Education Sessions at AGU Fall 2011 Meeting

NAGT is pleased to outline a variety of geoscience education sessions planned for the Fall 2011 AGU Meeting held in San Francisco, CA, from 5-9 December, 2011. Please submit an abstract and plan to attend the following sessions highlighting key issues of importance to geoscience educators at all levels. The deadline for submitting abstracts to the 2011 meeting is August 4, 2011.

Topical Sessions

ED01 Education General Contributions

James Byrne and Stephen Macko

This session provides the opportunity for contributions that fall within the broad spectrum of Education, but are not directly appropriate to any of the other sessions proposed.

ED02 2-year College Collaborations -- Broadening Participation and Enhancing Geoscience Education

Pranoti Asher, Eric Baer, Katryn Wiese

Description: Two-year colleges play an important role in fundamental undergraduate geoscience education -- reaching diverse groups of students with a wide range of interests in the geosciences. Various professional organizations, research groups, and universities have developed partnerships and collaborations that bring together cutting edge science and research with the classrooms, students, and faculty in two-year colleges. Speakers (invited and open submission) will present current models for collaborations and partnerships with associated results and evaluation.

ED03 Art and Literacy Programs for Engagement

S Renfrow and Erin Wood

Description: Traditionally, science has been presented separately from disciplines like literacy, art, and social sciences. Classrooms and the larger community benefit from a cross-disciplinary approach to earth and space science content. Examples include galactic gardening, art and literacy programs, biospheres or dioramas exemplifying planet habitability, and large-scale artwork, performance art, or popular culture used to explain content. These programs reach people without inherent interest in earth and space science, from the student who excels at literacy and art with little interest in science, to the community member lacking a science background. Successful programs engage underserved communities and involve professional scientists/engineers.

ED04 Best Practices in Engaging Scientists in Education and Public Outreach

Lora Bleacher, Sanlyn Buxner, Brooke Hsu, and M Alexandra Matiella Novak

Description: Educational research and first hand experience demonstrates that scientist participation in education and public outreach (EPO) activities increases audience interest and learning about scientific topics. A small portion of scientists engage in EPO activities on a regular basis, which is beneficial for the audience, but tends to be taxing on scientists whom are repeatedly called upon to participate. Taking cues from educational research that highlights scientists' barriers to engaging in EPO activities, many EPO specialists are working to increase the number of scientists who are actively engaged in EPO activities. This session will focus on best practices and lessons learned in engaging scientists in EPO activities.

ED05 BRIGHT STaRS: Bright Students Training as Research Scientists

Pranoti Asher and Jennifer Saltzman

Description: Several programs in the San Francisco Bay Area are aimed at encouraging talented high school-aged students to discover the Earth and Space Sciences through after school and summer programs that provide hands-on research opportunities. Student research topics range from geomorphology to air pollution to paleobiology to shoreline monitoring. This session will highlight recent student research activities associated with such programs including the East Bay Academy for Young Scientists at U.C. Berkeley-Lawrence Hall of Science and the Earth Sciences HS Intern Program at Stanford University. HS students involved in similar programs at other locations are encouraged to contact the conveners to submit their projects.

ED06 Broadening Participation of Native Americans in the Geosciences

Description: This session will explore promising pathways for broadening participation of Native Americans in the Geosciences, including place-based and project-based learning and exploration of traditional knowledge about the earth.

ED07 Citizen Science: Multiple Approaches, Multiple Audiences

Stephen Pompea and Constance Walker

Description: Citizen science programs are gaining popularity and have the potential to benefit participants, extend scientific research, and improve public understanding of how science is done by engaging non-specialists in observations, measurements or classifications that further scientific activity. Programs presented can come from a range of involvement from passive to active. They can focus on how integrated citizen scientists are to the programs' goals. Presenters can discuss whether large numbers of volunteers are required to investigate scientific questions effectively. Presentations can include lessons learned from current citizen science projects in space, environmental, biological and geosciences, and a discussion of future directions.

ED08 Climate Change Education: What Educational Research Reveals About Teaching and Learning About Climate Change

Barry Golden, Doug Lombardi, and Bob Lutz

Description: This session focuses on research-based findings about teaching and learning issues central to global climate change & global warming. Particular attention is given to conceptual change models' applicability to the learning of the scientific basis of GCC. Examples will be shared of instructional techniques that have shown promise in reconstructing students' knowledge to better align with scientific understanding.

