Vision and Change for Geoscience Undergraduate Education: Report and Toolkit

在地球科学研究和地球科学的职业机会发生了重大变化，在过去的二十年中，在大多数情况下，本科地球科学课程和计划没有跟上这些变化。因此，来自许多学院和大学的学生离开本科课程，没有必要的教育产品，成功地从事地球科学就业或参加研究生院。由于多年的努力本科地球科学教育的未来（未来），学生需要在当前和未来的劳动力中取得成功的技能能力和概念已经定义，并同意由地球科学界的学术和雇主组成部分。 除了达成共识外，未来的努力还调查了向学生传授这些核心需求的最佳实践，并在全国各地的地球科学部门内实施变革。目前的项目将为地球科学制定一份远景和变革文件和工具包，其中包括未来工作的所有结果和成果。系主任，椅子，和其他管理人员，教师，学生和雇主将有机会获得文件和工具包，以指导在美国本科层次的地球科学教育的系统性变化。在成功发展他们的计划部门的本科生的教育将大大提高，这些学生将更好地为研究生院和/或未来的就业做好准备。 更广泛的地球科学学术界和就业界推荐的经验学习也最有利于代表性不足的群体的学习和他们未来的成功。《愿景和变革》文件将说明机构变革的迫切需要，并为不同规模和机构类型的部门实现这些变革的最佳做法提供指导。目前的项目将产生一套信息产品，作为院长，系主任和教师在评估他们现有的课程和指导的优先事项和现代化的计划，以满足当前和新出现的需求的战略工具集。愿景和变革文件和相关产品将提供关键数据的技能，概念和能力所需的本科地球科学教育和有效的战略更新本科课程和方案，并在确定共同的障碍或路障和解决方案。从以前的试点研究在不同的机构类型和教师水平的结果将被提交，以帮助部门确定的方法，这将是最有益的。培养学生成为成功的未来地球科学家需要对当前和未来的劳动力需求以及课程和计划的演变有深入的了解，以跟上地球科学研究和技术的变化。 促进部门的变化，特别是在本科课程方面，可能是一个挑战，能够设计成功的战略，改变不同类型的机构的本科课程将是一个重大的进步。愿景和变革文件将成为变革的催化剂，并为成功的途径提供路线图。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Significant changes in geoscience research and geoscience career opportunities have occurred over the past two decades, and for the most part, undergraduate geoscience curricula and programs have not kept up with these changes. Thus, students from many colleges and universities leave undergraduate programs without the necessary educational products to successfully engage in geoscience employment or for attending graduate school. As a result of the multi-year effort on the Future of Undergraduate Geoscience Education (Futures), the skills competencies and concepts that students need to be successful in the current and future workforce have been defined and agreed on by both the academic and employer components of the geoscience community. In addition to developing a consensus, the Futures effort investigated best practices for imparting these core needs to students and implementing changes within geoscience departments across the country. The current project will develop a Vision and Change document and toolkit for the geosciences that encapsulates all of the results and outcomes from the Futures effort. Department heads, chairs, and other administrators, faculty, students and employers will have access to the document and toolkit to guide systematic changes in geoscience education at the undergraduate level in the United States. The education of undergraduate students in departments that successfully evolve their programs will be greatly enhanced, and those students will be better prepared for graduate school and/or future employment. The experiential learning recommended by the wider geoscience academic and employment community is also most conducive to learning by underrepresented groups and to their future success.The Vision and Change document will make the case for the critical need for institutional change and provide guidance on best practices for achieving these changes for departments of different sizes and institution types. The current project will produce a suite of information products to be used as a tool set for deans, department chairs, and faculty in assessing their existing curriculum and guiding the priorities and strategies for modernizing their program to meet current and emerging needs. The Vision and Change document and associated products will provide critical data on the skills, concepts and competencies needed for undergraduate geoscience education and on effective strategies for updating undergraduate curricula and programs and in identifying common obstacles or roadblocks and solutions. Results from previous pilot studies at different institution types and faculty levels will be presented to help departments identify the approaches that would be most beneficial to them. Preparing students to be successful future geoscientists requires a solid understanding of current and future workforce needs and the evolution of curricula and programs to keep in step with the changes in geoscience research and technology. Fomenting change in departments, particularly with respect to undergraduate curricula, can be a challenge and being able to design successful strategies for changing undergraduate programs in different types of institutions will be a significant advancement. The Vision and Change document will be a catalyst for change and provide a roadmap for proven pathways to success.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.