CONCEPT-SKETCH PORTFOLIOS: ENABLING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF IMPORTANT GEOSCIENCE TOPICS IN A COGNITIVE-RESEARCH-BASED APPROACH

Cognitive and educational research, including by us, has clearly shown that integrating text and figures provides superior learning outcomes by engaging dual-coding cognitive processing. A concept sketch, by design, features a sketch integrated with labels and complete sentences that explain features, processes, and the interrelationships between features and processes. Including complete sentences is critical because this requires verbs and so leads naturally into processes and causes, rather than simple facts. We have used concept sketches in the classroom for more than a decade with great success. More recently, we instigated the use of a concept-sketch portfolio, where we provide students with a list of 15 to 20 key topics, and students construct detailed concept sketches for each topic in a paper- or digital-based portfolio. We recommend students use one page for each sketch topic, and the best concept sketches typically use all or most of a page. We assign three or four of these lists during a semester, enabling students to gain detailed understanding of 60 to 80 key topics in the course. Such portfolios yielded excellent results for in-person courses and for courses taught online, such as during the pandemic. For in-person courses, we recommend students use a gridded 8x10 lab book, such as used in chemistry courses. For online courses, students either construct the sketches with digital drawing programs or sketch them on paper and photograph them for upload. We have used portfolios for introductory geoscience courses, including Physical Geology and Earth Science/Astronomy, and for upper-level courses, such as Structural Geology. We grade the portfolios holistically and quickly, mostly looking for effort, inclusion of key concepts, appropriate detail in sketches and text, omissions, and misconceptions. In some courses, we follow up a portfolio with an exam that includes two topics from the portfolio list, to encourage students to study what they have constructed. In others, we view the act of creating a portfolio as sufficient for learning. We have evidence, both direct and anecdotal, that such portfolios improve overall performance by the class and help motivated individual students get better grades. Most students tell us they really like the approach. Try this. We think you will be thrilled with the results.