ED09 Climate Literacy: Addressing Barriers to Climate Literacy - What Does the Research Tell Us?

Susan Buhr, Anne Gold, Julie Libarkin, and Karen McNeal

Description: It is imperative that we prepare tomorrow's scientists and citizens to address the societal impacts of a changing climate. The manifestations of climate change are becoming more apparent, as is the need for individuals to hold a complex interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of the Earth system. We welcome papers that focus on what education, social and cognitive research can tell us about misconceptions and incorrect mental models that hinder the understanding of the complex climate system. What are common misperceptions of climate change science? How does the public form its opinions about climate change issues? How can this knowledge be used to improve climate literacy for all learners?

ED10 Climate Literacy: Evidence of Progress in Improving Climate Literacy

Susan Buhr, Louise Huffman, Frank Niepold, and Frank Rack

Description: We now have many years of evaluation data from climate change education and outreach programs funded by federal agencies and foundations. What methods of evaluation and assessment have measured impacts and successes? Evaluation efforts within this community of projects provide a rich opportunity to share results for programs that are similar in content and message, but different in learning environments and audiences. In this session we welcome papers that address determining a baseline from which we can measure progress and the evaluation of and assessment in materials, curricula, professional development programs, and informal education programs that identify effectiveness, challenges, and insights into impact.

ED11 Climate Literacy: Higher Education Responding to Climate Change

Antony Berthelote, Stephanie Pfirman, Juliette Rooney-Varga, and Lucinda Shellito

Description: There is a growing need to prepare the scientists and citizens of tomorrow to respond to climate change. In the fields of engineering and science, as well as in businesses and communities, climate change poses complex problems that require interdisciplinary knowledge and collaboration. In this session, we welcome papers that focus on activities in higher education that prepare students to meet these challenges, including those that involve undergraduates, graduates, post-doctoral fellows, and early career programs. We are interested in innovative approaches to reach students across a wide variety of disciplines and perspectives, and that involve both STEM and non-STEM faculty.

ED12 Climate Literacy: Integrating Research and Education, Science & Solutions

Lynne Cherry, Mark McCaffrey, Linda Sohl, and Julienne Stroeve

Description: Scientific information alone is not sufficient to motivate climate change adaptation and mitigation behaviors. Emerging effective practices demonstrate that infusing scientific content with relevant context, values, and solutions can be effective in helping connect society with the complexities and consequences of climate change. What strategies allow scientists, educators and learners to collaborate in order to explore climate change responses? How can studying renewable energy and conservation complement climate science literacy efforts? What models and exemplars demonstrate the integration of climate research and education for diverse learners and learning environments in order to foster civic science literacy?

ED13 Climate Literacy: New Approaches for Tackling Complex and Contentious Issues in Museums, Zoos and Aquariums

Patrick Hamilton, Carrie McDougall, and Mary Miller

Description: Engaging diverse audiences in the scientific realities and urgency of climate change requires new approaches. Informal science education (ISE) venues are on the front lines for educating the public on the impacts and mitigation of climate change. ISE developers are using innovative techniques and partnerships with researchers that go beyond scientific facts to create meaningful interactive visitor experiences. We welcome abstracts from multiple perspectives: climate researchers engaged in public education and ISE partnerships, informal science educators designing visitor experiences, and learning researchers studying public perceptions and understanding of climate change.

ED14 Climate Literacy: Pre-college Activities That Support Climate Science Careers and Climate Conscious Citizens

Louise Huffman, Roberta Johnson, Tamara Ledley, and Margaret Mooney

Description: As the manifestations of climate change become more apparent it is vital that we prepare tomorrow's scientists and citizens to address the resulting societal issues. In this session we welcome papers that focus on pre-college audiences (students & teachers) including materials, activities, curriculum, capstone projects, service learning and professional development programs. Papers that address diverse communities, teaching about emotionally charged issues, exploring how climate change is integrated into science education frameworks and standards, engaging students in pursuing science careers, and engaging students in becoming climate literate citizens are particularly encouraged.

