EARTHCACHING IN PRESERVICE ELEMENTARY TEACHER EDUCATION (Invited Presentation)

Elementary teacher preparation programs vary in the amount and quality of instruction in science, and consequently many elementary teachers enter their practice with limited exposure to the geosciences, and in particular to field-based learning. This lack of preparation may undermine self-efficacy for teaching the geosciences, leading teachers to shy away from teaching geoscience topics and/or limiting teacher motivation to engage students in authentic learning experiences. This multi-year project is addressing this problem by testing a new model for geoscience instruction in a science content course for elementary education majors. The model integrates principles of field-based experiences and informal, out-of-classroom learning through EarthCaching. Students complete a set of campus-based EarthCaches that connect explicitly to course content while exposing students to new perspectives about their local surroundings. Teaching materials include an introductory module on EarthCaching, guidance for navigating using a handheld GPS device, and seven field-based EarthCaches that engage students in explorations of topography, soil, water and watersheds, and natural resources. The curriculum design process is using iterative cycles of testing in course sections, with revisions informed by data gathered from student artifacts, student responses to open-ended survey questions, and focus groups. Initial testing showed that students encountered challenges with wayfinding, and that a guided EarthCache during a scheduled course session provides an important scaffold for independent, student-directed EarthCaching out of the classroom.

Adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) increases the urgency for finding new and effective approaches for teacher education in the geosciences that will ultimately benefit students across multiple grade levels. The new EarthCaching curriculum materials and course design are a means for future teachers to develop deeper content knowledge in the geosciences, gain an appreciation for field-based learning, and increase their understanding of the NGSS, thus improving their preparation for a teaching career.