See more from this Division: General Discipline Sessions
See more from this Session: Geoscience Education II: Best Practices for Teaching Geoscience
Abstract:
Currently, the most effect teaching strategies have involved incorporating experiential learning into and outside the classroom. The University of Northern Iowa offers a series of earth science inquiry-based opportunities including a GPS/GIS campus geology tour, weekend field (mapping) excursions, and multiple week field studies courses. Linking classroom discussions to field opportunities has been well received as documented by class evaluations. Early test results also suggest basic concepts (e.g. the rock cycle) are retained, more so than memorizing diagrammatic text examples, when students are able to relate their personal field observations to the earth science concepts. An additional, successful teaching strategy has been the use of earth science undergraduate teaching assistants during introductory laboratories. This provides our junior and senior earth science majors additional experience and prepares them for graduate teaching assistantships. The introductory students also benefit from the opportunities of interacting with a peer and a professor during laboratory exercises.
See more from this Division: General Discipline Sessions
See more from this Session: Geoscience Education II: Best Practices for Teaching Geoscience