GHOSTS IN THE GEOSCIENCE SCHOOLYARD: A REEVALUATION OF PEDAGOGY IN THE FIELD

While much is made of the glamor of programming and computational research compared to old school geology, the steep decline in geoscience enrollments between 2019-2023 warrants a more focused analysis.

Investigation of introductory college lab materials reveals, in many cases, items identical to those used for students two decades prior. Along with a number of developments in K-12 education and in the US at-large, this makes the projected demands of the field unviable and indicates a need for greater attention to curriculum development and student retention in geoscience pathways.

Maintaining field camp as a mandatory part of programming within an undergraduate program requires significant investments of time and money in comparison to other fields, making the justification of such expenditures difficult in the face of post-pandemic austerity measures. In addition, issues of equity make mandatory field camp a barrier to entry for many students, particularly those who are balancing employment obligations with their education.

Pedagogically speaking, the case is even less cut and dry. Curricular norms in introductory geoscience classes fail to keep pace with several key developments in K-12 education over the last two decades. This study aims to identify key support needs of college freshman and sophomores at an urban public university in the 2022-2023 school year, juxtaposed with the educational pathways of geologists of prior generations.

Preliminary results of pilot studies with small groups of students will be shared along with hands-on practices for building introductory curriculums for modern students in keeping with modern pedagogical practices: forming connections with students’ prior knowledge, incorporation of cross-disciplinary skills, addressing foundational gaps, and innovating field work on a budget.