SUPPORTING ACADEMIC SUCCESS, FACILITATING PROFESSIONAL PATHWAYS, AND BROADENING PARTICIPATION OF 2YC STUDENTS IN AN ONLINE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

The focus of the Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education at Two-Year Colleges (SAGE 2YC) project is to support the academic success of all students, broaden participation in the geosciences, and facilitate students’ professional pathways into geoscience careers. As a Northern California Change Agent working on this project I have successfully restructured my online classroom using the strands of the project as a guide. The restructured online environment has provided students with additional tools to help them be successful in college and beyond. Changes include adding “Scientist Spotlights” to each topic in my courses that focus on underrepresented students in the geosciences, sharing metacognitive strategies throughout the term, adding low-stakes, high reward mini-quizzes to help students feel more comfortable with upcoming exam-type questions, and identifying students early who are interested in the Earth Sciences and giving them avenues to research the major, based on their interests. Over the last four years, I have seen a rise in the overall success rates in targeted populations in my courses. Inspired by the SAGE 2YC project I have shared what I have learned with others who are teaching in an online classroom environment by co-leading an “Online Learning” workshop at the 2018 Earth Educators’ Rendezvous in Lawrence, Kansas.