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1. Using an engagement lens to model active learning in the geosciences

   https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2021.1913715  

   LaDue, N. D.; McNeal, P. M.; Ryker, K.; St. John, K.; van der Hoeven Kraft, K. J. (April 2021, Journal of Geoscience Education)

   Hannula, K. (Ed.)

   Active learning research emerged from the undergraduate STEM education communities of practice, some of whom identify as discipline-based education researchers (DBER). Consequently, current frameworks of active learning are largely inductive and based on emergent patterns observed in undergraduate teaching and learning. Alternatively, classic learning theories historically originate from the educational psychology community, which often takes a theory-driven, or deductive research approach. The broader transdisciplinary education research community is now struggling to reconcile the two. That is, how is a theory of active learning distinct from other theories of knowledge construction? We discuss the underpinnings of active learning in the geosciences, drawing upon extant literature from the educational psychology community on engagement. Based on Sinatra et al. engagement framework, we propose a model for active learning in the geosciences with four dimensions: behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic. We then connect existing literature from the geoscience education community to the model to demonstrate the current gaps in our literature base and opportunities to move the active learning geoscience education research (GER) forward. We propose the following recommendations for future investigation of active learning in the geosciences: (1) connect future GER to our model of active learning in the geosciences, (2) measure more than content learning, (3) document research methods and outcomes with effect sizes to accumulate evidence, and (4) prioritize research on dimensions of active learning essential to the geosciences. 

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2. Scientific evaluations and plausibility judgements in middle school students’ learning about geoscience topics

   https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2023.2200877  

   Klavon, Timothy G.; Mohan, Svetha; Jaffe, Joshua B.; Stogianos, Thalia; Governor, Donna; Lombardi, Doug (May 2023, Journal of Geoscience Education)

   Socially relevant geoscience topics may be difficult for students to learn. For example, connecting hydraulic fracturing to Midwestern US earthquake swarms and using the fossil record to infer past Earth environments may challenge students because of their prior exposures to nonscientific explanations. Sociocognitive theoretical perspectives based on decades of developmental and educational psychology, as well as science education research posit that students may have particular difficulty in evaluating the connections between lines of scientific evidence and explanations. This challenge is especially daunting when students are confronted with various alternative explanations (e.g., scientific and nonscientific explanations). In the present study, we compared two types of scaffolds designed to facilitate Mid-Atlantic middle school students’ (N = 40) scientific thinking and learning about controversial geoscience topics when confronted with alternative explanations. In a less autonomy-supportive scaffold, participants were given four lines of evidence and two explanatory models, one scientific and one nonscientific. (Fracking; Supplementary Materials 1 & 2); in a more autonomy-supportive scaffold, students chose four of eight lines of evidence and two of three explanatory models, one scientific and two nonscientific (Fossils; Supplementary Materials 1 & 2). Quantitative analyses revealed that both activities facilitated students’ evaluations in shifting students’ judgments toward the scientific and deepening their knowledge, although the more autonomy-supportive activity had greater effect sizes. Structural equation modeling suggested that more scientific judgments related to greater knowledge at post-instruction for the more autonomy-supportive scaffold. These activities may help students develop more scientific evaluation skills, which are central to understanding geoscience content and science as a process. 

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3. Importance of centering traditional knowledge and Indigenous culture in geoscience education

   https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2023.2172976  

   Todd, Wendy F; Towne, Chessaly E; Clarke, Judi Brown (July 2023, Journal of Geoscience Education)

   Traditional Knowledge (TK) is a qualitative and quantitative living body of knowledge developed locally and regionally across generations over thousands of years. This study aims to show through authentic voice the importance of centering TK systems and cultural needs to provide equitable geoscience education programs. TK can be communicated through a variety of methods, such as story and song, dance, paintings, carvings, structures, and textiles. TK is interdisciplinary within anthropological and ecological subsistence and provide enhanced cultural and spiritual context. Research findings are enhanced by the exploratory and inquiry-based design of TK and provide insight into the anthropogenic impacts on the environment allowing researchers to gain a rich understanding of human behaviors and patterns when collecting and analyzing data. This study examines factors influencing Indigenous students’ participation and retention in the geosciences, specifically gauging opinions on the incorporation of TK systems into geoscience education. Data was collected using an electronic survey to identify factors that inform students’ decision to enter geoscience disciplines and better understand the importance of role models and mentors for retention. Our findings indicate that Indigenous students were interested in using both TK and Western science in geoscience learning spaces, Indigenous role models played an important role in sense of belonging and identity in the geosciences, and the incorporation of culture into learning experiences played an important role in retention. Findings from this study, if operationalized, would allow geoscience departments to increase retention of Indigenous students and faculty, provide equitable educational opportunities, and to better understand how to effect cultural change in the geosciences by providing a welcoming and affirming space for Indigenous scholars. 

