STUDENTS HELPING STUDENTS: GEOSCIENCE OUTREACH IN CENTRAL TEXAS

We have expanded the Blinn College Geoscience Outreach Program in an effort to offer human interaction between several geology students and faculty members and the Bryan Independent School District (BISD). This dynamic program includes classroom visits with a collection of rocks, minerals, and fossils intended to address specific Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) objectives as well as to spark interest in geoscience.

With the implementation of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Texas has moved from a fact-based assessment test (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, or TAAS) to a concept-based assessment test. With the change in the style of assessment, K-12 teachers in Texas are discovering that that their classroom exercises are no longer adequately preparing the students for the standardized test. This was demonstrated with the low scores achieved by 5th grade students on the Earth Science component of the 2003 TAKS tests.

The Geology Road Show helps teachers prepare their students for this new type of testing. It is customized to fit the specific needs of each teacher. We leave the teacher with a list of objectives covered during the presentation so that these objectives can be used as a review with the students. The Geology Road Show is a very effective method for creating a hands-on learning environment for students.

We have also initiated a peer-tutoring program in which geology majors provide assistance to students enrolled in Geology classes at Blinn College. The tutoring program provides an opportunity to recruit students as outreach assistants for the outreach program as part of Blinn College’s Service Learning Initiative. We plan to expand this program to include continuing education courses for elementary school teachers in the area to help them improve the Earth Science curriculum in their classrooms.

The most important goal of the program is to get students (both at Blinn College and BISD) excited about geoscience. Many students think of science as a subject in school, not as a topic relevant to their future or a career possibility. By visiting classrooms we cultivate a lifelong interest in the natural world among the general population and perhaps inspire a few future geologists and future teachers.