SHOW ME GEOLOGY: INNOVATIVE PARTNERING IN PRE- AND IN-SERVICE TEACHER PREPARATION

From its modest beginnings in 1993 when it was initiated by students in SDSU's Department of Geological Sciences, Show Me Geology (http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~shomegeo/) has grown into a major, innovative science-education program reaching thousands of K-8 students. With funding from NSF, it has evolved into a partnership between the Geological Sciences, the University pre-service teacher education program, and in-service teachers and their students. The program is centered on half-day visits to the SDSU campus where children receive hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences in earth sciences. Prospective K-8 teachers from the Liberal Studies program receive up to 10 hours of required "early field experience" by participating in the program where they work side by side with earth science majors. The program thus serves as a "short course" for Liberal Studies students and improves the quality of their preparation by exposing them to constructivist learning methods in a classroom setting. In-service teachers have also participated in one day professional development workshops. Show Me Geology is a flexible, sustainable partnership that could be widely adapted to other SMET programs in Colleges and Universities.