The UTIG/HTU Geodiversity Project—Reflections and Future Directions
Abstract
The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG), a unit within the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, and Huston-Tillotson University (HTU), a minority-serving institution located in Austin, collaborated on a "proof of concept" project in 2006 to enhance geoscience education within the minority-serving teacher population. Targeted groups included (1) undergraduate minority pre-service teachers and (2) in-service minority-serving science teachers in Texas. The focus of the pre-service teacher training was a semester-long "Special Topics in the Geosciences" course taught spring 2006 at Huston-Tillotson University, one of several Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas. Learning activities highlighted contemporary topics in the geosciences using inquiry-based learning activities developed previously with NSF funding. Six invited presentations reinforced course content and exposed students to cutting-edge geoscientists and their research. NSF's Directorate for Geosciences funded this effort as a pilot project through its Opportunities to Enhance Diversity in the Geosciences program. Professional development for in-service minority-serving teachers was conducted in the fall of 2006 in partnership with the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching through a series of 3 workshops entitled "The Earth Science Revolution Workshops." These workshops are tied to the Revolution in Earth and Space Science Education, a national initiative to reform Earth science education, with initial emphasis on California, Texas, New York and North Carolina. The Jackson School of Geosciences and the Texas Education Agency contributed resources towards the professional development component. The project was evaluated to assess the quality of instruction, value of materials, approaches for teaching the university course, and model used to deliver professional development. Assessment tools included (1) pre-and post tests of geoscience content knowledge; (2) surveys to evaluate course content, to assess effectiveness of instructors/presenters, to note accomplishment of project goals, and to recommend improvements; and (3) focus group discussions. Here we present our results, reflect upon unique challenges and lessons learned, summarize our accomplishments, and share our plans to fold this pilot project into the Jackson School of Geosciences' larger diversity initiative, GeoForce Texas.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006AGUFMED51A0829E
- Keywords:
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- 0800 EDUCATION;
- 0810 Post-secondary education;
- 0830 Teacher training;
- 0855 Diversity