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The Role of Introductory Geoscience Courses

                           in Preparing Teachers—And All Students—

                           For the Future: Are We Making the Grade?






          Anne E. Egger, Geological Sciences and Science Education, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington 98926-7418,
          USA, annegger@geology.cwu.edu


          ABSTRACT                           Fewer than 4000 students a year gradu-  BACKGROUND
            Introductory geoscience courses enroll   ate with undergraduate degrees in geo-  Starting in 2007, communities of sci-
          hundreds of thousands of students a year,   science (Wilson, 2016), however, which   entists developed consensus documents
          most of whom do not major in the geosci-  means that these courses serve a very   that define what every citizen should
          ences. For many, including future K–12   large population of students that major    know about climate science (Climate
          teachers, an introductory course is the   in anything other than the geosciences.   Literacy Network, 2009), atmospheric
          only place they will encounter Earth sci-  Few science majors require their stu-  science (UCAR, 2007), the oceans
          ence at the college level. New standards   dents to take a geoscience course—it is   (Ocean Literacy Network, 2013), and
          for K–12 science education have profound   not common for biology (Cheesman et   Earth science (ESLI, 2010). A few years
          implications for teacher preparation, par-  al., 2007), nor recommended as a cog-  later, work began at the national level to
          ticularly in Earth science. The new stan-  nate for chemistry (ACS-CPT, 2015). In   develop a new set of science standards
          dards call for taking a systems approach,   most cases, therefore, students enroll in   for grades K–12. An early step in that
          highlighting how humans interact with   geoscience courses to fulfill a general   process was the publication of the
          Earth, making use of science and engi-  education requirement (Gilbert et al.,   Framework for K–12 Science Education
          neering practices, and engaging students   2012). Within this audience is a group of   (NRC, 2012b), which articulates three
          in discourse. Analysis of responses to the   students that will become K–12 teachers,   interconnected dimensions: science and
          National Geoscience Faculty Survey    as most traditional teacher preparation   engineering practices, cross-cutting
          (n = 813 in 2004; n = 994 in 2009; n = 972   programs do not include specific science   concepts, and disciplinary core ideas.
          in 2012; and n = 1074 in 2016) and data   content courses as part of their curricula   The disciplinary core ideas in the Earth
          from 152 syllabi suggest that a systems   (NRC, 2010). In the current teaching   and space sciences (Earth’s place in the
          approach is not widespread and human   workforce, 64% of middle school teach-  universe, Earth’s systems, and Earth
          interactions with Earth are not empha-  ers and 42% of high school teachers   and human activity) emerged from the
          sized, and that most instructors engage   assigned to teach Earth science took no   literacy documents, and thus represent
          students in mostly low cognitive-level   geoscience courses beyond introductory   a broad consensus of the scientific
          practices. While the use of discourse   (Banilower et al., 2013). One critical    community (Wysession, 2012). The
          practices has increased over time, these   purpose that introductory geoscience   Framework provided guidance for the
          and other active learning components    courses serve, therefore, is providing   development of the Next Generation
          are not yet widely included in students’   future teachers with their primary college-   Science Standards (NGSS), which
          grades. These results suggest that courses   level Earth-science experience.  consist of a limited number of rigorous
          are not currently well-aligned with   While it is easy to lament the numbers,   learning goals expressed as performance
          teacher needs. However, instructors have   teacher preparation is part of a complex   expectations (PEs) that integrate the
          access to many research-based instruc-  system influenced by state certification,   three dimensions (see Table S1 in the
          tional resources to support them in mak-  district needs and requirements, univer-  GSA Data Repository ) (NGSS Lead
                                                                                                 1
          ing changes that will help all students—  sity degree requirements, and many   States, 2013).
          including future teachers.         other components (NRC, 2010). Within   The vision for K–12 science education
                                             this complex system, disciplinary   in the Framework and NGSS represents
          INTRODUCTION                       departments at institutes of higher    a significant shift conceptually and ped-
            Several hundred thousand students   education often play the role of content    agogically, especially in Earth science.
          enroll annually in introductory geosci-  providers. Given this role, how well do   Conceptually, the NGSS take a systems
          ence courses at institutes of higher    introductory courses in the geosciences   approach, emphasizing the dynamic
          education (Martinez and Baker, 2006).   serve the population of future teachers?  interactions between the atmosphere,


          GSA Today, v. 29, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG393A.1. Copyright 2019, The Geological Society of America. CC-BY-NC.

          1 GSA Data Repository item 2019217, which includes methods, additional survey results, and selected components of the Next Generation Science Standards,
          is online at www.geosociety.org/datarepository/2019.

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