PEER-DRIVEN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS FROM ESPRIT: THE LARGEST GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION “ORGANIZATION” YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF

The ESPRIT listserv (Earth Science Peer Resource for Improved Teaching), provided by the Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at SUNY Oneonta, is a forum for peer-to-peer professional development. Teachers may subscribe via http://external.oneonta.edu/mentor/listserv.html or by e-mailing the listserv manager (James.Ebert@oneonta.edu). Earth Science teachers make up the vast majority of the ESPRIT community. Other members include geoscience and geoscience education faculty, science coordinators, museum educators, and undergraduate Earth Science Education students. With over 2000 subscribers, ESPRIT has more than twice the membership of NESTA, NAGT, and GSA Geoscience Education Division, making ESPRIT the largest “organization” in the nation for K-12 Earth Science teachers. ESPRIT functions as a dynamic, welcoming “community of practice” in which participants commonly address each other as “Earthies.”

ESPRIT is a safe venue where teachers are comfortable asking for help without fear of criticism. Fellow teachers and college faculty provide on-demand professional development by answering questions and sharing expertise. Teachers use ESPRIT to clarify their understanding of geoscience concepts, explore new ways to address content, receive feedback on pedagogical techniques and materials, address student misconceptions, and share techniques for classroom management and differentiating instruction. Websites, current geoscience events, review activities, ideas for use of classroom technology, and techniques to help disabled and ESL students are also shared. Announcements of job openings, conferences, workshops, opportunities for high school students and requests for participants in university research projects are commonly posted. ESPRIT has served as a catalyst for cooperative development of labs by teachers from multiple schools.

Since its inception in 1989, the ESPRIT listserv has been a valued lifeline for first year teachers and teachers that are isolated, such as those that are the only Earth Science teacher or the only science teacher in their district. The digital acquaintances and collegial relationships fostered through ESPRIT provide common ground when Earthies meet face to face at conferences and workshops, thereby further strengthening the community of practice.