ED15 Climate Literacy: The Role of Belief, Trust and Values in Climate Change Science Education Efforts

Steven Anderson and Becca Hatheway

Description: We propose a session focused on the role of beliefs, trust and values in climate change science education that include strategies for showing the public that scientists share their values, as well as approaches that effectively show that climate science is not threatening to core values. There is ample evidence that scare tactics and negative messages only serve to reinforce that the public must choose between climate science and jobs/economy/religion. We must craft positive arguments and educational materials to reflect that climate science is compatible with core beliefs, and negate efforts of climate science deniers who use effectively use values to sway the public from the consensus view.

ED16 Cognition and Learning in Geoscience Education

Carol Ormand and Timothy Slater

Description: Cognitive science as a discipline stands poised to make a difference in real world applications. This session highlights attempts to understand the ways in which cognitive science theories manifest themselves in the teaching and learning of the geosciences, and the ways in which those theories can be used to improve geosciences education. Theoretical and applied submissions related to cognitive science research (i.e.: cognitive load, spatial reasoning, visualization, affect, social discourse, place-based learning, novice vs. expert problem solving, conceptual change, metacognition) are encouraged, including proposals related to the empirical testing of science curricula that have been modified according to core cognitive science principles.

ED17 Communicating Research and its Impacts: Research Geoscientists

Elena Sparrow and Vincent C H Tong

Description: Research geoscientists are increasingly expected to communicate the activities and outcomes of their research to students and the general public. This research-enhanced outreach/teaching is required and assessed by funding agencies as part of the research grant application process. We invite contributions from research geoscientists' perspectives that discuss the innovations, challenges and solutions in communicating research and its significance. Given the highly interdisciplinary character of geosciences, presentations involving research across disciplines are particularly welcome. Discussion of research impacts of geoscience projects ranging from student work to multinational cooperation is encouraged.

ED18 Community Based Science Outreach Activities

Audrey Dallimore and Cameron Wake

Description: This session will highlight innovative community-based geoscience outreach and engagement activities which are designed to raise the level of geoscience literacy. With geoscience issues like global climate change and seismic events that have cascading international socio-economic and national security impacts, we must embrace the pressing need to increase geoscience literacy in multiple audiences. Participants are encouraged to comment on the challenges encountered and the lessons learned in undertaking geoscience outreach, and on how working scientists may be encouraged and rewarded to actively participate in efforts to effectively translate the results of their research to a variety of external audiences.

ED19 Creating meaningful Broader Impacts in K-12 education

Roberta Johnson, Nicole LaDue, and Heather Pacheco

Description: This session will provide practical advice and concrete strategies for investigators seeking to work with K-12 schools, educators and students. Constraints in the K-12 education and the university research arenas can pose frustrating challenges that thwart efforts to build relationships between the two communities. This session will disseminate these approaches to scientists seeking to have a meaningful impact. Presenters will provide key considerations when building projects to ensure that research is implemented in classrooms. Presenters will also provide successful virtual venues for disseminating research and curricula to the K-12 environment.

ED20 Crisis or Opportunity? Earth and Space Science Education at the State and National Levels

Ann Benbow, Roberta Johnson, Nicole LaDue, and Heather Pacheco

Description: A casual glance at the headlines makes clear that we live on a dynamic, unpredictable planet. Given the scope and power of Earth system processes, the need for citizens to understand the Earth and its environment is a "no-brainer". Even so, Earth and Space Science (ESS) educators are facing daunting challenges - even more critical in a time of diminished funding. This session elucidates the complex compounding structural issues that conspire to position ESS at the "bottom of the heap" of secondary school science, provide a venue to learn about the state of ESS education and information about solutions and opportunities to work together to improve the status and accessibility of ESS education.

ED21 Discipline-Based Education Research in the Geosciences

David Mogk and Stephanie Slater

Description: This session will explore the contributions and future directions of discipline-based education research (DBER) in the geosciences. DBER combines knowledge of teaching and learning with discipline-specific content knowledge. A primary focus is on the standards of evidence that can be used to demonstrate that student learning has occurred in a variety of instructional settings. This session will highlight empirical and experimental research on teaching and learning in the geosciences; the ways in which this research can be used to inform geoscience instruction; and the methods and tools required to further develop DBER. Submissions that demonstrate the use of DBER to guide instruction and assessment of student learning are encouraged.

