Graduate Teaching Assistant Experiences in the Implementation of Student Engagement Techniques in Introductory Geoscience Courses
Abstract
Introductory geoscience classes are the one of the first experiences many students have in the geosciences, hence it is important to not only teach new material, but to also engage the students in minds-on learning. Geosciences is a subject area which can be widely enhanced by the utilization of hands-on models and analogous demonstrations such as impact crater formation, mantle convection, and GPS/GNSS positioning in the classroom setting. Here, we explain (1) the implementation of demonstrations and comprehensive techniques in a class titled Hazards: Geosciences in the Cinema, a new course at Virginia Tech and (2) how the Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) refined their teaching methods to suit a variety of learning styles. Beyond the standard lecture and textbook learning style of the class, we implement a mode of study where the students must watch and comprehend the key differences between accurate and inaccurate portrayals of natural disasters and earth processes. We include demonstrations to represent these various processes, which range from modeling seafloor spreading, caldera formation, to natural hazards such as the factors that can speed up wildfire propagation. These styles of engaging teaching are focused on providing information in multiple formats, which, ideally, increases the learning retention rate. From student evaluations, we can better understand the needs of the students and the usefulness of utilizing new techniques in class. These demonstrations and comprehensive techniques allow for the material to reach a broader audience and for students to, ideally, retain information that may be more difficult to understand if presented with traditional lecture style instruction.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMED31B..01S
- Keywords:
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- 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design;
- EDUCATIONDE: 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 6309 Decision making under uncertainty;
- POLICY SCIENCESDE: 6630 Workforce;
- PUBLIC ISSUES