Developing an Assessment Tool for Geology: Stage One, Student Interviews

Questionnaires and targeted interviews were used to determine the extent of college student conceptual understanding in the geosciences. Specifically, introductory and non-major courses were targeted, with emphasis on three dimensions of Earth processes: Earth's crust, Earth's interior, and Earth through time. A review of the geoscience and education literature revealed only sixteen studies that are relevant to conceptual understanding in these three categories. A number of studies focus on definitions, such as the meaning of the term "fossil". Some researchers also touch upon soil, water, and plate tectonics, and geologic time is the most closely considered concept. This study extends the available research, and reveals a number of preconceptions held by college-aged students. For instance, many students are unable to fully comprehend geologic time, have poor understanding of the causes of geologic events such as earthquakes and volcanoes, and have a non-scientific view of the interior of the Earth.