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A NSF-funded project exploring barriers and opportunities for improving geoscience instruction at two-year colleges and minority-serving institutions.
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Geo-Needs An NSF funded project to explore barriers and opportunities for enhancing geoscience instruction at two-year colleges and minority-serving institutions This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. DUE-1445227 (Petcovic), DUE-1445228 (Turner & LaDue), DUE-1445182 (Cartwright), and DUE-1445210 (Mogk). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
PROJECT GOALS Our goals: • Identify and clarify barriers and opportunities for better use of existing instructional resources that engage underrepresented students in the geosciences at 2YCs/MSIs • Explore with stakeholders what an “ideal” model of resources, professional development, and ongoing support for faculty and institutions might look like Geo-Needs
PROJECT GOALS What do we mean by “geosciences”? Adopt AGI’s (2014) definition inclusive of • Geoscientist • Subdivided into environmental science, hydrology, oceanography, atmospheric science, geology, geophysics, climate science, geochemistry, and paleontology • Geoscience Engineer • Environmental, exploration, geotechnical, and manager Geo-Needs
PROJECT GOALS Who do we mean by “stakeholders”? • Administrators from 2YCs/MSIs • Instructors from 2YCs/MSIs • Resource providers who create curricula, programs, datasets, etc. that may be used at 2YCs/MSIs • Learning scientists who study diversity in higher education, geoscience education, and broadening participation programs Geo-Needs
INTRODUCTIONS On your sticky notes: • Write 3 words or (short) phrases that describe your institution or organization • Write 3 words or phrases that describe the ways in which you hope to broaden participation in the geosciences • Write a 6-word sentence telling us why you are here Geo-Needs
INTRODUCTIONS Examples: (each on a different stickie) • Happy utopia, rich, supportive • Universal, ease of access, mastery • Learn stuff, and the free food! Geo-Needs
INTRODUCTIONS Continued: • Put your stickies on the appropriate poster • Take a minute to look around – what similarities and differences do we see? • What intrigues you, or what do you want to know more, about the notes? Geo-Needs
INTRODUCTIONS Heather Petcovic Lead PI Western Michigan University Sheldon Turner PI Northern Illinois University Geo-Needs David Mogk PI Montana State University Nicole LaDue PI Northern Illinois University Tina Cartwright PI Marshall University Emily Ward Project Evaluator Rocky Mountain College Andrew Bentley Graduate Assistant Western Michigan University Xai Her Graduate Assistant Northern Illinois University Monica Bruckner Technical Support SERC
Geo-Needs An NSF funded project to explore barriers and opportunities for enhancing geoscience instruction at two-year colleges and minority-serving institutions This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. DUE-1445227 (Petcovic), DUE-1445228 (Turner & LaDue), DUE-1445182 (Cartwright), and DUE-1445210 (Mogk). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
GEOSCIENCE IN 2YCs and MSIs Who are Underrepresented Minorities (URMs)? • African American, Hispanic, and Native American/Alaskan • Might include Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, women, multiracial persons, persons with disabilities, and first-generation college students URMs in the Geosciences (AGI, 2014) • ~30% of Americans • ~9% of the science/engineering workforce (NCES, 2010) • ~7-8% of the geoscience workforce • ~18% of science/engineering bachelors degrees (NCES, 2010) • ~7-8% of geoscience bachelors degrees Geo-Needs
GEOSCIENCE IN 2YCs and MSIs Geosciences at 2YCs (AGI, 2014) • 24% of 2YCs offer a geoscience course or program • 27% of all students who earn a geoscience degree spent at least 1 semester at a 2YC • ~35% of students at 2YCs are URMs • 18% of Associates degrees are awarded to URM students Geosciences at MSIs (our preliminary data) • 469 federally designated MSIs • 2.5% of institutions with geoscience programs are MSIs • ~33% of HSIs have a geoscience department or program • ~5% of TCUs have a geoscience department or program • ~4.5% of HBCUs have a geoscience department or program Geo-Needs