ED22 Distributing Science Data for Re-Use

Ruth Duerr, Peter Fox, Joseph Hourcle, and Vincent Hughitt

Description: This session will focus on services to distribute scientific research data so that it can be used by educators, the general public or scientists from other disciplines for uses other than its original intended purpose. Submissions that address underlying technology used to allow interested parties to browse and interact with the data, standards for documenting data, policies on data sharing, or that show benefits to scientific data re-use are encouraged, as are any submissions that discuss remaining barriers to re-use and ways to overcome them.

ED23 Diverse STEM Student Skills: Effective Online Tools to "Level the Playing Field"

Eric Baer and Jennifer Wenner

Description: Students in entry-level STEM courses often arrive with diverse backgrounds in science, writing and quantitative skills. This range of abilities places special demands on instructors to provide students with foundational skills that are tangentially related to science without giving up classroom time for critical content. Many instructors have turned to asynchronous online tools to train students outside the classroom, providing students with access to information or skill development on their own time and at their own pace. We are interested in contributions about online resources, tools or strategies that address learning needs of a diverse student body in introductory STEM courses.

ED24 Engaging the Next Generation of Scientists in Effective Professional Development Experiences

Lora Bleacher and Emily Cobabe-Ammann

Description: Over half of the current earth and space science workforce is within 15 years of retirement age, leaving little time for earth and space science majors, graduate students and early career scientists to learn from, or be mentored by, this established generation. In addition, early career scientists are finding themselves in the position of filling leadership and management roles that are being vacated by their predecessors without the benefit of years of experience. This session is intended to share effective strategies, models, best practices, and lessons learned for preparing the next generation of scientists to enter the workforce with the skills they need to be successful in their careers.

ED25 Engaging the Public through Demos, Drops, Tours and Other Student Efforts

Cathryn Manduca, Kendra Redmond, and Gary White
Sponsored by NAGT

Description: There is much concern about the level of science literacy among the public. Through demo shows, pumpkin drops, haunted labs, classroom visits, pinewood derby competitions, and other means, students at many colleges and universities actively and effectively bring science into their local communities. This session will feature students discussing their outreach experiences, including descriptions of events, lessons learned, and benefits to the student and community. Undergraduate students are especially encouraged to submit abstracts. In addition, abstracts describing how organizers can capitalize on students' enthusiasm and experience to enhance events and abstracts describing successful partnerships are encouraged.

ED26 Exploring Hazard Science through Curricula and Innovative Technologies

Stephanie Bennett, Leon Geschwind, Penny Larin, and Matthew Mcbride

Description: Sixty-five percent of the population consists of visual learners and people love stories. Hazard science education efforts that use innovative technologies to combine scientific visualizations and real-word stories play a key role in elucidating often complex scientific concepts. Innovative technologies include scientific visualizations in 3-D virtual globe environments, augmented reality, and what-if scenario driven interactive media. This session will explore how educators can integrate these innovative technologies in their curricula to tell compelling stories that meet the science and technology needs of their students.

ED27 Faculty Professional Development: Real and Virtual Models

Susan Eriksson, Jan Hodder, and Cathryn Manduca
Sponsored by NAGT

Description: Professional development for college and university faculty plays an important role in introducing faculty to new geoscience discoveries, data analysis tools, teaching materials, and pedagogic methods. Individual institutions, professional organizations, research consortia and other groups are supporting both new and more experienced faculty with a wide variety of in-person workshops and virtual learning opportunities. This session will showcase these models in association with a discussion of their efficacy based on research and evaluation. Papers are encouraged that describe program models and evaluation results, as well as research on professional development.

ED28 Frontier Scientists

Brian Cash, Merry Ann Moore, Gregory Newby, Elizabeth O'Connell, and Deborah Perry

Description: Engaging Americans in the excitement & value of arctic discovery is considered by some to be a matter of national security. With a changing climate, polar resources are eyed by many nations. And the need to cultivate a new generation of scientific minds is a White House priority. FS brings scientist's stories to desktops for feedback online. We'll demonstrate how academia,web content,online communities,evaluation,and marketing join in a 21st century multi-media platform...how scientists can maintain integrity while engaging in outreach...and how vodcasts entertain as well as inspire.FrontierScientists.com is for travelers, teachers, students, aspiring scientists, and anyone interested in scientific discovery in one of the last great unexplored regions-the Alaskan arctic.

