NAGT Activities at 2008 GSA Annual Meeting

NAGT is pleased to sponsor a variety of symposia and sessions at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America meeting held in Houston, TX, from 5-9 October, 2008. Please submit an abstract and plan to attend the following sessions highlighting key issues of importance to geoscience educators at all levels. You can also come by the NAGT booth (#156) to meet officers and other NAGT members and to learn more about you can be involved in your organization.

Receptions and Events | Pardee Keynote Symposia | Topical Sessions | Organizational Business

Receptions and Events

Geoscience Social Educators' Reception Saturday 4 October, 5:00 - 7:00 pm. George R. Bush, Grand Ballroom
NAGT/GSA Geoscience Education Division Luncheon (Ticketed Event) Sunday 5 October, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Geoscience Education Research Interest Group Gathering Tuesday 7 October, 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Pardee Keynote Symposia Abstract Deadline - June 3, 2008

P5. Perspectives on an Emerging Workforce Crisis in Geology: Assessing a Looming Irony

John Holbrook, Kevin Bohacs

The recent and rapid increase in demand for geologists has yet to foster a comparable surge in enrollment. Industries served by geology are scrambling for available graduates. Academia's response is hampered by competing priorities and limited resources. This session assembles diverse perspectives to assess the existence, intensity, and best response to this perceived "workforce crisis" in geology.

Topical Sessions Abstract Deadline - June 3, 2008

These educational sessions are sponsored in part by NAGT. For a full listing of the educational sessions at the meeting click here or see below.

T11. Global Warming Science: Implications for Geoscientists, Educators, and Policy Makers I
T11. Global Warming Science: Implications for Geoscientists, Educators, and Policy Makers II
GSA Geoscience Education Division; The American Quaternary Association (AMQUA); GSA Geology and Health Division; GSA Geology and Society Division; GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division; National Association of Geoscience Teachers; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
George T. Stone, Andrew M. Buddington

The principal goal of the session is to provide geoscientists and geoscience educators reviews of current hard science on global warming, its current and projected impacts, and policy implications for mitigation and adaptation.

T175. What Should Students be Learning in Our Geology Classrooms?
GSA Geoscience Education Division; National Association of Geoscience Teachers; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Dexter Perkins, Karl Wirth

Should we focus our classes and curricula on essential/threshold concepts or on developing thinking, metacognition, and other skills for lifelong learning? Given overcrowded curricula and professional demands, what approach should we use to achieve the right balance?

T176. The Human Connection with Planet Earth: What is it and Why is it Important?
National Association of Geoscience Teachers; GSA Geoscience Education Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Suzanne M. Smaglik, Edward Nuhfer

Is there a link between our curiosity about how Earth works and our desire to be connected to it? Explore ways for geoscience educators to nurture a deeper understanding of earth materials and processes.

T182. Teaching Petrology and Structural Geology in the 21st Century
T182. Teaching Petrology and Structural Geology in the 21st Century (Posters)
GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division; On the Cutting Edge; Geoscience Education Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Barbara J. Tewksbury, Jeffrey Ryan

This session will showcase innovative and effective classroom, lab, field, and GIS activities for teaching undergraduate petrology and structural geology and for integrating concepts into courses taught in other areas of the undergraduate curriculum.

T185. Teaching with New Tools: Visualizations, Models, Online Data, Games, and More (Posters)
National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Cathryn A. Manduca, Karin B. Kirk, Susan Buhr, R. Mark Leckie

Technology offers new opportunities for teaching geoscience through data access, data visualization and manipulation, and virtual environments. This session will showcase our use of these new tools in geoscience education at all levels.

T187. Research on Geoscience Teaching and Learning in Experiential Environments
National Association of Geoscience Teachers; GSA Geoscience Education Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Eric M. Riggs, Joe T. Elkins

Experiential learning environments (field and laboratory) occupy an important position in geoscience education. This session highlights research advances in data-driven assessment of learning, problem solving, and curriculum design in field, laboratory, immersive or virtual settings.

Show additional sessions in geoscience education

T68. Brittle Deformation and Diagenesis as Coupled Processes
GSA Structural Geology and Tectonics Division; GSA Geophysics Division; GSA Sedimentary Geology Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Stephen Laubach, Peter Eichhubl

Brittle deformation, chemical change, and mass transport are coupled processes in the upper crust. Abstracts are solicited that approach these topics using a combined structural-diagenetic approach, including field and microscale observations and physical and numerical modeling.

T110. Analog Sites and Field Exercises for Training Planetary Field Geologists
GSA Planetary Geology Division; GSA Geoscience Education Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
W. Brent Garry, Jacob E. Bleacher

This session will discuss the geology of analog sites and field exercises that can be used to train today's students and the next generation of planetary field geologists when NASA returns to the Moon.

