ED31A-0577
Building Strong Geoscience Departments: Resources and Opportunities
The Building Strong Geoscience Departments program aims to foster communication and sharing among
geoscience departments in order to allow for rapid dissemination of strong ideas and approaches.
Sponsored by NAGT, AGI, AGU, and GSA, the project has developed a rich set of web resources, offered
workshops on topics from recruiting students to developing a curriculum for the future, and hosted on-line
discussion of high interest topics including accreditation. Online resources
(http://serc.carleton.edu/departments/index.html) feature successful strategies and specific examples from a
wide variety of geoscience departments across North America. These resources address student
recruitment, development and assessment of curricula and programs, preparing students for careers, and
the future of geoscience.
This year the program will offer two new workshops
(http://serc.carleton.edu/departments/workshops/index.html). The first, in February, will focus on assessing
geoscience programs. Departments are increasingly called upon to assess the impact of their programs on
students and to measure the degree to which they meet stated goals. This workshop will showcase the
methods and instruments that geoscience departments are using for this assessment, as well as providing
opportunities to learn more about evaluation theory and practice from experts in the field. The second
workshop, in June, is designed to help departmental teams develop practical solutions to the challenges they
currently face. Building on past workshops in this series, participants will help shape the focus of the
workshop to meet their needs in areas such as curriculum, assessment, programming, recruitment, or
management. A goal of this workshop is to put into broader use the wealth of examples and ideas
documented on the project website.
http://serc.carleton.edu/departments/index.html
ED31A-0578
Teaching Introductory Geoscience: A Cutting Edge Workshop Report
Introductory undergraduate courses play a pivotal role in the geosciences. They serve as recruiting grounds
for majors and future professionals, provide relevant experiences in geoscience for pre-service teachers,
and offer opportunities to influence future policy makers, business people, professionals, and citizens. An
introductory course is also typically the only course in geoscience that most of our students will ever take.
Because the role of introductory courses is pivotal in geoscience education, a workshop on Teaching
Introductory Courses in the 21st Century was held in July 2008 as part of the On the Cutting Edge faculty
development program. A website was also developed in conjunction with the workshop.
One of the central themes of the workshop was the importance of considering the long-term impact a course
should have on students. Ideally, courses can be designed with this impact in mind. Approaches include
using the local geology to focus the course and illustrate concepts; designing a course for particular
audience (such as Geology for Engineers); creating course features that help students understand and
interpret geoscience in the news; and developing capstone projects to teach critical thinking and problem
solving skills in a geologic context. Workshop participants also explored strategies for designing engaging
activities including exploring with Google Earth, using real-world scenarios, connecting with popular media, or
making use of campus features on local field trips. In addition, introductory courses can emphasize broad
skills such as teaching the process of science, using quantitative reasoning and developing communication
skills.
Materials from the workshop as well as descriptions of more than 150 introductory courses and 350
introductory-level activities are available on the website:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/intro/index.html.
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/intro/index.html
ED31A-0579
Engaging Non-science Students in Large Classes
Most students in introductory geoscience courses are not headed toward careers as scientists. One high- enrollment science course may be a student's only opportunity to engage with science from a scientific perspective. Given that earth systems science is immensely relevant to human society today, engaging students in these large enrollment courses is a crucial and golden opportunity. Two engagement techniques were used in a large class for non-science students called "Earth and the Solar System": (1) short on-line quizzes prior to each class, based on reading material (an aspect of Just-in-Time- Teaching), and (2) in-class activities that required students to address some important concept and submit a written response. On-line pre-class quizzes provided an incentive for students to grapple with course material on an ongoing basis, and prepare them for each class. Questions submitted by students during the quizzes revealed common confusions and common interests that could be addressed by the instructor in a timely way. Students who regularly kept up with the quizzes scored significantly higher on high stakes exams than those who did not (p-value <0.01). Students who participated in class activities more than 75% of the time scored on average 9-10% higher on high stakes exams than those who participated less frequently (p-value <0.001). On exam questions that addressed the same concept as was addressed in an activity, those who participated in that particular activity scored higher on the conceptually matching exam questions. There is some indication that completing the activities was more effective (produced a greater gain in exam score) for female than for male students. While this was not a controlled experiment (students self-selected their participation levels), surveys of students regarding the effectiveness of pre-class quizzes and in-class activities show that they regarded both as valuable learning experiences and favored keeping both aspects in the course. Both quiz results and activity responses provide valuable information to the instructor about what students think, closing an important feedback loop.
ED31A-0580
Gaining A Geological Perspective Through Active Learning in the Large Lecture Classroom
NATS 101 A Geological Perspective is a general education course taken by non science majors. We offer 600 seats per semester, with four large lecture sections taught by different faculty members. In the past we have offered optional once a week study groups taught by graduate teaching assistants. Students often feel overwhelmed by the science and associated jargon, and many are prone to skipping lectures altogether. Optional study groups are only attended by ~50% of the students. Faculty members find the class to be a lot of work, mainly due to the grading it generates. Activities given in lecture are often short multiple choice or true false assignments, limiting the depth of understanding we can evaluate. Our students often lack math and critical thinking skills, and we spend a lot of time in lecture reintroducing ideas students should have already gotten from the text. In summer 2007 we were funded to redesign the course. Our goals were to 1) cut the cost of running the course, and 2) improve student learning. Under our redesign optional study groups were replaced by once a week mandatory break out sessions where students complete activities that have been introduced in lecture. Break out sessions substitute for one hour of lecture, and are run by undergraduate preceptors and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). During the lecture period, lectures themselves are brief with a large portion of the class devoted to active learning in small groups. Weekly reading quizzes are submitted via the online course management system. Break out sessions allow students to spend more time interacting with their fellow students, undergraduate preceptors, and GTAs. They get one on one help in break out sessions on assignments designed to enhance the lecture material. The active lecture format means less of their time is devoted to listening passively to a lecture, and more time is spent peer learning an interacting with the instructor. Completing quizzes online allows students more freedom in when and where they complete their work, and we provide instant feedback on their submitted work. The University of Wyoming Cognition in Astronomy, Physics and Earth sciences Research (CAPER) Team, who specialize in project evaluation, are leading the evaluation effort. We are comparing pre-test to post-test gains on the Geoscience Concept Inventory and Attitudes Toward Science surveys before and after the redesign, and inductive analysis of student interviews and reflective writing that describe student perceptions of the modified learning environment. The redesign has cut the cost of the class per student by more than half. This was achieved primarily in two ways: 1) by greatly reducing the number of hours spent by faculty and graduate teaching assistants on preparation, class time, and grading; and 2) reducing the number of graduate teaching assistants required for the class and replacing many of them with undergraduate preceptors. Undergraduate preceptors are not paid, but receive academic credit for their teaching service. The savings from the redesign is used to allow faculty more time to work on institutional priorities.
ED31A-0581
The Use of Photo-projects and Term Projects in Large-Format (200+ Students) Introductory Geology Courses.
Photo-projects have long been utilized as a way of getting students in introductory geology courses to apply what they have learned in lecture to the outcrop and landscape. While the projects have many benefits, we have found that with large-format classes of 200+ students, where a mandatory field trip is logistically impossible, many problems can arise. One problem has been that of consistent and timely grading, which can be addressed by a project that can be turned in throughout the course of the semester and by utilizing a grading rubric. Also, in many cases, students simply take photographs of "scenery" and then try to identify features/processes with little thought as to whether that particular feature/process can occur in that geologic setting (such as identifying features as having a glacial origin in a non-glaciated terrain.) These types of problem can be attributed to the student's lack of knowledge of the geology of the area within which the photographs were taken and having little to no field instruction. Many of these problems can be addressed by utilizing a term project that combines elements of both research and the traditional photo project. The student chooses a specific area/region (i.e. a national park) that the student will/has actually visit(ed) and is then required to do background research before attempting to identify features and processes in photographs they have taken from the area. Here we present details of such a project that involves students performing research activities in three stages: The history/geologic setting of the area, the specific lithology of the area, and then the hydrology of the area, with each being completed at specified times throughout the semester. The final stage is the photo project component where the student identifies and interprets the features/processes in photographs from the area. The research provides the student with a framework within which they can identify and interpret the features/processes that are likely to be seen in their area.
ED31A-0582
Teaching Introductory Geology by a Paradigm, Process and Product Approach
Students in introductory geology courses can easily become lost in the minutiae of terms and seemingly random ideas and theories. One way to avoid this and provide a holistic picture of each major subject area in a beginning course is to introduce, at the start of each section, the ruling paradigm, the processes, and resultant products. By use of these three Ps: paradigm, processes, and products, students have a reasonably complete picture of the subject area. If they knew nothing more than this simple construct, they would have an excellent perspective of the subject area. This provides a jumping off point for the instructor to develop the details. The three Ps can make course construction much more straightforward and complete. Students benefit since they have a clearer idea of what the subject is about and its importance. Retention may be improved and carryover to advanced courses may be aided. For faculty, the use of these three P's makes organizing a course more straightforward. Additionally, the instructor benefits include: 1. The main points are clearly stated, thus avoiding the problem of not covering the essential concepts. 2. The course topics hold together, pedagogically. There is significant opportunity for continuity of thought. 3. An outline is developed that is easily analyzed for holes or omissions. 4. A course emerges with a balance of topics, permitting appropriate time to be devoted to significant subject matter. 5. If a course is shared between faculty or passes from one faculty to another by semester or quarter, there is greater assurance that topics and concepts everyone agrees on can be adequately covered. 6. There is less guesswork involved in planning a course. New faculty have an approach that will make sense and allow them to feel less awash and more focused. In summary, taking time to construct a course utilizing the important paradigms, processes, and products can provide significant benefits to the instructor and the student. Material can be presented in a more coherent manner and allow students the opportunity to grasp essential concepts from the very beginning. There are fewer potential surprises and greater likelihood that key ideas can be retained, as opposed to retaining isolated fragments of information. Illustrations from over a decade of use in an introductory Physical and Historical Geology course will be presented.
ED31A-0583
Introductory Geology From the Liberal Arts Approach: A Geology-Sociology Linked Course
Geology can be a hard sell to college students, especially to college students attending small, liberal arts institutions in localities that lack exaggerated topography. At these schools, Geology departments that wish to grow must work diligently to attract students to the major; professors must be able to convince a wider audience of students that geology is relevant to their everyday lives. Toward this end, a Physical Geology course was linked with an introductory Sociology course through the common theme of Consumption. The same students took the two courses in sequence, beginning with the Sociology course and ending with Physical Geology; thus, students began by discussing the role of consumption in society and ended by learning about the geological processes and implications of consumption. Students were able to ascertain the importance of geology in their daily lives by connecting Earth processes to specific products they consume, such as cell phones and bottled water. Students were also able to see the connection between seemingly disparate fields of study, which is a major goal of the liberal arts. As a theme, Consumption worked well to grab the attention of students interested in diverse issues, such as environmental science or social justice. A one-hour lecture illustrating the link between sociology and geology was developed for presentation to incoming freshmen and their parents to advertise the course. Initial response has been positive, showing an increase in awareness of geological processes among students with a wide range of interests.
ED31A-0584
Teaching Sustainability from a Scientific Standpoint at the Introductory Level
In recent decades, humankind has recognized that current levels of resource utilization are seriously
impacting our planet's life support systems and threatening the ability of future generations to provide for
themselves. The concept of sustainability has been promoted by a variety of national and international
organizations as a method to devise ways to adjust humanity's habits and consumption to levels that can be
maintained over the long term, i.e. sustained. Courses on sustainability are being offered at many
universities and colleges, but most are taught outside of science departments; they are often designed
around policy concerns or focus primarily on environmental impacts while neglecting the science of
sustainability. Because the three foundations necessary to implement sustainability are sustainability
governance, sustainability accounting, and sustainability science, it is imperative that science departments
play an active role in preparing citizens and professionals for dealing with sustainability issues. The
geosciences are one of the scientific disciplines that offer a logical foundation from which to teach
sustainability science. Geoscientists can also offer a unique and relevant geologic perspective on
sustainability issues.
The authors have developed an introductory, interdisciplinary course entitled 'Global Sustainability:
Managing Earth's Resources' that integrates scientific disciplines in the examination of real world
sustainability issues. In-depth understanding of physical, Earth and biological science principles are
necessary for students to identify the limits and constraints imposed on important issues facing modern
society, e.g. water, energy, population growth, etc. This course exposes students to all the scientific
principles that apply directly to sustainability. The subject allows the instructors to present open-ended,
multifaceted and complex problems relevant to today's industrialized and globalized world, and it encourages
students to think critically about global, national, and local issues.
The course utilizes a lecture/lab format; lecture concentrates on the content of sustainability and lab offers
students an opportunity to apply what they have learned to actual case studies (context). Students follow a
variety of Earth resources from formation to extraction to processing to production to disposal/recycling. At
each stage, students examine the relevant science, economics, policies, and environmental impact.
