T216 Innovative Methods for Broadening Participation in the Geosciences through In-Service Teacher Professional Development

Tuesday, 11 October 2011
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Room 208CD

INVIGORATING HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL EARTH SCIENCE THROUGH INQUIRY AND STUDENT RESEARCH: A FIELD-ORIENTED GEOSCIENCE WORKSHOP FOR SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHERS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA

Paper number: T216-4
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

The Invigorating High School and Middle School Earth Science Through Inquiry and Student Research program was developed for teachers in Clark County, Nevada to promote field-based experiences for secondary-school students. This two-week professional development workshop was held during four consecutive summers from 2007 to 2010. Many of the science teachers involved in this program had no geoscience field experience and limited backgrounds in geoscience classwork. Inquiry-based activities were used during this workshop to both model classroom lessons and teach workshop participants fundamental earth science concepts. Teachers applied their knowledge of earth science during field trips and used podcasts to access additional expert information on field sites both before and during field trips. A variety of field trip sites were included during the two-week workshop to promote teachers thinking creatively about improving student understanding of geoscience concepts, both directly through field trips and indirectly through the use of podcasts and virtual field trips.

Teachers were almost unanimous in their enthusiasm for using inquiry-based teaching techniques and field trips to teach geoscience. Initial response among workshop participants to taking their students on varied geoscience-based field trips was strong, with all of the 2007 participants taking their students on at least one workshop-based field trip. Subsequent workshop participants were not as likely to take students into the field, largely as a result of budget cuts. Data on classroom application of workshop materials by participants indicate that students found workshop materials to be highly motivating and that teachers were able to use some of the class materials to teach interdisciplinary lessons on math and science.

Developing teacher interest throughout the school district in this program proved to be a challenge, resulting in lower than expected enrollment during each of the four years the program was offered. A significantly revised workshop took place during the summer of 2011, incorporating more information on climate change and new podcasting material. The new program also included stronger incentives for teaches to apply workshop materials in their classroom teaching.