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

罗得岛社区学院（CCRI）和罗得岛大学（URI）每年通过通识教育和地球科学入门课程共招收1500多名学生。这些机构将这些学生中的一部分培养为地球科学专业的学生（目前约有70个URI专业），在教育，工业，联邦机构，保护组织等社会重要职位。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将达到135，000人。这种对准备充分的地球科学家的迫切需求必须由学术地球科学部门的参与来回答。这个项目的智力价值是多层次的。罗得岛公立高等教育机构正在实施一系列易于处理的改革，以在增加地球科学专业的数量和多样性方面取得可衡量的成果。各种各样的经验正在被整合到本科课程中，并与之配套，这些课程是基于研究确定的建议和战略，以减少成为和保持地球科学专业的障碍。每个因素的相对重要性，增加学生的参与和更大的多样性，在地球科学正在评估，特别注意的情况下，2 YC-4 YC地球科学转学生。通过这种方式，未来的活动（在罗得岛和其他地方）可以集中政策和资源，使学生的决定成为和保持地球科学家的最大差异。总的来说，该项目旨在通过与学生直接接触和与其他组织和高等教育机构分享成功战略，加强地球科学工作队伍，促进科学和国家繁荣，认识到两年制学院作为学生在四年制学院获得学士学位的起点的日益重要性，CCRI和URI正在实施一些修改和新的计划，旨在增加每个机构计划中地球科学家的数量和多样性。该计划的目标是：（1）提高罗得岛地球科学的2 YC/4 YC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。在这次合作中，CCRI和URI正在落实校内和校外的组成部分，包括：有针对性地改进主要的网关课程;在数据丰富的活动，协作学习和实地经验方面系统地增强本科课程;简化向地球科学的转移路径;一个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讲习班;为未来的地球科学专业学生举办的一系列信息分享和辅导活动。目前正在采用一项包括形成性和总结性评估的发展评价战略，以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。对于所有的学生，这个项目将有更好的本科经验，并提供了新的导师和途径，以专业的成功。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积极参与的社区，产生数不清的积极影响。此外，该项目将巩固2 YC和4 YC罗得岛教师在地球科学方面的合作，为未来的多个项目铺平道路。在区域和国家会议上所作的介绍以及这项工作所产生的出版物有可能在更大的地球科学界传播研究结果和加强经验。

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.