UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AS A TEACHING PRACTICE: GEOSCIENCES DIVISION OF THE COUNCIL ON UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Undergraduate research is one of the most exciting and effective ways to promote student learning. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate research as inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student under the mentorship of a faculty member that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline is defined as research. The Geoscience Division of CUR (GeoCUR, http://curgeoscience.wordpress.com/) has been active for over 25 years in promoting undergraduate research in the Earth Sciences. The division promotes undergraduate research in many venues such as inquiry-discovery based projects in introductory and Geology majors courses. GeoCUR has developed best practices for independent study and senior theses as well as how best to enhance field research or service learning. GeoCUR also recognizes that faculty need to have guidance in working with undergraduates, and we have held many workshops with that focus. As our educational system has changed, GeoCUR has recognized the need to address the changing role of and emphasis on technology, instrumentation, and assessment of undergraduate research within our field. More two-year colleges are incorporating geoscience-based inquiry and research experiences. GeoCUR has pulled together community knowledge, experience and resources to provide the public with best practices for undergraduate research to be used as a teaching practice, as compiled on the SERC website: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/undergraduate_research/index.html.