Advancing Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century:

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Advancing Earth System Science Education for the
21st Century An Interdisciplinary Education
Initiative for University Students
Cameron Wake and George Hurtt Institute for the
Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space And Lee
Seidel Center for Teaching Excellence University
of New Hampshire
ESSE 21 PI Team Meeting 11-13 June 2003 Morgan
State University
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UNH Proposal
Develop and offer an advanced
undergraduate/introductory graduate level course
in Earth System Science at UNH Partnership with
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Three
colleges, two research centers, Teaching
Excellence Center Part of formal curriculum in
Natural Resources and Earth Sciences Focus on
ESS components and dynamic interactions
Computer based labs to explore Earth System
dynamics Three phases of Assessment
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UNH Setting
Land Grant, Sea Grant, and Space Grant
University Institute for the Study of Earth,
Oceans, and Space Cross-college Natural
Resources and Earth System Science Ph.D. Program
75 faculty, 65 students, 10 Departments/Centers
-Environmental Science Seminar series (EOS, NR,
Esci) Emerging cross-college undergraduate
degree program in Environmental Science Center
for Teaching Excellence Joint Center for Earth
Sciences (UNH and NASA-GSFC) -Research and
Discover Program Office of Sustainability
Programs
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Objectives
Develop and offer an advanced undergraduate/introd
uctory graduate level course in ESS at UNH
Stage 2 effort - will compliment existing
curriculum ESCI 405 - Global Environmental
Change (Gen Ed) NR 415 - Global Biological
Change (Gen Ed) EOS 795 - ESS Understanding our
Global Environment (Grad Survey) Participate
in ESSE 21 activities Assess student
understanding and evaluate our efforts
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Objectives (continued) Development of Educational
Materials
1. Engage Scientific Community (UNH, NASA-GSFC,
ESSE 21 institutions) 2. Develop Learning
Resources -lecture materials focus on
components and dynamic interactions developed
and delivered electronically -computer
laboratory modules encourage students to
develop modeling skills and build simple models
of Earth System components/interactions 3.
Encourage undergraduate involvement in ESS
Research at UNH and NASA-GSFC 4. Integration
into Curriculum undergraduate and graduate
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Objectives (continued) Assessment
Three Phase Effort Performed by Center for
Teaching Excellence I. Assistance with course
design and review of instructional
materials -formal faculty development sessions
(e.g. Graduate Certificate in College
Teaching) -student centered syllabus -develop
Concept Mapping as core assessment
strategy -concept mapping represents powerful
assessment technique for sciences II. Teaching
Excellence faculty and staff visit classes and
computer labs to conduct mid-course assessment
and evaluation adjustment to class as
needed. III. Standardized University evaluation
AND Supplementary assessment to collect info
related to - student reaction and
learning - identify strengths and weaknesses
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Questions for Discussion

• - Textbook?
• - ES diagrams?
• - What are key learning outcomes? Should they be
  consistent across ESSE 21 offerings?
• - How do we avoid content overload?
• - What technology should we be using
• -e.g. distance learning? Videoconferencing?
  Visualization?
• - What are key lessons that have already been
  learned?
• How do we communicate with other ESSE21
  institutions while we are teaching the courses?
• Where do humans fit?