Is there a better model for P&T preparation and evaluation of geoscience education research (GER) in geoscience departments? Kristen St. John James Madison University

Motivation & Context: Personal Experience St. John and Leckie, St. John (pseudonym Jones; 2007),

# articles Year # pages …there appear[s] to have been a noticeable increase in the frequency of research articles within the last 10 years. There is also an increase in both the JGE and the wider literature in research papers on the subject of cognitive issues in teaching and learning. – Pilburn, van der Hoeven Kraft, and Pacheco, (2011), A New Century for Geoscience Education Research. A commissioned study to inform the 2012 DBER Report. Journal of Geoscience Education publication statistics Motivation & Context: Publication Trends Data compiled by Erica Zweifel Change in pub. standards/ types of articles

Geoscience Education Research (GER): Graduate Programs by Institution ProgramMS/PhDCollegeApproximate timeline* Arizona StateMS/PhDScience1990 Mississippi StateMS/PhDScience2007 Michigan StateMS/MACT/PhDScience & Education1979 North Carolina StateMS/PhDScience2005 Northern ColoradoMAScience1990 PurdueMS/PhDEducation1990 Texas A&MMS/PhDScience1992 University of South FloridaMS/PhDScience1971 Western MichiganMAEducation2005 Western WashingtonMSScience2000 University of Northern IowaMS, MAEducation2005 University of WyomingMS/PhDEducation2009 University of NebraskaMS/PhDScience2011 Northern IllinoisMS/PhDEducation2013 *based on approximate hire dates of lead faculty Data compiled by Karen McNeal; primary source: Libarkin, Motivation & Context: Formal DBER Training Opportunities

Motivation & Context: More Geoscience Education Tenure-Track Positions

Motivation & Context: Shared concerns about P&T evaluation by DBER journal editors

Educational Psychology Geoscience Teaching Practice X Source: Lukes et al., JGE, 2015 Real and time-sensitive issue for tenure-track geoscience education researchers in traditional geoscience programs. P&T evaluation of GER faculty is largely conducted by non-GER geoscience faculty and administrators. Motivation & Context: Potential for GER marginalization/isolation in the geosciences. - Lukes et al., 2015; Feig 2013; and DBER report 2012, see esp. Dave Mogk’s summary

P&T and GER Challenges: Appreciating the scope and methods of geoscience education research Feig and Stokes, 2011, GSA Special Paper v Doberneck et al., Beyond Activity, Place, and Partner: How Publicly Engaged Scholarship Varies by Intensity of Activity and Degree of Engagement, Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, v. 4. Publicly Engaged Scholarship

P&T and GER Challenges: Measuring Impact See Julie Libarkin’s Blog on Journal Impact Factors, and references therein: 4/08/16/citations-and-impact-who-says-your-research-is- valuable/ Thomson Reuters Science Citation Index (SCI) selected 2014 Journal Impact Factors The impact factor of an academic journal is a measure reflecting the average number of citations to recent articles published in that journal. Different playing fields can lead to misleading comparisons (e.g., expectation of external citations for DBER fields). Not all journals are indexed in Thomson Reuters (none in geoscience education), thus no SCI-impact factor.

P&T and GER Challenges: Measuring Impact One of the more important goals of DBER is translating research into practice. -DBER report, P&T Deliverable  programmatic reform of teaching/student learning. –Feig, 2013 This is a P&T deliverable that does not have parallels in basic traditional geoscience research. How can this impact be demonstrated? Geoscience education research results Reform of geoscience education teaching and student learning institutional level national level

P&T and GER Recommendations: From the Community Emphasize high quality of DBER [GER] work -DBER report 2012, Mogk’s summary Clarify expectation for DBER [GER] faculty positions -DBER report 2012, Mogk’s summary Targeted marketing to non-GER colleagues – Feig, 2013 Be an active part of a GER community of practice – Lukes et al, 2015 Improve communication & define metrics of GER success

Tenure-track GER Faculty Talk with department colleagues early and often about what you do, how you do it, and why it is important - St. John and Leckie, 2009, – Avoid jargon. – Maintain respect for colleagues. wisdom on geoscience teaching and learning isn’t exclusive to those with geoscience education PhDs. – Find common ground. Geoscience itself. University mission, program goals P&T Committees Make informed decisions on what “counts”. – Go beyond Impact Factors (e.g., download statistics) – How to measure “translation of research into practice”? P&T and GER Recommendations: Additional Suggestions

P&T and GER Recommendations: Evolving the P&T Preparation and Evaluation Model TraditionalBoyer (1990, Scholarship Reconsidered) Teaching Research Service Teaching Research (Discovery) Service (Application) Integration of Knowledge Integration of knowledge  “making connections across disciplines, placing specialties in a larger connect, illuminating data in a revealing way, often to educate non-specialists too.”

P&T and GER Recommendations: Evolving the P&T Preparation and Evaluation Model An Integrated (modified Boyer) Approach Teaching Service (Application) Research (Discovery) Integration of Knowledge Research results should advance the GER field Publications Grant success Apply expert GER knowledge to department ( e.g., curriculum com.) institution (e.g., Center for Teaching) GER community (e.g., NAGT GER Division) Geo community (e.g., Broaden Impacts on geo. grants, lead professional development workshops) Use GER best practices Evidence-based teaching/ model “translating research into practice.”) Impact on student learning In Career Planning In P&T Narrative In P&T Evaluation Criteria Metrics for Success