MEETING GOALS Administrators: Identify potential sustainable opportunities for enhancing existing geoscience instruction and establishing new instruction • Identify successful ways to inform students from underrepresented groups about geoscience workforce possibilities and prepare them for career opportunities in the geosciences • Determine how the geosciences can serve the communities in which they are situated • Identify desirable programs to enhance career opportunities in the geosciences • Identify resources needed to establish and sustain a program of study in the geosciences Geo-Needs
MEETING GOALS Instructors: How instructors at 2YCs and MSIs utilize responsive instructional resources, materials, and tools • Identify instructional resources that are currently used and barriers to utilizing innovative resources • Identify support mechanisms and professional development that are needed to help instructors develop courses and curricula • Identify mechanisms to support instructors who teach "out of field" • Identify resources needed to develop new courses of study in the geosciences • Identify mechanisms to sustain new programs, curricula and resources Geo-Needs
MEETING GOALS Resource providers: Identify the current and desired state of interactions between the creators and users of educational material • Determine how resource providers create and disseminate their products, and communicate to potential users • Identify the roles of 2YCs and MSIs in the development of culturally responsive curricula • Identify ways in which curricula and materials can be designed to develop knowledge, soft skills, and habits desired by employers • Identify strategies for continual creation of new education materials to meet the changing needs of the workforce and society • Identify strategies for long-term maintenance of educational resources Geo-Needs
MEETING GOALS Education providers and researchers: Identify opportunities to engage education researchers in addressing enduring questions about the recruitment, retention, education, and workforce preparation of underrepresented students • Determine work needed to better understand the pathways and preparation of 2YC/MSI students • Determine mechanisms for how research on preparation of underrepresented students can inform teaching practices • Address potential barriers to conducting research at 2YCs/MSIs • Identify mechanisms to promote greater quantity and quality of research on the issues presented in the workshop • Explore how research and evaluation activities can inform one another Geo-Needs
MEETING ACTIVITIES Activities in each meeting: • Individual writing and reflection (and brief homework) • Small and whole group activities and discussion • Collaborative authoring - producing documents, diagrams, models, or other products that will appear on the project website and in publications • Provide feedback on papers summarizing the meeting findings Geo-Needs
GOALS FOR PARTICIPANTS We also want to meet your needs • Network with participants to learn about other programs, contexts, and opportunities for geoscience instruction at 2YCs and MSIs • Identify resources that might support your personal situation • Develop an action plan for next steps after this meeting Geo-Needs
PROJECT OUTCOMES Products • White paper summarizing overall findings (on project website) – participant reviewed • Peer-reviewed publications and presentations • Advice to 2YC/MSI faculty and administrators about supporting geoscience instruction for underrepresented students • Collaborations and possible NSF proposals Geo-Needs
LOGISTICS Meeting time: • 8:30 am – 5:00 pm • Please arrive by 8:15 to get settled in Location: • NIU Naperville Conference Center, Room 162 • Across from the hotel • Transportation provided from hotel at 8:10 am Meals: • Breakfast at the hotel (6-8 am) • Lunch and snacks provided • Dinner as a group (alcohol separate) Geo-Needs
LOGISTICS Hotel: • Room is provided • Participants responsible for incidentals Travel reimbursements: • Up to $600 of actual costs incurred (receipts) • Green page in your welcome folder Stipend ($150) • Green page in your welcome folder Medical form: • Seal in envelope (in the morning) Geo-Needs
QUESTIONS Geo-Needs
HOMEWORK Please review your group’s webpage for any short reading assignments and question prompts. Come ready to discuss tomorrow! http://serc.carleton.edu/geoneeds/index.html Geo-Needs
Geo-Needs An NSF funded project to explore barriers and opportunities for enhancing geoscience instruction at two-year colleges and minority-serving institutions. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. DUE-1445227 (Petcovic), DUE-1445228 (Turner & LaDue), DUE-1445182 (Cartwright), and DUE-1445210 (Mogk). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.