THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEOSCIENCE TEACHERS (NAGT) TRAVELING WORKSHOPS PROGRAM IN SUPPORTING THE SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS

Student success has been at the heart of NAGT’s Traveling Workshop Program (TWP) since its inception in 2010. One of the five workshop themes is “Supporting All Students” and includes sessions on: 1) Why Inclusivity Matters, 2) Implicit Bias, 3) Context Diversity and Multi-Context Theory, 4) Building Sense of Community, and 5) Action Planning to achieve the goals identified during the workshop. Condensed parts of these activities are available in other formats. An elective session on “Supporting All Students” is an option for all workshops. In addition, core sessions for the other workshop themes deal with issues of student success. For example, a core session on Program Design is required for three workshop themes (Building Strong Departments and Programs, Cross-Campus and Interdisciplinary Programs, and Designing Effective and Societally Relevant Courses) and has a clear emphasis on students. Activities and discussions include Know Your Students (e.g., the background, challenges, and aspirations they bring). The “Ideal Student Exercise” asks the faculty to clearly state the disciplinary content, experiences, skills, and values needed for success, while avoiding the “student deficit” model that assumes the students are at fault for not meeting the program’s expectations.

All elements of the TWP were created with the assumption that they would be used in face-to-face workshops. Now (mid-2020), in light of the coronavirus pandemic, a virtual format is needed. We take this moment to make critical revisions in all workshop activities. While we will still offer a suite of customizable options, we will also embed strategies for anti-racism, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout our workshops. These changes will support the transformations needed in the geosciences for truly strong departments and programs. The TWP directly influences policies and practices in programs across the country, and we endeavor to ensure access to experiences and opportunities for students marginalized from the geosciences. As we continue forward, we actively seek and welcome input from those creating and leading needed change.