T172. Outdoor Classrooms for Water Resources Education
Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Susan H. Conrad, Kirsten Menking, John A. Conrad

This session will bring together K–16 educators who use the outdoors as a classroom for examination and monitoring of wells, streams, wetlands and the atmosphere to investigate groundwater, soil, surface water, and meteorological interactions.

T174. Teaching and Learning about Complex Earth Systems: Effective Strategies in Undergraduate Classrooms and Teacher Development Programs
T174. Teaching and Learning about Complex Earth Systems: Effective Strategies in Undergraduate Classrooms and Teacher Development Programs (Posters)
GSA Geoscience Education Division; GSA Geology and Society Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Karen McNeal, Bruce Herbert

This session will explore learning challenges and effective pedagogical techniques that facilitate conceptual change and understanding about complex earth systems including inquiry-, multiple representations-, data-, and technology-based methods.

T177. Disseminating Hands-on Geological Knowledge and Creating a Greater Awareness for the Environment: Emphasis on the Involvement of Undergraduates and K–12 Students (Posters)
GSA Geoscience Education Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Nazrul I. Khandaker, Stanley Schleifer

This session is a continuation of our ongoing efforts toward providing an opportunity for the undergraduates and high school students to present their research outcomes to geoscience professionals and become better acquainted with current geological and environmental issues and practices as well.

T179. Geocognition: Researching Student Learning in the Geosciences
GSA Geoscience Education Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Helen L. King, Julie Libarkin, Alison Stokes

Our comprehension of how students acquire knowledge, skills, and understanding about Earth, and thus progress to becoming expert geoscientists, is limited. This session will present findings from empirical research into how geoscience students learn.

T184. Advances in Using Recent and Emerging Technologies to Facilitate Learning of the Geosciences in the Classroom, Laboratory, and Field
Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Thomas D. Hoisch, Mark Manone

This session presents advances in using recent and emerging technologies, such as pen-based computers, mobile wireless networks, and other technologies to enhance student learning of geosciences in the classroom, laboratory and field.

T192. Professional Society, Organization, Institution, and Federal Agency Achievements Supporting K–12 Teachers and Students
GSA Geoscience Education Division; National Earth Science Teacher Association; GSA Geology and Society Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Michael J. Passow

What works and what doesn't work among efforts by professional societies, organizations, educational institutions, and federal agencies to support K–12 teachers and students.

T198. Libraries in Transformation: Exploring Topics of Changing Practices and New Technologies
Geoscience Information Society
Lisa Johnston

Information retrieval is rapidly changing how scientific discoveries are made. This session will discuss how these changes affect the way in which geoscience information is created, disseminated, organized, accessed, used, and archived.

T206. Geoscience Diversity 2008: Status, Strategies, and Successful Models I
T206. Geoscience Diversity 2008: Status, Strategies, and Successful Models II
GSA Geology and Society Division; GSA Geology and Public Policy Committee; GSA Geoscience Education Division; Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies
Marilyn J. Suiter, Roman Czujko

A diverse workforce is more capable of providing perspectives and experience that guide our appropriate handling of geosocietal issues. What is the status of geoscience diversity? Are there successful strategies? This session will explore and share successful models.

Organizational Business

Executive Committee Meetings: 10/4/08, 8:30am - 9:30am & 10/5/08, 9:00am - 11:00am, GRBrown Conference Center (GRB) Room 352C
Executive Committee, Council, and Section Reps Meeting: 10/4/08, 9:45am - 12:30pm, GRB Room 352C
Executive Committee & Council: 10/4/08, 1:30pm - 4:30pm, GRB Room 352C
Reception: Earth Science Education (GSA, GSA Div. Geo. Ed., NAGT, DLESE, Cutting Edge, IRIS, JOI, EARTHSCOPE), 10/4/08, 5:00pm - 7:00pm, GRB George Bush Grand Ballroom
GSA Presidential Address and Awards, 10/4/08, 7:00pm - 9:00pm, GRB General Assembly Theater Hall A
NAGT/GSA Geo. Ed. Div. Luncheon (ticketed event), 10/5/08, 11:30am - 1:00pm, GRB Room 352C
Past Presidents' Breakfast: 10/6/08, 7:15am - 9:00am, Hilton Americas Room 333
AGI/NAGT Leadership Meeting: 10/7/08, 1:00 - 3:00pm (Tentative), Hilton Americas Room 331
NAGT/USGS Summer Internship Meeting: 10/7/08, 3:00pm - 5:00pm, Hilton Americas Room 230
Geoscience Education Research Interest Group, 10/7/07, 5:00pm - 7:00pm, Hilton Americas Room 329

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