REFLECTING ON TWENTY YEARS OF INCLUSIVE GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION (1997-2017)

Over the past twenty years, inclusive geoscience education has been presented through multiple approaches of accommodating students with disabilities in and out of the classroom, and through the perspectives of instructors and students. Literature has provided theory, workshops and field courses provided practical strategies, and presentations have shared the experiences of it all. Research findings over the past two decades have generated community-wide awareness of the need for improved accessibility, and have moved the discipline forward to encourage the participation of students, and faculty, from all ability levels.

Through a number of seminal works over the past twenty years, and through the experiences of both students and instructors, we understand the importance of providing access to field-based learning in geoscience education. However, several factors suggest that traditional approaches to geoscience instruction do not provide equitable opportunity across the broad spectrum of student backgrounds and physical abilities. The continued emphasis on traditional, often physically rigorous, instructional field methods commonly associated with geoscience degree programs continues to marginalize those who do not fit the culturally accepted model of an able-normative geoscience practitioner.

This presentation will share a historical perspective of key outcomes from both research and practice that have promoted inclusive field-based teaching and learning in the geosciences over the past two decades. While specific details of this presentation focus primarily on the inclusion of students with disabilities, broader themes can be applied to the inclusion of any traditionally marginalized group. As the geoscience community strives to attract and retain a more diverse workforce, inclusion must be considered a standard part of instructional development for geoscience learning activities, especially those that take place outside of the classroom setting.