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4. The Relationship Between Spatial Skills and Solving Problems in Engineering Mechanics

   Sorby, Sheryl A; Vieau, Sylvie; Yoon, So Yoon (July 2021, ASEE annual conference proceedings)

   null (Ed.)

   Spatial visualization is defined as the “process of apprehending, encoding, and mentally manipulating three-dimensional spatial forms.” Spatial cognition has been widely studied throughout psychology and education from more than 100 years. Engineering students and engineering professionals exhibit some of the highest levels of spatial skills compared to their counterparts in other majors/careers. Numerous studies have shown the link between spatial skills and success in engineering and interventions aimed at enhancing spatial skills have demonstrated a concomitant improvement in student success, as measured by grades earned and retention/graduation. The question remains: How do well-developed spatial skills contribute to engineering student success? One hypothesis is that spatial skills contribute to a student’s ability to solve unfamiliar problems. Recent studies have demonstrated that spatial skills contribute to success in solving problems from mathematics, chemical engineering, and electrical engineering. The study outlined in this paper, extends this work to examine the impact of spatial skills on the ability to solve problems from engineering mechanics. In this pilot study, a total of 47 students from upper division mechanical engineering courses completed a test of spatial skills and also were asked to solve 5-6 problems from introductory statics/physics. Results showed that a statistically significant positive correlation was found between spatial scores and the percent correct on the mechanics test. Individual problems were also examined to determine if spatial skills appeared to play a role in their solution. Some problems appeared to rely on spatial thinking; others did not. Results from this pilot study will be used to conduct an in-depth study examining the relationship between spatial skills and solving problems in engineering mechanics. This paper outlines key findings from this pilot study and makes recommendations for future work in this area. 

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5. Computational Classrooms: A Research-Based Approach to Designing a Computer Science Course for Elementary and Middle School Teachers

   Rivera, J; Radoff, J (March 2025, National Association for Research in Science Teaching)

   To address the complex threats to Earth's life-sustaining systems, students need to learn core concepts and practices from various disciplines, including mathematics, civics, science, and, increasingly, computer science (NRC, 2012; United Nations, 2021). Schools must therefore equip students to navigate and integrate these disciplines to tackle real-world problems. Over the past two decades, STEM educators have advocated for an interdisciplinary approach, challenging traditional barriers between subjects and emphasizing contextualized real-world issues (Hoachlander & Yanofsky, 2011; Vasquez et al., 2013; Ortiz-Revilla et al., 2020; Honey et al., 2014; Takeuchi et al., 2020). Despite extensive evidence supporting integrated approaches to STEM education, subject boundaries remain, with disciplines often taught separately and computer science and computational thinking (CS & CT) not consistently included in elementary and middle school curricula. In today's digital age, CS and CT are crucial for a well-rounded education and for addressing sustainability challenges (ESSA, 2015; NGSS Lead States, 2013; NRC, 2012). While there's consensus on the importance of introducing computational concepts and practices to elementary and middle school students, integrating them into existing curricula poses significant challenges, including how to effectively support teachers to deliver inquiry instruction confidently and competently (Ryoo, 2019). Existing frameworks and tools for teaching CS and CT often focus on maintaining fidelity to canonical concepts and formalized taxonomies rather than on practical applications (Grover & Pea, 2013; Kafai et al., 2020; Wilkerson et al., 2020). This focus can lead teachers to learn terminology without fully understanding its relevance or application in different contexts. In response, some researchers suggest using a learning sciences perspective to consider “how the complexity of everyday spaces of learning shapes what counts, and what should be counted, as ‘computational thinking’” (Wilkerson et al., 2020, p. 265). These scholars emphasize the importance of drawing on learners’ everyday experiences and problems to make computational practices more meaningful and contextually relevant for both teachers and their students. Thus, this paper aims to address the following question: How can we design learning experiences for in-service teachers that support (1) their authentic engagement with computational concepts, practices, and tools and (2) more effective integration within classroom contexts? In the limited space of this proposal, we primarily address part 1. 

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