Sustainability issues clearly demonstrate the relevance of scientific content and quantitative reasoning to
real-world problems of energy, pollution, water, and climate change, and they also provide meaning and
context to critical thinking and problem-solving. The integrated and interdisciplinary approach builds bridges
between the natural and social sciences and benefits both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) and non-STEM students. Non-STEM students learn through practice and application how
science, engineering and technology are fundamental to solving many of the problems societies face, and
STEM students discover that those fields cannot operate independently from issues of culture, economics,
and politics. By having STEM and non-STEM students work in groups on global sustainability problems, the
course helps to lower the barriers between the disciplines and promotes comprehensive and multifaceted
examination of societal issues at many levels.
http://www.gg.uwyo.edu/geol1600/index.asp
ED31A-0585
Using the Geoscience Literacy Frameworks and Educational Technologies to Promote Science Literacy in Non-science Major Undergraduates
In recent years several geoscience communities have been developing ocean, climate, atmosphere and earth science literacy frameworks as enhancements to the National Science Education Standards content standards. Like the older content standards these new geoscience literacy frameworks have focused on K-12 education although they are also intended for informal education and general public audiences. These geoscience literacy frameworks potentially provide a more integrated and less abstract approach to science literacy that may be more suitable for non-science major students that are not pursuing careers in science research or education. They provide a natural link to contemporary environmental issues - e.g., climate change, resource depletion, species and habitat loss, natural hazards, pollution, development of renewable energy, material recycling. The College of Exploration is an education research non-profit that has provided process and technical support for the development of most of these geoscience literacy frameworks. It has a unique perspective on their development. In the last ten years it has also gained considerable national and international expertise in facilitating web-based workshops that support in-depth conversations among educators and working scientists/researchers on important science topics. These workshops have been of enormous value to educators working in K-12, 4-year institutions and community colleges. How can these geoscience literacy frameworks promote more collaborative inquiry-based learning that enhances the appreciation of scientific thinking by non-majors? How can web- and mobile-based education technologies transform the undergraduate non-major survey course into a place where learners begin their passion for science literacy rather than end it? How do we assess science literacy in students and citizens?
ED31A-0586
Development of an Introductory Oceanography Concept Inventory Survey
Concept inventories are one type of assessment that can be used to evaluate whether a student has an accurate and working knowledge of a specific set of concepts. Although such assessment tools have been developed in astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, fluid mechanics, geology, and physics, none has been available. Our development of an Introductory Oceanography Concept Inventory Survey (IO-CIS) serves to fill this gap. Much of the development of the IO-CIS utilized students enrolled in the Spring 2008 Introduction to Oceanography course taught at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The first step in the development of IO-CIS involved the identification and selection of the critical concepts to be addressed in the course and the survey. Next, learning goals were defined for each critical concept. These learning goals then provided the basis for framing open-ended questions that were administered to students in pre-module in-class Concept Inventory Exercises (CIEs). These open-ended questions each underwent validation and revision with expert and novice input prior to being administered in a CIE. Each CIE comprised 4-5 open-ended questions, which each contained 1-4 parts. During the semester, 4 different CIEs were administered, with the number of respondents for each CIE ranging from 57-134. Student responses were then binned according to misconceptions and alternate conceptions, tallied, and "distractors" were written based on the most popular bins using the same language employed by students in their responses. Student responses were also used as part of the validation process to ensure that the questions were interpreted by students in the manner intended. Student responses were also used as a basis to discard particular questions from inclusion in the overall IO-CIS. After the initial IO-CIS questions and distractors had been designed as described above, 23 one-on-one student interviews were conducted as part of the validation process. As a result of the approach employed, a wide variety of student misconceptions and alternate conceptions regarding critical concepts in this Introduction to Oceanography course were revealed and implemented in the design of the IO-CIS. The IO-CIS can now be administered as a pre- and post-instruction survey as a means of assessing students' learning gains in the course for which it was designed. Additionally, there exists potential to further develop the IO-CIS as an assessment tool that may be implemented more broadly in oceanography courses at other institutions.
ED31A-0587
Integrating writing into an introductory environmental science curriculum: Perspectives from biology and physics
In the University of Washington, Tacoma's Environmental Science program, we are implementing a curriculum-wide, scaffolded strategy to teach scientific writing. Writing in an introductory science course is a powerful means to make students feel part of the scientific community, an important goal in our environmental science curriculum. Writing is already an important component of the UW Tacoma environmental science program at the upper levels: our approach is designed to prepare students for the writing-intensive junior- and senior-level seminars. The approach is currently being tested in introductory biology and physics before it is incorporated in the rest of the introductory environmental science curriculum. The centerpiece of our approach is a set of research and writing assignments woven throughout the biology and physics course sequences. The assignments progress in their degree of complexity and freedom through the sequence of introductory science courses. Each assignment is supported by a number of worksheets and short written exercises designed to teach writing and critical thought skills. The worksheets are focused on skills identified both by research in science writing and the instructors' experience with student writing. Students see the assignments as a way to personalize their understanding of basic science concepts, and to think critically about ideas that interest them. We find that these assignments provide a good way to assess student comprehension of some of the more difficult ideas in the basic sciences, as well as a means to engage students with the challenging concepts of introductory science courses. Our experience designing these courses can inform efforts to integrate writing throughout a geoscience or environmental science curriculum, as opposed to on a course-by-course basis.
ED31A-0588
Combining Concept Maps with Quantitative Data and Writing Assignments to Foster Student Engagement
Introductory geoscience is in a unique position to provide students with readily available data, problems that require careful analysis, and issues affecting their communities. Teaching introductory geoscience allows the instructors to package the developing of skills (quantitative numeracy, critical thinking, presenting) with the learning of new concepts. We have introduced in a large distribution course several assignments which combine concept maps with the analysis of quantitative data and short writing requirements. The aim of such assignments is to allow students to gain insight into scientific thinking, to challenge their pre-existing conceptions, and to achieve a deeper understanding of topics. It also provides us with the opportunity to experiment with novel assessment tools. In some cases, we have attempted to proof the effectiveness of such assessments. For example, a preliminary comparison of student performance on final exams indicates a correlation between marks gained on a concept map and those achieved on a short essay. This correlation implies that concept maps can be valid assessment tools. Other assignments, for example the creation of podcasts by small groups of students, provide for anecdotal evidence that students learn new concepts better because they need to reflect on them more carefully in order to present the assigned material.
ED31A-0589
Impact of Interactive Energy-Balance Modeling on Student Learning in a Core-Curriculum Earth Science Course
An interactive instructional module has been developed to study energy balance at the earth's surface. The
module uses a graphical interface to model each of the major energy components involved in the partitioning
of energy at this surface: net radiation, sensible and latent heat fluxes, ground heat flux, heat storage,
anthropogenic heat, and advective heat transport. The graphical interface consists of an energy-balance
diagram composed of sky elements, a line or box representing the air or sea surface, and arrows which
indicate magnitude and direction of each of the energy fluxes.
In April 2005 an energy-balance project and laboratory assignment were developed for a core-curriculum
earth science course at Clark Atlanta University. The energy-balance project analyzes surface weather data
from an assigned station of the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (AEMN). The first part
of the project requires the student to print two observations of the "Current Conditions" web page for the
assigned station: one between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m., and the other between the hours of 3:00-
5:00 p.m. A satellite image of the southeastern United States must accompany each of these printouts. The
second part of the project can be completed only after the student has modeled the 4 environmental
scenarios taught in the energy-balance laboratory assignment. The student uses the energy-balance model
to determine the energy-flux components for each of the printed weather conditions at the assigned station.
On successful completion of the project, the student has become familiar with: (1) how weather observations
can be used to constrain parameters in a microclimate model, (2) one common type of error in measurement
made by weather sensors, (3) some of the uses and limitations of environmental models, and (4)
fundamentals of the distribution of energy at the earth's surface. The project and laboratory assignment tie
together many of the earth science concepts taught in the course: geology (soils), oceanography (surface
mixed layer), and atmospheric science (meteorology of the lowest part of the atmosphere).
Details of the project and its impact on student assessment tests and surveys will be presented.
http://www.griffin.uga.edu/aemn/
ED31A-0590
Use of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program to Enhance Quantitative Learning in a Core-Curriculum Earth Science Course
Major earthquakes, such as the Magnitude 8.1 Kuril Islands Earthquake of 13 January 2007, have been
assigned as a project in a core-curriculum earth science course to teach students how scientists of the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) analyze earthquakes. The students use relations found at the USGS Earthquake
Hazards Program page to calculate the different earthquake magnitude types used by USGS scientists. They
also use the seismic record sections for their assigned earthquake to locate the earthquake epicenter on a
map. They apply their knowledge of earth structure and dynamics to understand how and why the
earthquake happened. If the earthquake produced a tsunami, the students calculate its wave properties and
speed. Students who complete the project become familiar with basic earthquake magnitude calculations,
seismic hazard estimates, tsunami wave analysis, and the plate interactions that caused the earthquake. The
purpose of the project is to develop confidence in students that they can do the same type of science that
geoscientists do.
Details of the project design and its impact on student assessment tests and surveys will be presented.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/
ED31A-0591
Team-Based Learning and Open-Book Quizzes: Determining What Works in an Introductory Geoscience Course
Concepts in Geology (EES 345) is an inquiry-based ten-week geoscience course for pre-service elementary and middle-school teachers at Wright State University. For most of them, this is the first and last geoscience class that they take. Required readings are an important part of the class because of the amount of vocabulary and number of concepts that students need to master. It is not possible to spend much class time on lectures that cover the same material, as students are expected to be doing hands-on activities, presentations, discussions, and laboratory exercises applying the material learned from reading. As the instructor, I administer frequent quizzes to encourage students to do the reading and to take notes. The quizzes are 10 multiple-choice questions each and the students are allowed to use a single page of notes. After they complete their quizzes individually, the students gather in groups of three or four and work on the same questions, but are allowed to discuss their answers. This motivates students further to be scrupulous about reading, enables them to help each other overcome mistakes, and helps them work out difficult problems that overwhelmed individuals in the group. The average group scores on in-class, closed- book quizzes are almost always higher than highest average individual score (more than 5% on the average), so even the best-prepared person in the group is managing to learn something from his or her peers. After the all the scores are recorded, I tally the number of correct group and individual answers to each question. If one or more groups gets a question wrong, it's clearly a hard question and worth going over during class time. If more than half of the groups get a question wrong, it is not scored as part of the total. When I used a new text last spring, students found the quizzes overwhelmingly hard. So I let students take the individual quizzes home to answer directly from the book and continued to give group quizzes in class. Students no longer brought notes to the group quizzes. In some groups, all individuals gave identical wrong answers to the same questions (and repeated that answer on the group quiz) indicating probable cooperation on the individual quizzes. The average group scores were no longer significantly higher than the average individual scores, indicating less learning, and the groups still had trouble answering questions involving problem-solving or synthesis or comparison of ideas.
ED31A-0592
Watershed Watch: The Importance of Mentors in Student-driven Full Inquiry Undergraduate Research Projects as the Foundation for an Introductory Course in Biogeoscience
Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year
colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed
Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or
noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). A significant
component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer course, in which undeclared freshmen research
various aspects of a local watershed. Students develop their own research questions and study design,
collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific or an oral poster presentation. The course objectives,
curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs
seeking to develop inquiry-rich courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data
from self-reported student feedback indicated the most important factors explaining high-levels of student
motivation and research excellence in the course are 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic
faculty mentors; and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of teamwork and coordination.
http://nia.ecsu.edu/ww/ww.html
ED31A-0593
Using NASA's Giovanni Web Portal to Access and Visualize Satellite-Based Earth Science Data in the Classroom
One of the biggest obstacles for the average Earth science student today is locating and obtaining satellite- based remote sensing datasets in a format that is accessible and optimal for their data analysis needs. At the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES-DISC) alone, on the order of hundreds of Terabytes of data are available for distribution to scientists, students and the general public. The single biggest and time-consuming hurdle for most students when they begin their study of the various datasets is how to slog through this mountain of data to arrive at a properly sub-setted and manageable dataset to answer their science question(s). The GES DISC provides a number of tools for data access and visualization, including the Google-like Mirador search engine and the powerful GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) web interface. Giovanni provides a simple way to visualize, analyze and access vast amounts of satellite-based Earth science data. Giovanni's features and practical examples of its use will be demonstrated, with an emphasis on how satellite remote sensing can help students understand recent events in the atmosphere and biosphere. Giovanni is actually a series of sixteen similar web-based data interfaces, each of which covers a single satellite dataset (such as TRMM, TOMS, OMI, AIRS, MLS, HALOE, etc.) or a group of related datasets (such as MODIS and MISR for aerosols, SeaWIFS and MODIS for ocean color, and the suite of A-Train observations co-located along the CloudSat orbital path). Recently, ground-based datasets have been included in Giovanni, including the Northern Eurasian Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), and EPA fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for air quality. Model data such as the Goddard GOCART model and MERRA meteorological reanalyses (in process) are being increasingly incorporated into Giovanni to facilitate model- data intercomparison. A full suite of data analysis and visualization tools is also available within Giovanni. The GES DISC is currently developing a systematic series of training modules for Earth science satellite data, associated with our development of additional datasets and data visualization tools for Giovanni. Training sessions will include an overview of the Earth science datasets archived at Goddard, an overview of terms and techniques associated with satellite remote sensing, dataset-specific issues, an overview of Giovanni functionality, and a series of examples of how data can be readily accessed and visualized.
