WIKIGEO101: A WIKI SITE FOR ENHANCING THE TEACHING OF INTRODUCTORY GEOSCIENCE COURSES

I have created a wiki to collect ideas for enhancing the teaching of introductory geoscience classes (aka “Geology 101” and equivalents) at the college level. A “wiki” is a program, accessed through the Internet, that allows multiple users to edit the contents of a webpage. The collaborative nature of the creative process can result in a useful, comprehensive website that is easily edited, updated, and improved. This site address is www.wikigeo101.nmsu.edu.

Current topics include: tips and analogies for teaching each of the major lecture topics, in-class demonstrations, exam questions, textbook reviews, labs, grading strategies, field trips, how to deal with cheating, how to enhance in-class participation, TA issues, instructor evaluations, avoiding burnout, student motivational techniques, remembering student names, examples of good and bad Powerpoint slides, podcasting experiences, using clickers during lecture, teaching philosophies, and a storehouse for user-submitted photographs that can be used in lectures. Participants in previous GSA Technical Sessions on strategies for teaching introductory geoscience lectures (e.g., GSA 2005 Annual Meeting Session 116) and participants in future geoeducation sessions could post summaries of their talks. The site is intended to be useful to both new assistant professors and grizzled veterans. Both active and casual collaborators are welcome and ideas for new topics will be solicited. Unresolved issues include the necessity for password protection and whether student access to the site should be allowed.