ED29 Games, Interactive Simulations, and Virtual Labs for Science Teaching and Learning

Randy Russell and Erin Wood

Description: Interactive computer-based simulations, serious games, and virtual labs are being developed and used with growing frequency in many science-education disciplines at all age levels. These resources are employed across formal and informal educational settings. Scientific concepts in a broad range of Earth and space science disciplines can be more readily learned or more fully appreciated via the experience of manipulating variables to explore various 'what if' scenarios in visually rich environments. This session will showcase simulations, games, and virtual labs designed to assist the teaching and learning of concepts in the realms of the Earth, planetary, and space sciences and related disciplines.

ED30 Impacts of Over a Decade of CAREER Awards

Sonia Esperanca, Michelle Hall, Elizabeth Rom, and Susan Weiler

Description: The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards for beginning faculty members to develop careers as outstanding researchers and educators who effectively integrate teaching, learning and discovery. This session will showcase the range of impacts of the CAREER awardees' educational activities on their target audiences and on the awardees' career pathways and interests. We seek submissions that address: 1) the education components of the award, its outcomes, and lessons learned; 2) the challenges and benefits of implementing research and education activities through the award; 3) impacts on your career and organization; and 4) suggestions for program improvement.

ED31 Increasing Diversity in the Geoscience Workforce: Effective Recruitment and Mentoring

Ambrose Jearld, Ashanti Johnson, and Vivian Whitney-Williamson

Description: Increasing the number of students who successfully pursue geoscience careers is key to addressing the growing demand for professionals who genuinely understand and contribute to cutting edge research. This session focuses on recruitment and mentoring skills that help faculty increase the number and diversity of students engaged in the field, providing a chance to identify and explore effective strategies, such as creating a supportive environment, utilizing outreach and digital tools, enhancing professional skills, pursuing resources for future funding, increasing respect for diverse societal backgrounds, and providing networking opportunities with faculty, peers, program officers and industry.

ED32 Innovative Education, Outreach, and Communication (EOC) Activities by Early Career Scientists (ECS)

Allen Pope, Angelika Renner, Kristin Timm, and Joanne Venus

Description: Beyond research, scientists are expected to communicate their science. EOC activities by scientists enhance public understanding of pressing topics, foster scientific literacy among the public, open lines of communication with scientists, and inspire young people to consider science careers. EOC skill development is crucial for ECS. While important for obtaining funding, ECS training generally does not cultivate EOC skills. ECS efficacy in EOC occurs through practical experience and professional development activities. This session aims to highlight innovative EOC activities initiated and conducted by ECS, as well as professional development activities designed to foster these skills.

ED33 Lights, Camera, Action! Using Video to Communicate Science

Douglas Harned and Michelle Moorman

Description: New technologies such as video podcasts are being used as an outreach tool to communicate scientific results. Video podcasts are used to summarize scientific studies and communicate the relevance of scientific findings on issues of concern to resource managers and the general public. This session will showcase videos developed to disseminate scientific results to a broad audience. Group discussion will review the process of making science videos and how video can best be used to reach the intended audience. We encourage the submission of films or parts of films that demonstrate creative and effective means of communicating science. Abstracts should include a film description and web address to access the film.

ED34 Master Teacher Volunteers: Successes and Lessons Learned

Kay Ferrari, Tamara Ledley, Laura Peticolas, and Patricia Reiff

Description: Master Teacher Volunteers are an excellent way to get teachers and other educators involved in science missions or research areas, and to develop a cadre of trained volunteers to get the word out to other teachers and to students. This session brings together leaders of the various volunteer programs (e.g. Solar System Educators, Heliospheric Educator-Ambassadors, Messenger Fellows, and various Earth science ambassador-type programs) and other teacher-volunteer programs to describe their goals, successes, and lessons learned. The poster session will bring teachers in the program to discuss their roles in the program(s) and to demonstrate their favorite hands-on activities.