ED31A-0594
The Citizens And Remote Sensing Observational Network (CARSON) Guide: Merging NASA Remote-Sensing Data with Local Environmental Awareness
"Citizen science" generally refers to observational research and data collection conducted by non- professionals, commonly as volunteers. In the environmental science field, citizen scientists may be involved with local and regional issues such as bird and wildlife populations, weather, urban sprawl, natural hazards, wetlands, lakes and rivers, estuaries, and a spectrum of public health concerns. Some citizen scientists may be primarily motivated by the intellectual challenge of scientific observations. Citizen scientists may now examine and utilize remote-sensing data related to their particular topics of interest with the easy-to-use NASA Web-based tools Giovanni and NEO, which allow exploration and investigation of a wide variety of Earth remote-sensing data sets. The CARSON (Citizens And Remote Sensing Observational Network) Guide will be an online resource consisting of chapters each demonstrating how to utilize Giovanni and NEO to access and analyze specific remote-sensing data. Integrated in each chapter will be descriptions of methods that citizen scientists can employ to collect, monitor, analyze, and share data related to the chapter topic which pertain to environmental and ecological conditions in their local region. A workshop held in August 2008 initiated the development of prototype chapters on water quality, air quality, and precipitation. These will be the initial chapters in the first release of the CARSON Guide, which will be used in a pilot project at the Maryland Science Center in spring 2009. The goal of the CARSON Guide is to augment and enhance citizen scientist environmental research with NASA satellite data by creating a participatory network consisting of motivated individuals, environmental groups and organizations, and science-focused institutions such as museums and nature centers. Members of the network could potentially interact with government programs, academic research projects, and not-for-profit organizations focused on environmental issues.
ED31A-0595
Age Determination for Deep-Sea Cores: Inquiry-based Learning with Authentic Scientific Ocean Drilling Data
Marine sediment cores are some of our best archives of past climate change. Imagine that you have access to deep-sea core material from a region of interest. After describing the cores, what next? What would you like to know? Determining the relative age of the sediments provides historical context for the changes observed or measured in the cores. Age also provides a means of correlation to other regions, and it provides temporal calibration for rates of processes, such as sediment accumulation. Establishing an age model for deep-sea cores is a first-order priority in ocean-climate research. We have developed a suite of inquiry-based modules specifically designed for undergraduate geoscience classes that incrementally demonstrate to students how age can be established for marine sediment records using authentic scientific ocean drilling data. Two four-part modules cover the topics of biostratigraphy, and paleomagnetism and magnetostratigraphy. There are other tangible topics investigated in these modules including ecology, evolution, and biogeography, as well as seafloor spreading and the development of the Geomagnetic Polarity Timescale. Both units complement companion modules built by our team on the nature and distribution of marine sediments and stable isotopes as tools in paleoclimate research, as well as specific records of Cenozoic ocean-climate change from Antarctica, the deep-sea, and Arctic. All modules are designed so students explore the process of science by making observations and interpretations, plotting and analyzing data, posing hypotheses and investigating ways to test their hypotheses. The modules can be used as a series of short exercises in both small and large lecture settings, or they can be used as a comprehensive package for laboratory sections. Instructors can use parts of a module in class and assign other parts as homework assignments. While the biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy modules provide valuable lessons on how scientists establish the age control for our proxy records of global change, they also provide broader connections to the process of science and discovery, both past and present.
ED31A-0596
Constructing Knowledge of Marine Sediments in Introductory Geology and Oceanography Courses Using DSDP, ODP, and IODP Data
Lithologic data from 40 DSDP, ODP, and IODP scientific ocean drilling cores from the Pacific and North Atlantic oceans are the basis for an inquiry-based classroom exercise module for college introductory geology and oceanography courses. Part 1 of this exercise module is designed as an initial inquiry aimed at drawing out student beliefs and prior knowledge. In Parts 2-3 students observe and describe the physical characteristics of sediment cores using digital core photos, and determine the sediment composition using smear slide data and a decision tree. In Part 4 students combine their individual site data to construct a map showing the distribution of the primary marine sediment types of the Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, and develop hypotheses to explain the distribution of the sediment types shown on their map. The transportable skills of observation, forming questions, plotting data, interpreting data, and scientific synthesis are embedded in this module, benefitting non-majors as well as majors. The exercise module was tested in the 2008 School of Rock program and the 2008 Urbino Summer School for Paleoceanography, and is currently being tested in undergraduate courses at James Madison University, North Hennipen Community College, St. Cloud State University and University of Massachusetts, Amherst in classes that range in size from 16 students to >150 students. The student worksheets, instructor guide, and preliminary evaluation data will be presented.
ED31A-0597
AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies: Dynamic, College-Level Geoscience Courses Emphasizing Current Earth System Data
AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies are introductory college-level courses developed by the
American Meteorological Society, with NSF and NOAA support, for local offering at undergraduate institutions
nationwide. The courses place students in a dynamic and highly motivational educational environment where
they investigate the atmosphere and world ocean using real-world and real-time environmental data. Over
360 colleges throughout the United States have offered these courses in course environments ranging from
traditional lecture/laboratory to completely online. AMS Diversity Projects aim to increase undergraduate
student access to the geosciences through implementation of the courses at minority-serving institutions and
training programs for MSI faculty.
The AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies course packages consist of a hard-cover, 15-chapter
textbook, Investigations Manual with 30 lab-style activities, and course website containing weekly current
weather and ocean investigations. Course instructors receive access to a faculty website and CD containing
answer keys and course management system-compatible files, which allow full integration to a
college's e-learning environment.
The unique aspect of the courses is the focus on current Earth system data through weekly Current Weather
Studies and Current Ocean Studies investigations written in real time and posted to the course website, as
well as weekly news files and a daily weather summary for AMS Weather Studies. Students therefore study
meteorology or oceanography as it happens, which creates a dynamic learning environment where student
relate their experiences and observations to the course, and actively discuss the science with their instructor
and classmates.
