Engaging high school students from underrepresented minorities in the geosciences through graduate student-led, challenge-based learning
Abstract
GeoFORCE is an out-of-school time program that aims to increase diversity of geoscience students. The program introduces students from minority-majority high schools in Texas to geosciences through weeklong summer field courses. Although two-thirds of alumni pursue STEM majors, less than 20% enter geosciences. In summer 2018, StemFORCE—an offshoot of GeoFORCE—changed from lecture-based instruction to the STAR Legacy Cycle, in which a challenge drives learning, to increase geoscience engagement. Here, we report on successes and challenges of (1) transitioning to an active learning approach and (2) employing a six-person instructional team that more closely resembles student demographics.
The StemFORCE Austin/Dallas rising 12th grade students (16 total) are 88% Latino, 6% Black and 6% White. Our instructional team comprised two geoscience Ph.D. candidates (one White female, one Black male), an early-career Latino high school teacher, and three undergraduate STEM majors or preservice teachers. The team implemented the Legacy Cycle by: (1) proposing a question for learners to address each day; (2) planning field stations with information relevant to the question; (3) making observations and interpretations supported by data collected at each stop; and (4) replacing lectures with mini workshops to teach field skills. Deliverables included a poster, technical talk, and "lightning talk" geared towards a broad audience. Despite students' initial frustration with the unfamiliar learning style, 25% expressed interest in pursuing geoscience at the end of the trip. Students became active learners by asking questions and making observations and inferences like geoscientists. Deliverables successfully communicated project significance and demonstrated understanding of the scientific process. The teacher and undergraduates reported increased interest in geoscience education and graduate studies and a better understanding of "how science works." The instructors were inspired by and learned from each other, and affirmed their commitment to geoscience education research and professional geoscience careers. We offer our collective experience as an example of the benefit of bringing minorities together at all career levels to foster inclusive work environments that value each individual's experience.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMED12A..04K
- Keywords:
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- 0810 Post-secondary education;
- EDUCATIONDE: 0850 Geoscience education research;
- EDUCATIONDE: 0855 Diversity;
- EDUCATIONDE: 6630 Workforce;
- PUBLIC ISSUES