ED35 Mobile Apps for Environmental Monitoring and Education

Steven Ackerman, Carol Meyer, Margaret Mooney, and Margie Turrin

Description: Approximately four billion people own cell phones with steady trends towards smart phones and multiple mobile devices. This trend combined with advances in mobile technologies provides a unique opportunity to connect with millions. And since several challenges facing society require short term responses from large numbers of people, mobile applications are essential tools for education, environmental stewardship and public safety. From citizen science projects to classroom instruction to community preparedness, the opportunities are endless and the potential exponential. Presenters and attendees alike are invited to bring their mobile devices and share details about apps under development and projects that utilize mobile apps.

ED36 Planetary Higher Education Share-A-Thon

Emily Cobabe-Ammann and Stephanie Shipp

Description: Teaching planetary science in the higher education classroom can be a challenge. Sometimes taught as a stand alone course, planetary science more often provides an important set of examples for a wide range of disciplines, from engineering to astronomy to earth sciences. This session focuses on the teaching challenges in planetary science and specific approaches and assets faculty are using to address the challenge. Talks could include a description of the teaching challenge being addressed, the target audience and course discipline, and the asset being used to address the challenge. Information will also be presented on the new Higher Education Clearinghouse, a site where faculty can share their classroom assets with a wider audience.

ED37 Public Participation in Research: Engaging Citizen Scientists in Geoscience Research

Annette Schloss and Sandra Henderson

Description: This session will focus on best practices and lessons learned from successful citizen science programs that promote greater understanding of geoscience through participation. Submissions that address planning, marketing, recruiting, retention, web site design, data entry, data quality control, coordination and management, communication, evaluation, and final reporting back to participants are encouraged. Abstracts are encouraged that represent the diversity of participants found in citizen science projects including K-12 school groups, informal science centers, individuals, communities, universities, and laboratories. We encourage abstracts that utilize mobile technologies to collect and report data.

ED38 Research in the Two-year College Classroom

Allison Beauregard and Matthew Schwartz

Description: As increasing numbers of students, both traditional and non-traditional, utilize two year colleges for part of their education, professors at these state and community colleges are moving beyond the lectern and utilizing student-centered research as an important cornerstone to instruction. Research within the classroom and in the field can supplement traditional instruction methods; however, the teaching load and often limited resources at these institutions make student-centered research especially challenging at two-year colleges. We will explore examples of existing programs that include research as an instructional mechanism, funding issues, and best practices for linking research with education in two-year college programs.

ED39 Science Communication Courses: Giving the Next Generation of Scientists a Voice

Janice McDonnell, Eric Simms, and Craig Strang

Description: The need for pre-career scientists to develop knowledge and skills to communicate effectively with diverse audiences continues to grow, and evidence suggests that training opportunities should be comprehensive and meaningful. Formal science education and communication courses can offer undergraduate and graduate science students an extended experience to explore and 'field test' current theory and best practices related to science learning, communication, and pedagogy. This session will feature formal course models being employed in the Earth sciences that focus on strategies for K-12 teaching, post-secondary teaching, informal education, outreach, public speaking, media, and/or journalism.

ED40 Science Mimes: Developing Science Creativity and Talent

Description: COMMUNICATING SCIENCE THROUGH THE PERFORMING ARTS. Applying the art of mime and techniques of improvisational theatre, Science Mimes energizes students to act out science stories, concepts, and significant results as performance scenarios. Science Mimes troupes of high School and college students perform in Los Angeles, New York, Baltimore, and Mexico. HOW IT WORKS: WRITE NARRATIVE. DESIGN MOVEMENT. COMMUNICATE SCIENCE CONCEPTS. The Science Mimes writing process considers the action details of the conceptual understanding related to a science or engineering phenomenon. 1) Select a science-in-action idea. 2) Analyze phenomenon. 3) Write the Scenario. 4) Compose narrative & movements.5) Enact the scenario.6) Rehearse. 7) Perform.

ED41 Scientist Participation in Science Communication

Greg Holland, Abdul Abdul, and Jeff Taylor

Description: Increasing public understanding of science is a high priority for many AGU scientists. In particular, many scientists are now communicating their expertise to a variety of audiences. This session will highlight experiences in addressing audiences that are resistant to the idea of global change, as well as those that are more receptive, and how to best use supporting resources. Submissions that address communication between scientists and media, scientists and community events, scientists and public schools, scientists and decision makers, and scientists and the general public are all welcome. Emphasis should be placed on innovative techniques, best practices, pitfalls experienced, and lessons learned.