With NSF support, AMS has held expenses-paid course implementation workshops for minority-serving
institution faculty planning to offer AMS Weather Studies or AMS Ocean Studies. From May 2002-2007, AMS
conducted week-long weather workshops at NOAA's National Weather Service
Training Center in Kansas City, MO, and plans a workshop in May 2009. From June 2006-2008, similar
oceanography workshops were held at University of Washington and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) facilities in Seattle, WA. Participants implemented the course following the workshop
and were then invited to a follow-up workshop at the AMS Annual Meeting to present their course
experiences and learn more about general diversity initiatives within the atmospheric and oceanic sciences.
As a result of the Diversity Projects, 145 minority-serving institutions have implemented AMS Weather
Studies and 77 have implemented AMS Ocean Studies.
http://www.ametsoc.org/amsedu
ED31A-0598
Ground-Level Ozone Pollution: An Example of A Scientific Data-Rich Laboratory Activity to Enhance Deep Learning
Research tells us the roles of colleges and universities are shifting from institutions that exist to provide instruction to institutions that exist to produce learning. Meaningful engagement where students are actively involved in the learning process has been demonstrated to promote deep learning. This presentation describes a scientific data-rich activity designed for a non-majors introductory environmental science laboratory. The overarching goal is to introduce students to ground-level ozone pollution by incorporating current issues in the local environment. The activity, lasting for two hours, is divided into three sections. In the first section, students use a computer model that simulates formation of ground-level ozone. In the next part, an air pollution model is used to examine the factors that affect ozone formation. In the final segment, students use real-life data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Weather Service to investigate how some of these factors affect ground-level ozone pollution in the locality, Kansas City. This activity promotes meaningful learning because while gaining knowledge of the scientific concepts, students are able to consciously integrate new ideas into existing knowledge. Hence this activity is an example of a successful innovation to help non- majors in an introductory science class link the learning of new concepts to what students already know.
ED31A-0599
Emergent Models for Teaching Geology and Geophysics Using Google Earth
A significant limitation of Google Earth is that, whereas maps draped over the terrain may be made semi- transparent, the terrain itself is always opaque. It is not possible to see into the earth's interior - a region of particular interest to geologists and geophysicists. Furthermore, learning difficulties undoubtedly result for students because internal features of the Earth are not visible to them. At Fall AGU 2007, we showed how blocks of the earth's sub-surface could be made to emerge from the Google Earth terrain model so as to reveal crustal cross sections using either hand-drawn sketches or real data from geoseismic transects. We have refined these models to include surface topography on the tops of blocks and have produced a set of emergent cross sections representing various tectonic settings, including divergent and convergent margins, deep mantle plumes, and paleo-tectonic reconstructions. Comparing our models with typical sketches from textbooks reveals large disparities between cartoon representations of plate tectonics and real geometries from present plate configurations. Key discrepancies include substantial vertical exaggeration in cartoon models and mostly non-orthogonal collisional plate boundaries in the real world. These differences likely hinder understanding and lead to persistent misconceptions for students. With the support of the NSF CCLI program, we plan to recruit a cohort of instructors at 2- and 4-year colleges to participate in workshops in which sub-surface sketchup models will be generated in hands-on demonstrations. Participants will test the effectiveness of emergent models as learning objects in real classroom settings and compare the relative merits of Google Earth illustrations based on spatially-accurate research data versus cartoon representations of geological structures.
ED31A-0600
Illustrating the Geosciences Through Google Earth
Google Earth has emerged as tool through which to engage geoscience students at all levels. At the
University of Alaska we have introduced Google Earth to the student community through a number of
different forums, including, guest lectures in established classes, newly accredited classes, seminars and
workshops, conference sessions and a high school summer camp. One of the common themes through all
these events was the students' excitement at being able to navigate the 3D landscape and interact with
features on it. Google Earth allows animation of geospatial data in a way that, even through the world-wide-
web multimedia applications, has never really been possible. We believe that by creating these exciting
visualizations we can solicit further interest from students to explore subjects in the geosciences.
http://earth.images.alaska.edu/
ED31A-0601
Bringing Hometown Relevance to Introductory Geology Courses
An abundance of on-line data and content is increasingly available, especially for the U.S., and can easily bring a "hometown touch" to geoscience courses. This is particularly valuable at the introductory level where student engagement can be a challenge. Students are naturally drawn to material with which they have a personal connection, and this connection can be exploited to instantly engage students in course content. For example, most students have never really thought about the topography of their hometowns and are fascinated to examine topographic maps that cover the areas in which they grew up. The theory of plate tectonics becomes real as students use high-precision GPS data to show near real-time plate motions of where they live (and GPS is something more and more students are familiar with). At Princeton and other institutions drawing students from a wide geographic area, students get the added benefit of being able to compare and contrast characteristics of each other's hometowns. Applications of hometown perspective include: 1) Hometown map exercises: obtain USGS 1:24000 topographic quadrangle maps of students' hometown areas. These can be inexpensively ordered from a variety of sources or printed from downloaded digital scans. 2) Hometown stream projects: students choose streams of personal interest, download NWIS discharge data and discover typical discharge patterns, examine unusual events such as floods or droughts, perform flood frequency analyses, and see changes over time (e.g. due to development or stream exploitation). 3) Hometown plate motions: students can use several independent methods to track both short-term and long-term average plate motions. They can download high-precision GPS data from stations near their hometowns to get near real-time plate motions. These can be compared to independent long-term averages from various "plate motion calculators" that are based on geologic data. 4) Hometown earthquakes: use USGS or IRIS seismic monitors to look at earthquake patterns in hometown regions. 5) Hometown seismic data: analyze remote earthquakes using seismograph data from stations near students' hometowns. 6) Hometown climate change: examine historic temperature and precipitation records from stations or regions near students' hometowns and analyze changes over time.
ED31A-0602
Illustrating Geology With Customized Video in Introductory Geoscience Courses
For the past several years, I have been creating short videos for use in large-enrollment introductory
physical geology classes. The motivation for this project included 1) lack of appropriate depth in existing
videos, 2) engagement of non-science students, 3) student indifference to traditional textbooks, 4) a desire
to share the visual splendor of geology through virtual field trips, and 5) a desire to meld photography,
animation, narration, and videography in self-contained experiences.
These (HD) videos are information-intensive but short, allowing a focus on relatively narrow topics from
numerous subdisciplines, incorporation into lectures to help create variety while minimally interrupting flow
and holding students' attention, and manageable file sizes. Nearly all involve one or more field locations,
including sites throughout the western and central continental U.S., as well as Hawaii, Italy, New Zealand, and
Scotland.
The limited scope of the project and motivations mentioned preclude a comprehensive treatment of geology.
Instead, videos address geologic processes, locations, features, and interactions with humans. The videos
have been made available via DVD and on-line streaming.
Such a project requires an array of video and audio equipment and software, a broad knowledge of geology,
very good computing power, adequate time, creativity, a substantial travel budget, liability insurance,
elucidation of the separation (or non-separation) between such a project and other responsibilities, and,
preferably but not essentially, the support of one's supervisor or academic unit. Involving students in such
projects entails risks, but involving necessary technical expertise is virtually unavoidable.
In my own courses, some videos are used in class and/or made available on-line as simply another aspect of
the educational experience. Student response has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly when
expectations of students regarding the content of the videos is made clear, and appropriate materials
accompany the videos. Retention of primary concepts presented within videos is at least as high as ordinary
lecture material, and student questions reference the videos more than any other matter. Use of the videos
has created more variety in the course, a better connection to real world geology, and a more palatable
experience for students who increasingly describe themselves as visual learners.
http://www.jfmgeosciences.com/Rockfall.mov
ED31A-0603
Geology in the Movies: Using Hollywood Films as a Teaching Tool in Introductory Geosciences Courses
A common challenge in introductory Geoscience courses is engaging students who often do not have a long- standing interest in science. In recent years Hollywood has produced a number of geoscience-themed films (Dante's Peak, Deep Impact, Day After Tomorrow, Inconvenient Truth), most of which contain kernels of scientific truth as well as gross misrepresentations of scientific reality. In our introductory courses (Geological Disasters: Agents of Chaos and Earth's Climate: Past Present and Future) we have had great success using these films as a way of both engaging students and accomplishing many of our course goals. Even though most of the students in these courses will not become geoscience majors, it is important for them to realize that they can make informed judgments about concepts portrayed in the popular media. We have incorporated short written movie critiques into our suite of introductory course laboratory exercises. Through these movie-critique labs, students have an opportunity to apply their new geoscience expertise to examining the validity of the scientific concepts presented in the film. Along the way, students start to see the relevance of course materials to their everyday lives, think more critically about how science is portrayed by non-scientists, synthesize what they have learned by applying their knowledge to a new problem, and improve their ability to communicate what they have learned. Despite the fact that these movie-critique labs require significantly more out-of-lab effort that our other introductory lab assignments, in our course evaluations many students rate the movie critiques as not only one of the most interesting lab exercises of the semester, but also the lab exercise containing the most educational value.
ED31A-0604
Using Hollywood Movies to Teach Basic Geological Concepts: A Comparison of Student Outcomes
Throughout the history of cinema, events based in Earth Science have been the focus of many an action- disaster plot. From the most recent 2008 remake of Journey to the Center of the Earth, to 1965's Crack in the World, and all the way back to the 1925 silent film rendition of The Lost World, Hollywood's obsession with the geological sciences has been clear. These particular sub-genres of disaster films and science fiction present science that, from a Hollywood viewpoint, looks exciting and seems realistic. However, from a scientific viewpoint, the presentations of science are often shockingly incorrect and unfortunately serve to perpetuate common misconceptions. In 2003, Western Kentucky University began offering an elective non-majors science course, Geology and Cinema, to combat these misconceptions while using the framework of Hollywood films as a tool to appeal and connect to a broad student population. To see if this method is truly working, this study performs a student outcome comparison for basic geologic knowledge and general course perception between several sections of standard, lecture-based Introductory Geology courses and concurrent semester sections of Geology and Cinema. Preliminary results indicate that while performance data is similar between the courses, students have a more positive perception of the Cinema sections.
ED31A-0605
Exploring Radioactive Decay and Geochronology through Hydrostatic Principles
One of the most essential tools to unraveling Earth's history and the processes involved in shaping our planet is an understanding of deep time and the timescales involved in geologic processes. The primary process that allows quantification of this history is radioactive decay of unstable isotopes within earth materials, and as one of the most essential tools in geology, this concept is taught at all levels of geoscience education. The concept of radioactive decay contains nuances that are often lost on students during lectures, and students often express low confidence in their comprehension of the concept. The goal of this laboratory activity is for students to understand radioactive decay including what controls it, how it proceeds and what information it provides, along with developing higher level scientific skills including making observations and predictions, and creating and interpreting quantitative graphical representations of data. The activity employs graduated beakers, shampoo, and stopwatches. Students pour shampoo put into an upper beaker (representing the parent isotope) with a hole in the base and allow it to flow into a lower beaker (representing the daughter isotope). Students measure changes in liquid depth with time, relating this to the amount of decay and its dependence on the amount of parent available (depth of liquid) and the decay constant (area of the hole in the beaker). Several beakers with varying sized holes illustrate variations specific to the different parent isotopes. They then explore graphical representations of their "decay" data, discovering for themselves which kinds of plots yield the equations and constants that control the decay process and the derived quantity of the "half-life", and are therefore the most useful. Making their own measurements, creating graphs, and then calculating these fundamental quantities is both enlightening and empowering. An advanced variation of this experiment involves students predicting the results and/or designing an experiment to address complex decay chains, where the daughter products are radioactive themselves. This permits them to investigate connections between 'activity' and equilibrium and to understand how disequilibrium can develop and be used for dating. In order to evaluate the success of the activity, each student participates in pre and post assessment including stating their confidence in their understanding of the concept.
ED31A-0606
A Long, Long Time Ago: Student Perceptions of Geologic Time Using a 45.6-foot-long Timeline
In this study we investigated preconceptions of geologic time held by students in five large (50-115 students
each) sections of introductory geology and Earth science courses. Students were randomly divided into
groups of eleven individuals, and each group was assigned a separate timeline made from a roll of adding
machine paper. Students were encouraged to work as a group to place the eleven geological or biological
events where they thought they should belong on their timeline based only on their previous knowledge of
geologic time. Geologic events included "Oldest Known Earth Rock" and "The Colorado River Begins to
Form the Grand Canyon" while biological events included such milestones as "First Fish," "Dinosaurs go
Extinct," and "First Modern Humans." Students were asked in an anonymous survey how they decided to
place the events on the timeline in this initial exercise. After the eleven event cards were clipped to the
timeline and marks were made to record the initial location of each event, students returned to the classroom
and were provided with a scale and the correct dates for the events. Each paper timeline was 45.6 ft. long to
represent the 4.56 billion years of Earth history (each one-foot-wide floor tile in the hallways outside the
classroom equals 100 million years). Student then returned to their timelines and moved the event cards to
the correct locations. At the end of the exercise, survey questions and the paper timelines with the markings
of the original position of geologic events were collected and compiled. Analysis of the timeline data based
on previous knowledge revealed that no group of students arranged all of the events in the proper
sequence, although several groups misplaced only two events in relative order. Students consistently placed
events further back in time than their correct locations based on absolute age dates. The survey revealed
that several student groups used one "old" event such as the "First Dinosaurs Appear" or "Oldest Known
Earth Rock" as a marker from which they based relative placement of other events on the timeline. The most
recent events including "First Modern Humans" showed the greatest percentage error of placement.
