GP-Impact: Improving Geoscience Education Pathways through Engaging Scientific and Career Experiences

GSTDTAP

项目编号	1540719
	GP-Impact: Improving Geoscience Education Pathways through Engaging Scientific and Career Experiences
	Brian Savage
主持机构	University of Rhode Island
项目开始年	2015
	2015-09-15
项目结束日期	2018-08-31
资助机构	US-NSF
项目类别	Standard Grant
项目经费	311994(USD)
国家	美国
语种	英语
英文摘要	The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and the University of Rhode Island (URI) together reach 1500+ students annually through general education and introductory geoscience courses. These institutions train a subset of those students as geoscience majors (~70 URI majors presently) for societally important positions in education, industry, federal agencies, conservation organizations, and more. The American Geosciences Institute 2014 Workforce Report predicts a workforce shortage of 135,000 geoscientists by 2022. This imminent need for well-prepared geoscientists must be answered by the engagement of academic geoscience departments. The intellectual merit of this project is multi-layered. A tractable set of changes is being implemented in Rhode Island public institutions of higher education to yield measurable outcomes, in terms of increases in the number and diversity of geoscience majors. A variety of experiences are being integrated into and scaffolded with the undergradute curriculum that are based on research-identified recommendations and strategies to reduce barriers for becoming and remaining a geoscience major. The relative importance of each factor for increasing student involvement and greater diversity in the geosciences is being evaluated, with specific attention to the case of 2YC-4YC geoscience transfer students. In this way, future activities (in Rhode Island and elsewhere) can focus policies and resources on what will make the largest difference in student decisions to become and remain geoscientists. Overall, this project seeks to promote science and advance national prosperity by strengthening the geoscience workforce, both through direct engagement with students and sharing of successful strategies with other organizations and institutions of higher learning. Recognizing the growing importance of two-year colleges (2YCs) as the starting point for students who earn bachelor's degrees at 4-year institutions (4YCs), CCRI and URI are implementing a number of modifications and new programs that are aimed at increasing the number and diversity of geoscientists in each institution's programs. The goals of this program are to: (1) improve the 2YC/4YC transfer rate in the geosciences in Rhode Island; (2) increase the number and diversity of geoscience graduates; (3) enhance student training in geoscience and STEM-related fields; and, (4) contribute to the evidence base of successful practices in geoscience education. In this collaboration, CCRI and URI are putting in place both on- and off-campus components, including: targeted improvements to the gateway course to the major; systematic enhancements of the undergraduate curriculum in terms of data-rich activities, collaborative learning, and field experiences; streamlining of the transfer path into geosciences; a new research-focused course that is team-taught by CCRI and URI faculty; a workshop engaging students in the process of applying for internships and research opportunities; a series of information-sharing and mentoring events for prospective geoscience majors. A developmental evaluation strategy with formative and summative assessments is being applied to monitor progress in achieving project goals. This project is expected to increase the number and diversity of the pool of geosciences majors and new, practicing geoscientists. For all students, this project will have bettered the undergraduate experience and provided new mentorship and paths to professional success. Changes made to the URI and CCRI curricular programs will endure, and new community building events will foster a more engaged community, with untold positive impacts. In addition, this project will cement fledgling collaborations between 2YC and 4YC Rhode Island faculty in the geosciences, paving the way for multiple future projects. Presentations at regional and national meetings and publications resulting from this work have the potential to transfer findings and enhance experiences in the larger geoscience community.
来源学科分类	Geosciences - Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research
文献类型	项目
条目标识符	http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/68807
专题	环境与发展全球科技态势
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Brian Savage.GP-Impact: Improving Geoscience Education Pathways through Engaging Scientific and Career Experiences.2015.