51 Geoscience Education Research: Methods, Frameworks, and Results from Emerging Scholars

This session will highlight empirical research being done in the field of geoscience education as well as the methods and theoretical frameworks that shape our field. Presenters are encouraged to highlight their decision-making process in research studies. New approaches and applications of established methods/frameworks are also encouraged. Early career and student presenters who submitted abstracts to the Totten session will be considered for the Geoscience Education Division’s Totten Awards.

Sunday, 19 October 2025
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, 301A

Advancing Micropaleontology Education: Study Design and Evaluation of FossilSketch application, Student and Instructor Interfaces

Paper number: 51-6
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 2:55 PM – 3:15 PM

Authors

Abstract

The FossilSketch project has been supported by two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants*  starting in 2019. Our vision was to design the FossilSketch application to teach undergraduate students how to identify microfossils and understand their scientific applications. The first phase of this project focused on the development and testing of the initial version of the application. During this phase, we focused on creating the student interface and conducted a study to assess its impact. We collected control and test group data using surveys on students’ perceptions of learning micropaleontology with and without FossilSketch, as well as pre- and post-classroom assessment data. This initial study emphasized student learning outcomes and experiences using the tool in classroom settings. Testing of FossilSketch demonstrated its effectiveness in teaching students how to identify microfossils and improving their perceptions about learning micropaleontology. The application has been used for outreach activities as well as to teach a range of undergraduate courses, including geology, paleontology, and biology. 

In the second phase of the project, we are developing and evaluating the instructor interface and further improving the existing student interface. This current phase focuses on exploring how FossilSketch supports students’ self-regulated learning, knowledge retention, and interest in STEM career pathways, and how instructors across various courses can adapt the application for their courses’ teaching goals. For this purpose, we are collecting student survey data on motivation, self-regulation, and interest in STEM careers, as well as conceptual pre- and post-tests, and usage data on user activity in the application. Additionally, we are working with instructors to gather feedback on the application's functionality and to assess their interest in adopting it in their teaching practices.

*NSF awards: IUSE Level 1, #1937827, IUSE Level 2, #2337105

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

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-413094

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