HR: 0800h
AN: ED41B-0489    [Abstracts]
TI: Web-based Academic Roadmaps for Careers in the Geosciences
AU: * Murray, D P
EM: dpmurray@uri.edu
AF: Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, United States
AU: Veeger, A I
EM: veeger@uri.edu
AF: Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, United States
AU: Grossman-Garber, D
EM: dggarber@uri.edu
AF: Office of Student Learning, Outcomes Assessment & Accreditation, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, United States
AB: To a greater extent than most science programs, geology is underrepresented in K-12 curricula and the media. Thus potential majors have scant knowledge of academic requirements and career trajectories, and their idea of what geologists do—if they have one at all—is outdated. We have addressed these concerns by developing a dynamic, web-based academic roadmap for current and prospective students, their families, and others who are contemplating careers in the geosciences. The goals of this visually attractive "educational pathway" are to not only improve student recruitment and retention, but to empower student learning by creating better communication and advising tools that can render our undergraduate program transparent for learners and their families. Although we have developed academic roadmaps for four environmental and life science programs at the University of Rhode Island, we focus here on the roadmap for the geosciences, which illustrates educational pathways along the academic and early-career continuum for current and potential (i.e., high school) students who are considering the earth sciences. In essence, the Geosciences Academic Roadmap is a "one-stop'" portal to the discipline. It includes user- friendly information about our curriculum, outcomes (which at URI are tightly linked to performance in courses and the major), extracurricular activities (e.g., field camp, internships), careers, graduate programs, and training. In the presentation of this material extensive use is made of streaming video, interviews with students and earth scientists, and links to other relevant sites. Moreover, through the use of "Hot Topics", particular attention is made to insure that examples of geoscience activities are not only of relevance to today's students, but show geologists using the modern methods of the discipline in exciting ways. Although this is a "work-in-progress", evaluation of the sites, by high school through graduate students, has been strongly positive. Our presentation will include a demonstration of the Academic Roadmap, and a template that can be used by other geoscience departments to easily design websites.
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0840 Evaluation and assessment
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
DE: 6319 Institutions
DE: 7964 Policy (2722, 6300)
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting