HOW GEOSCIENCE ENRICHES LIBERAL EDUCATION

One of the perennial questions that educators are faced with is: what do students need to know? Generally, education should provide students with the intellectual skills and practical knowledge to survive in and contribute to the complex twenty-first century world. Geoscience courses can contribute to the development of students' intellectual skills because the subject is a rich source of complex challenges that require careful observation and interpretation. Earth's complex three-dimensional relationships and vast time frame stretch students outside their own personal experience–always an important part of liberal education. In order to live safely and be responsible citizens, students should gain some practical knowledge of the impact of geologic hazards, diminishing earth resources, and environmental degradation. In addition to the practical knowledge and intellectual skills that are gained through geoscience education, it is satisfying because it leads to a greater appreciation of one's surroundings. It is personally enriching to have an appreciation of the beauty and interconnections in Earth's systems, and some understanding of the fascinating story of Earth's history. Challenging students to see and think about the aesthetic value of Earth's systems, and their own connection to those systems, makes geoscience an interesting and personally relevant part of liberal education.