and STEM-related fields; and, (4) contribute to the evidence base of successful practices in geoscience education. In this collaboration, CCRI and URI are putting in place both on- and off-campus components, including: targeted improvements to the gateway course to the major; systematic enhancements of the undergraduate curriculum in terms of data-rich activities, collaborative learning, and field experiences; streamlining of the transfer path into geosciences; a new research-focused course that is team-taught by CCRI and URI faculty; a workshop engaging students in the process of applying for internships and research opportunities; a series of information-sharing and mentoring events for prospective geoscience majors. A developmental evaluation strategy with formative and summative assessments is being applied to monitor progress in achieving project goals. This project is expected to increase the number and diversity of the pool of geosciences majors and new, practicing geoscientists. For all students, this project will have bettered the undergraduate experience and provided new mentorship and paths to professional success. Changes made to the URI and CCRI curricular programs will endure, and new community building events will foster a more engaged community, with untold positive impacts. In addition, this project will cement fledgling collaborations between 2YC and 4YC Rhode Island faculty in the geosciences, paving the way for multiple future projects. Presentations at regional and national meetings and publications resulting from this work have the potential to transfer findings and enhance experiences in the larger geoscience community.

罗德岛社区学院 (CCRI) 和罗德岛大学 (URI) 每年通过通识教育和入门地球科学课程为 1500 多名学生提供服务。这些机构将一部分学生培养为地球科学专业（目前约有 70 名 URI 专业学生），以在教育、工业、联邦机构、保护组织等领域担任重要的社会职位。美国地球科学研究所 2014 年劳动力报告预测，到 2022 年，地球科学家的劳动力短缺量将达到 135,000 名。对准备充分的地球科学家的迫切需求必须通过学术地球科学部门的参与来满足。该项目的智力价值是多层次的。罗德岛州公立高等教育机构正在实施一系列易于处理的变革，以在增加地球科学专业的数量和多样性方面产生可衡量的成果。各种经验正在被纳入并支撑在本科课程中，这些课程基于研究确定的建议和策略，以减少成为和保留地球科学专业的障碍。正在评估每个因素对于增加学生参与度和增加地球科学多样性的相对重要性，特别关注 2YC-4YC 地球科学转学生的案例。通过这种方式，未来的活动（在罗德岛州和其他地方）可以将政策和资源集中在对学生成为和继续成为地球科学家的决定产生最大影响的方面。总体而言，该项目旨在通过加强地球科学劳动力队伍来促进科学和促进国家繁荣，既通过与学生的直接接触，又与其他组织和高等教育机构分享成功的战略。认识到两年制学院 (2YC) 作为在四年制学院 (4YC) 获得学士学位的学生的起点越来越重要，CCRI 和 URI 正在实施一系列修改和新计划， 旨在增加每个机构项目中地球科学家的数量和多样性。该计划的目标是：（1）提高罗德岛州地球科学领域的2YC/4YC转移率； (2)增加地球科学毕业生的数量和多样性； (3) 加强地球科学和STEM相关领域的学生培训； (4) 为地球科学教育成功实践的证据基础做出贡献。在此次合作中，CCRI 和 URI 正在落实校内和校外的部分，包括： 有针对性地改进专业入门课程；在数据丰富的活动、协作学习和现场经验方面系统地增强本科课程；简化地球科学的转移路径；一门新的以研究为重点的课程，由 CCRI 和 URI 教师团队授课；一个让学生参与申请实习和研究机会的研讨会；为未来的地球科学专业学生举办一系列信息共享和指导活动。正在采用包含形成性和总结性评估的发展评估策略来监测实现项目目标的进展情况。该项目预计将增加地球科学专业和新的实践地球科学家的数量和多样性。对于所有学生来说，该项目将改善本科生的体验，并提供新的指导和职业成功的途径。 URI 和 CCRI 课程计划的变化将持续下去，新的社区建设活动将培养一个更加积极参与的社区，产生难以估量的积极影响。此外，该项目将巩固罗德岛州 2YC 和 4YC 教师在地球科学领域的初步合作，为未来的多个项目铺平道路。这项工作在区域和国家会议上的演讲以及出版物有可能在更大的地球科学界传播研究结果并增强经验。