1 Teaching Geoscience at 2YC: Working to Engage Students and Broaden Participation

Thursday, 4 May 2023
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
EC 515

ENGAGING NON-MAJORS WITH A STUDENT-DRIVEN APPROACH TO CLASS PROJECTS

Paper number: 1-8
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM

Authors

Abstract

A challenge to any instructor teaching introductory courses dominated by non-science majors is to engage and relate the geosciences to students’ individual experiences and interests. Implementing a student-driven approach to a semester project can help to engage these students and encourage interest in the geosciences. Highlighted here is the development of an open-ended semester project where each student or group chooses their topic and the media they will use to present their project. There are only three restrictions to this: 1) The project must have something to do with the course. 2) The project must be stand-alone (no one need to present it). 3) The project must be informative to the general public. A rubric has also been developed to fit as many projects as possible, but is also open to revision on a project by project basis. This semester project is appropriate for both in-person and online courses. The project has yielded many amazing student submissions including posters, slideshows, videos, songs, artwork, and much more.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 55, No. 3

doi: 10.1130/abs/2023NC-386687

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