USE OF INFORMAL EDUCATION SITES TO FACILITATE PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRATION IN A NATION-WIDE ONLINE PALEONTOLOGY COURSE

Laboratory examination of fossil specimens is typically a fundamental component of university paleontology courses. In online settings, students investigate hands-on specimens from individual fossil kits, but the number of specimens is invariably reduced from a traditional classroom setting. As a result, the limited number of specimens and lack of collaborative identifications make it more difficult to maintain paleoenvironmental context in the course. To circumvent this potential problem, we developed individualized application exercises to provide a richer paleoenvironmental context for our students.

At a research university in the US, Earth Science teachers enrolled in an online paleontology course (N=16) were required to apply content knowledge and integrate paleoenvironmental settings through self-selected local informal education sites. Teachers were required to locate specimens representing a variety of phyla, and discuss the morphological characteristics, geographical ranges, and depositional environments for each species.

The teachers further identified and researched paleoenvironments represented by a minimum of three unique informal exhibits, and then incorporated their research into mini-units of paleoeducational activities they designed for their own middle or secondary students.

In an anonymous electronic survey, approximately 70% of teachers selected the informal site activity as their favorite course assignment. Content analysis of anonymous comments revealed three consistent findings: 1) paleoenvironmental investigation at informal sites integrated the course material; 2) informal site investigation had great value and impact on formal geoscience learning; and 3)teachers perceived that their own students' interest for this type of activity was very high.