An Integrative Curriculum in Planetary Science

地质学(42)作为一个新的学位项目的一部分，这个项目正在开发三门行星科学的新课程。该项目正在改编一系列来自地球科学、物理和天文学教育文献的示范性教学实践。第一门课程是以探究为基础的行星科学入门课程，学生将使用手持反射光谱仪收集当地岩石单位的光谱数据，并通过望远镜进行光谱测量。第二门课程侧重于陨石、月球样本和陆地岩石的岩石学研究。第三门课程是关于行星光谱学的高级课程，它深入使用了前两门课程中介绍的工具。该项目评估计划跟踪学生在新课程中的学习表现，以及他们在随后的物理和地质高级课程中的表现。天文学和地质学学位课程以及新的行星课程的招生和留住学生的情况也在评估中。该项目的学术价值在于跨越了地质学、物理学和天文学之间的界限，作为一种将学生带入这些学科的手段。这些课程是成功的教学实践的典范，并激励学生在相关领域继续深造。该项目的更广泛影响在于将女学生带入这三个STEM领域，在这些领域，妇女的代表性不足。

Geology (42) As part of a new degree program, this project is developing three new courses in planetary science. The project is adapting a series of exemplary instructional practices from the literatures on geoscience, physics, and astronomy education. The first course is an inquiry-based introductory course in planetary science, in which students will collect spectral data on local rock units using hand-held reflectance spectrometers, and conduct spectroscopic measurements by telescope. The second course focuses on the petrologic study of meteorites, lunar samples, and terrestrial rocks. The third course is an upper-level offering on the spectroscopy of the planets, that makes in-depth use of tools introduced in the two previous courses. The project assessment plan tracks student academic performance in the new courses, as well as their performance in the upper-level courses in physics and geology that follow them. Student recruitment and retention in astronomy and geology degree programs, as well as in the new planetary program, are also being measured. The intellectual merit of the project lies in the crossing of boundaries between geology, physics, and astronomy, as a means of bringing students to these disciplines. These courses are modeling successful teaching practices, and inspire students to undertake further study in related fields. The broader impact of this project lies in bringing female students into these three STEM fields, where women are under-represented.