GLOBAL EDUCATION OUTREACH FOR DIVERSIFYING THE EARTH SCIENCES (GEODES): ENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH GEOSCIENCE MATERIALS AND INVESTIGATING OHIO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS’ FAMILIARITY WITH THE EARTH SCIENCES

In 2008, a National Science Foundation study found that only 5-7% of geoscience degree holders were from communities who have been historically excluded: Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Native Alaskan (O’Connell & Holmes, 2011). Comparatively, historically excluded minorities earned 16-17% of all STEM degrees. This disparity in representation can often be linked back to a school (K-12) curriculum that does not effectively and/or accurately capture the diversity of opportunity within the geoscience field. In addition, retention of students who identify as women and/or BIPOC can be more challenging in a field that is historically dominated by white males (Jones, 2019).

Global Education Outreach for Diversifying the Earth Sciences (GEODES) was created at Miami University with the ultimate goal of increasing representation throughout earth science-related disciplines. This will be achieved by providing educational resources for high school classrooms, accessible via website. Its design uses evidence-based practices within the context of supporting representation, advocating for inclusion, and promoting equity. To date, resources have initially been classified into fourteen disciplines (paleontology, hydrogeology, sustainability, etc). While centering representation, each discipline highlights general definitions and real world applications.

To start, a high school in Oxford, Ohio will be utilizing the GEODES website in their classroom during the spring 2022 semester. After engaging with the materials, students will respond to content and demographic-oriented questions in addition to prompts which will gauge their interest in the geosciences. Furthermore, Miami’s GEODES chapter will be evaluating how comfortable and prepared science teachers throughout the State of Ohio feel integrating the earth sciences into their classroom and state-level curriculum more broadly.

References

O’Connell, S., & Holmes, M. A. (2011). Obstacles to the recruitment of minorities into the geosciences: A call to action. GSA Today, 21(6), 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1130/G105GW.1

Tyanez C. Jones. (2019). Creating a World for Me: Students of Color Navigating STEM Identity. The Journal of Negro Education, 88(3), 358–378. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.miamioh.edu/10.7709/jnegroeducation.88.3.0358