ED42 Social Media in Geoscience Education and Outreach

Callan Bentley and Laura Guertin

Description: Social media tools are finding their way into the geoscience classroom, serving as vehicles for content delivery and student engagement. Instructors and scientists are connecting with various audiences in online environments such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and blogs. We encourage submissions that examine the use of social media in introductory- and upper-level geoscience courses, as well as how these tools can support informal education and outreach objectives. We wish to highlight positive and negative examples of successful innovations and failed attempts at utilizing social media in the geosciences.

ED43 Solar and Space Physics Higher Education Resources

Emily Cobabe-Ammann and Nicholas Gross

Description: Teaching solar and space physics in the undergraduate and graduate classroom can be challenging. Though sometimes taught as a stand alone course, solar and space physics more often provides an important set of examples for a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, physics, astronomy and earth sciences. This session focuses on the specific approaches and assets faculty are using to teach solar and space physics. Talks could include a description of the teaching challenge being addressed, the target audience and course discipline, and the asset being used to address the challenge. In addition, information will be presented on the new Higher Education Clearinghouse, a site where faculty can share their classroom assets.

ED44 Teacher Professional Development Programs Promoting Authentic Scientific Research in the Classroom

Jay Dubner, Michelle Hall, Stephen Pompea, and Constance Walker

Description: The session will focus on building a framework for successful research experiences for teachers. Papers might address new projects, roles of scientists and education specialists, the value of teams, and ways to bring research experiences back to the classroom. Other topics might include recruitment strategies, program scale-up, financial planning, internet and archival research projects, citizen science, mentoring issues, training of scientists and evaluation. Presentations are invited from all research areas: astronomy/space physics, atmospheric and ocean science, geology and geophysics, climate and environmental science, etc. Presenters' printed materials and CDs accompany the session.

ED45 Teaching Geoscience in the Field in the 21st Century

John Geissman and David Mogk

Description: Field experiences have traditionally been at the core of geoscience instruction. This session is designed for the entire AGU community to explore both traditional and emerging roles of field experiences in teaching geosciences. This session will showcase the breadth of field activities, strategies and methods used in disciplines encompassed by geoscience education. We invite contributions demonstrating the range of field experiences, and the use of field observations in class activities, that promote student learning, including field trips (in-class or extended; local and regional), field laboratories, field camps, field research experiences, 'best practices' in field instruction, and assessments of learning in the field.

ED46 Teaching in the Classroom with Seismic Waves

John McDaris and Michael Wysession

Description: This session will draw together geoscientists who use seismic waves in their teaching and research and to share ideas about instructional activities that demonstrate how seismic waves can be used to interrogate and investigate the sounds of the Earth. This session is a follow-up to the 2011 On the Cutting Edge workshop, Visualizing Seismic Waves for Teaching and Research (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/geophysics/seismic11/index.html). Topics include: visualization or auditization of seismic waves as they propagate through Earth; working with seismograms to determine their characteristics such as arrival phases, amplitudes, and frequencies; seismogram data; and real-time seismometry (e.g., QCN, SeisMac, phone apps, etc.).

ED47 Teaching Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry in the 21st Century

Kirsten Nicolaysen and Wendy Panero

Description: Teaching mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry (MPG) evolves with advances in technology and pedagogy and with integration of content due to changing department curricula (e.g., Earth Materials courses). We seek contributions presenting integrated MPG curricula, research on student learning of MPG, and/or teaching activities on MPG topics. Contributions may emphasize connections between course content and the broader geoscience curriculum and/or emerging topics (e.g., geobiology, climate change) that heighten course relevancy for students. Sharing inventive and engaging activities, effective assessments, and research on learning enhances our ability to effectively teach the next generation of geoscience leaders.

ED48 Teaching Surface Process Science: Ideas, Innovations and Lessons Learned

Karen Campbell and Gillian Roehrig

Description: Research in interdisciplinary surface process science is blossoming, as we become increasingly concerned with Earth's "Critical Zone'. Surface process science happens at spatial and temporal scales readily accessible to students. It relates directly to climate change issues and offers abundant opportunities to build connections among quantification, science concepts and prediction. Yet, many Earth science curricula, across the K-16 spectrum, touch only lightly on this zone of the Earth, the one that most directly supports life. This session welcomes contributions from across the AGU communities that explore innovative ways to use surface process science to engage students and teachers in learning about the Earth.