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/intro/activities/23559.html
ED31A-0607
Modular Curriculum for Hydrologic Advancement (MOCHA)
In-class hydrology education is typically strongly biased towards the instructor's background and overcoming this limitation is burdensome within the time-constraints academia. This problem is particularly true for academics in tenure-track positions when most of the material development must occur. To overcome this challenge and advance a broader perspective of hydrology education, we are in the process of establishing the Modular Curriculum for Hydrologic Advancement (MOCHA). The objective is to create an evolving core curriculum for hydrology education freely available to, developed, and reviewed by the worldwide hydrologic community. We seek to establish an online faculty learning community for hydrology education and a modular core curriculum based on modern pedagogical standards. The goal of this effort is to support hydrology faculty in educating hydrologists that can solve today's and tomorrow's interdisciplinary problems that go far beyond the traditional disciplinary biased hydrology education most of us have experienced.
ED31A-0608
Initial Implementation of the "Earthquake Locator Interactive Demonstration (ELID)" in Introductory Earth Science Courses
We have implemented the Earthquake Locator Interactive Demonstration (ELID) as an addition to
introductory earthquake lab exercises for the purpose of helping students build their intuitive knowledge of
earthquake properties. The earthquake lab exercises used for this project originally incorporated the
common circle method to locate an earthquake's epicenter. Using the circle method, students locate
earthquakes by finding an intersection of three or more radii that represent the distance seismic waves travel
away from an earthquake to a seismic station. With this method, student engagement ceases in two
dimensions (x and y), while the third dimension, depth (z), is explained to the student by the instructor. The
ELID gives students the opportunity to locate the epicenter and hypocenter of an earthquake by using three
freely moving, retractable strings that represent the same radii used in the circle method. The intersection of
these radii is above the surface of the map, indicating a third dimension in the earthquake location exercise
to the student. The distance of this union in space away from the surface of the map gives the depth of the
earthquake's focal point, and the epicenter can be located directly below the union on the map. The ELID is
expected to increase student understanding of earthquake properties, primarily of earthquake focal point
properties. Through an informal assessment based on student participation, we will determine if further
development of this interactive demonstration and associated laboratory exercises is needed.
http://www.medl.ess.ucla.edu
ED31A-0609
Chasing Lightning: Sferics, Tweeks and Whistlers
We all know what lightning looks like during a thunderstorm, but the visible flash we see is only part of the
story. This is because lightning also generates light with other frequencies that we cannot perceive with our
eyes, but which are just as real as visible light. Unlike the visible light from lightning, these other frequencies
can carry the lightning's energy hundreds or thousands of miles across the surface of the Earth in the form of
special signals called "tweeks" and "sferics". Some of these emissions can even travel tens of thousands of
miles out into space before returning to the Earth as "whistlers".
The INSPIRE Project, Inc is a non-profit scientific and educational corporation whose beginning mission was
to bring the excitement of observing these very low frequency (VLF) natural radio waves emissions from
lightning to high school students. Since 1989, INSPIRE has provided specially designed radio receiver kits to
over 2,600 participants around the world to make observations of signals in the VLF frequency range. Many
of these participants are using the VLF data they collect in very creative projects that include fiction, music
and art exhibitions.
During the Fall 2008 semester, the first INSPIRE based university-level course was taught at University of
Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) as part of its First-Year Seminar (FYS) series. The FYS classes are
limited to 20 first-year students per class and are designed to create an active-learning environment that
encourages student participation and discussion that might not otherwise occur in larger first-year classes.
This presentation will cover the experiences gained from using the INSPIRE kits as the basis of a university
course. This will include the lecture material that covers the basic physics of lightning, thunderstorms and the
Earth's atmosphere, as well as the electronics required to understand the basic workings of the VLF kit. It will
also cover the students assembly of the kit in an electronics lab (some soldering required!) and the
subsequent field trips to local sites to listen for the sferics, tweeks and whistlers using the assembled kit,
followed by data analysis and the writing of reports on the observations.
http://theinspireproject.org
ED31A-0610
NASA's Planetary Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research Program (PGGURP): The Value of Undergraduate Geoscience Internships
NASA's Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program began funding PGGURP in 1978, in an effort to help
planetary scientists deal with what was then seen as a flood of Viking Orbiter data. Each subsequent year,
PGGURP has paired 8 – 15 undergraduates with NASA-funded Principal Investigators (PIs) around the
country for approximately 8 weeks during the summer. Unlike other internship programs, the students are
not housed together, but are paired, one-on-one, with a PI at his or her home institution. PGGURP interns
have worked at sites ranging from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Through NASA's Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program, the interns' travel and lodging costs are
covered, as are a cost-of-living stipend.
Approximately 30% of the undergraduate PGGURP participants continue on to graduate school in the
planetary sciences. We consider this to be an enormous success, because the participants are among the
best and brightest undergraduates in the country with a wide range of declared majors (e.g., physics,
chemistry, biology, as well as geology). Furthermore, those students that do continue tend to excel, and
point to the internship as a turning point in their scientific careers.
The NASA PIs who serve as mentors agree that this is a valuable experience for them, too, and many of them
have been hosting interns annually for well over a decade. The PI obtains enthusiastic and intelligent
undergraduate, free of charge, for a summer, while having the opportunity to work closely with today's
students who are the future of planetary science.
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, TX, also sponsors a summer undergraduate internship.
Approximately 12 students are selected to live together in apartments located near the Lunar and Planetary
Institute and the Johnson Space Center. Similar to PGGURP, the LPI interns are carefully selected to work
one-on-one for ~10 weeks during the summer with one of the LPI staff scientists. Many LPI Summer Intern
graduates have forged geoscience or planetary science careers after this rewarding experience.
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~tgregg/pggurp.html