91 Current Advances in Geoscience Education Research

This session will highlight empirical research being done in the field of geoscience education. We welcome submissions from geoscience education researchers at all career stages to showcase projects that highlight current areas of interest in the discipline.

Monday, 20 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 301B

In What Order are Geoscience Topics Taught in Introductory Geology Courses? An Investigation of Syllabi

Paper number: 91-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:10 AM – 9:25 AM

Authors

Abstract

Introductory geoscience courses at postsecondary institutions are often taken by majors and non-majors alike. What students learn (and how they learn it) at the introductory level influences how they will approach complex geoscience problems like climate change and natural hazards in the future. The order of curriculum in a course can also impact student degree of understanding, interest and motivation, and future recall. This study used 224 introductory geology syllabi from postsecondary institutions in North America to investigate the order in which geoscience topics are taught. Course calendar topics from each syllabus were coded into one of one of 29 geoscience categories. We then investigated the relative position of each category in the course calendar, as well as their position relative to other categories. Certain categories, like How Science Works, Chemistry, Plate Tectonics, Minerals, and Planetary Geology, were commonly taught near the start of courses. Climate Change, Coastal Geology, Glaciers, and Deserts and Aeolian Processes often occurred at the end of courses. Some pairs of categories were frequently taught in the same sequence, such as Minerals preceding Igneous Rocks and Processes. Multiple category sequence loops we also identified. Using this information, an "average" sequence of course categories is proposed. The dataset compiled for this study holds significant potential for additional research, including analyzing differences in curriculum between institution types or course modalities, over time, and across regions.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-412442

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