ED49 The Student-to-Professional Continuum: How to Retain Students and Successfully Transition Graduates into Geoscience Careers

Dawn Ferris, Leila Gonzales, Christopher Keane, and Elisabeth Kosters

Description: Since the mid-1990's geoscience degree completion rates have remained near 12% for undergraduates and 20% for graduate students. Furthermore, data from NSF indicates that only 30 percent of geoscience graduates work in core geoscience occupations. The US and other developed nations are beginning to see the loss of technical skills in the geoscience workforce, both within academia, government, and industry sectors. The implementation of successful retention and student-to-professional transition strategies are critical for bolstering the supply of new graduates to geoscience occupations.

ED50 Use of Place-Based Classroom, Service and Research Projects to Address Climate Change

Pranoti Asher and Sadredin Moosavi

Description: Global climate change is a topic of ever increasing importance in geoscience and general education curricula in K-12 and university programs. Quality engagement of students with this important topic remains hindered, however, by the disconnect between the global scale at which most climate change studies and discussions occur and the local and regional scale at which most students live. This session seeks to highlight and share successful classroom techniques, service learning and undergraduate research projects which engage students with climate change issues at the local level at which individual communities will experience and need to respond to climate change.

ED51 Using International Networks to Develop the Future Global Geoscience Workforce

Amel Barich, Leila Gonzales, Christopher Keane, and Allen Pope

Description: As the geoscience workforce becomes increasingly global, geoscience graduates need to be equipped with strong geoscience skills and experience in international collaboration. Data from the IUGS Global Geoscience Taskforce indicates that developed nations face the immediate need to replace the current wave of retiring geoscientists while developing nations need to bolster human and capital infrastructure to support the training of future geoscientists. International geoscience networks, which remove geographical constraints and connect geoscientists via the web, may help solve the unequal distribution of geoscience capacity while providing geoscience students with the ability to develop international experience.

ED52 Using-Sharing Online Education Resources in the Modern Geoscience Classroom

Margaret Benoit, Andrew Goodwillie, Michael Hubenthal, and Donald Reed

Description: At every level of geoscience education, from elementary school to university courses, the availability and rapid adoption of online tools and activities is transforming the classroom into a virtual research environment. Students can formulate questions, analyze and visualize data, and test ideas, thereby reinforcing the methodologies of scientific inquiry. We invite contributions from geoscience educators and resources providers: How do you use these tools to both engage students while fostering knowledge construction? Which strategies and resources provide effective in-class learning opportunities? What supports are necessary for the educator, for the learner? How do we disseminate these tools and approaches?

ED53 We Need You! - Scientist and Expert Participation in Education and Public Outreach

Sanlyn Buxner, Emily Cobabe-Ammann, Brooke Hsu, and M Alexandra Matiella Novak

Description: Many opportunities exist for scientists and experts to get involved with education and public outreach efforts and more direct interaction between audiences in the EPO field (K-12 students, educators, public, etc.) with scientists and experts is beneficial for both parties. The audiences are excited to interact with real-life scientists and are exposed to subject expertise, while the scientists and experts gain first-hand experience in building relationships with the public and sharing their science. This session aims to serve as a venue where members of the EPO community can advertise opportunities to scientists and experts who are interested in getting more directly involved with EPO opportunities.

ED56 ADVANCING Faculty Diversity

Suzanne O'Connell and Mary Anne Holmes

Description: What are the best practices for increasing the number of women STEM faculty? This session will feature results from 10 years of NSF's ADVANCE program. ADVANCE is charged with the development of systematic strategies that demonstrably increase the hiring, retention and promotion of women in academic STEM careers. ADVANCE Institutional Transformation (IT) awards provide up to 4 million dollars over 5 years to develop institution-wide changes. Partnerships for Adaptation, Implementation, and Dissemination (PAID) awards fund innovative approaches to address retention and promotion of women STEM faculty in a specific discipline, several disciplines or regional organizations. We present best practices from both programs that have beneficially impacted the geosciences.