IMPACTING GEOSCIENCE PERCEPTIONS AND CAREER INTERESTS THROUGH PLACE-BASED EDUCATION IN HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED SCHOOLS

Place-based education (PBE) is a fundamental educational technique that incorporates local issues and concerns into students’ learning. Geosciences are heavily tied to place, connecting naturally to PBE to engage students in geoscience research and learning. Geosciences including geology and environmental science remain underrepresented in public high school settings, a key career decision-making time. Therefore, there are many misconceptions about what a geoscientist is or what a geologist does, leading to diminished representation in college majors and those going into the career fields. This study was designed to expose students in grades 7-12 to geoscience research that is directly relevant to their lives and local issues in their community. A three-session PBE outreach program focusing on urban soil lead contamination was designed and implemented in 6 different schools in NW Ohio involving 13 classroom teachers and engaging over 500 students. This project aimed to increase student knowledge and interest, attitudes, and career interest in geosciences specifically in historically underrepresented populations/ urban schools. This program also identifies and educates about environmental injustices related to lead exposure in older urban centers like Toledo, OH.

The program was evaluated through a 16-question Likert scale pre and post-survey. A paired t-test was utilized to examine the difference between the pre-survey and the post-survey responses. The paired t-test showed statistically significant increases in all 3 survey categories. The survey analysis revealed that participation in the program led to an increase in student knowledge and interest (p < 0.001), an increase in attitude towards geoscience (p < 0.001), and an increase in career interest (p = 0.003). The effect size of each scale was also measured, and it was determined that the greatest effect was on knowledge and interest (0.95), followed by attitudes (0.44), and finally career interests (0.14). While there was not a large increase in career interest, an increase in knowledge and attitude toward geosciences is necessary before we can expect to see an increase in career interest. This program identifies the need for geoscience education, even in limited outreach programs, to positively impact perception, attitudes, and career interests.