The ENGAGE Workshop: Encouraging Networks between Geoscience and Geoscience Education Nicole LaDue, Northern Illinois University ; Michael Hubenthal, John Taber, Danielle Sumy, IRIS ; Andreas Andersson, Scripps Oceanographic Institution ; Jeremy Bassis, University of Michigan ; Kaatje Kraft, Whatcom Community College ; Peter Lea, Bowdoin College ; Shelley Pressley, Washington State University; Beverly Stambaugh, NSF
Overview Goals Participants Workshop activities Results Recommendations
Workshop Goals Promote cross-disciplinary awareness and relationships among early-career researchers in geoscience and geoscience education. Nurture and prepare future leaders in the geoscience community to advance geoscience research and education. Engage both geoscience and geoscience education communities in the identification of future synergistic research directions Develop and share strategies for Design of more competitive Broader Impacts components of proposals submitted to NSF Geosciences Improved geoscience education related proposals submitted to NSF Education and Human Resources.
Participation 33 early career participants selected from over 100 applicants Selected participants covered a range of geoscience disciplines and academic positions
Prior Knowledge of Education Research
Workshop activities Nature of science icebreaker Common point of entry across fields Small group case study analysis Outreach, educational evaluation, or research Discussion panel: status of geoscience education research Identifying disciplinary learning challenges Discipline specific data visualizations and graphs Conveying the range of spatial scales Bridging lab, field, and modeling Conveying uncertainty Keynote: Interdisciplinary collaboration in geoscience education, Heather Petcovic
Workshop activities Small group thought experiments Gallery walk to solidify research questions and teams Discussion panel: successful collaborative geoscience education projects Developing collaborative projects NSF-led discussion on Broader Impacts Next steps
Connections Made End-of-workshop survey results:
Post workshop intentions Most are likely to continue learning and engagement with Geoscience Education Research in the following year
Some Current Hurdles to Geoscience Education Research Shifting funding opportunities present a challenge for new investigators to build upon pilot work targeted towards a particular solicitation Recognition within departments is needed for researchers to be able to engage in this type of work Perceived value of geoscience education research publications is not equal to publications in other geoscience journals
Workshop Recommendations: Broadening the Impact of Geoscience Education Research A deeper understanding of other DBER fields’ experience Examples of paths forward to increase scope and impact of geoscience education research (GER) Increasing the number of GERs at more institutions, particularly at R1 institutions Opportunities to create research programs to train PhDs in DBER and hybrid programs Dissemination of GER to a broader geoscience audience Find ways to advertise GER as an avenue for developing stronger Broader Impacts
Workshop Recommendations: Resources Needed A new funding mechanism to support both the geoscientist and the GER in joint projects across NSF GEO and EHR An electronic network to provide opportunities for geoscientists to meet or learn about GERs looking for collaborators on research. A geoscience education research primer, including a summary of promising directions for the field, written for geoscience researchers. Future opportunities to meet to continue sharing across discipline boundaries
Summary The ENGAGE workshop fostered cross-disciplinary networking among early career participants It enabled most participants to become better prepared to enter into cross-disciplinary relationships Participants are likely to continue learning and engagement with geoscience education research Participants outlined recommendations to assist development of a geoscience community that values and benefits from integration with the growing community of geoscience education researchers Draft workshop report: