mini传媒

Geoscience is a multidisciplinary subject with physicists, chemists and biologists for example, contributing to its progress.听 The range of topics covered by geoscience is broad and the associated research focuses on: a) better understanding the origins and evolution of planet Earth and b) answers to questions surrounding increased demands on Earth鈥檚 resources, environmental change and natural hazards.听 The fact we study volcanoes, earthquakes, dinosaurs, valuable minerals, climate change, meteorites, oceans and other planets, means we are in a unique position with respect to initiatives relating to the teaching of science in schools and, engagements with the broader community that provide information about specific events (e.g.听 earthquakes) or significant, new scientific achievements.

UC Science Outreach Programme

The听school also maintains strong linkages with the听University of mini传媒鈥檚 Science Outreach Programme, each year our staff contribute to a number of initiatives organised by UC Science Outreach.听 These include general school visits to UC, topic-specific laboratory sessions, interactive plays, field-trip support and school visits by our staff and post-graduate students. The emphasis of this component of Earth & Environment's听Outreach effort is to improve the delivery of Level 9-13 Science especially and to increase the awareness of the relevance of science.

颁辞苍迟谤颈产耻迟辞谤蝉:听Erik Brogt,听Ben Kennedy,听Jacqueline Dohaney,听Thomas Wilson,听Alison Jolley,听Billy O鈥橲teen
Participating Staff:听Kate Pedley,听Darren Gravley,听Samuel Hampton,听Travis Horton,听Heather Purdie,听Tim Stahl听补苍诲听Tim Davies

Our group performs fundamental and applied research on the teaching and learning of geoscience and geohazards. This research focuses on traditional and innovative geoscience learning activities.

Research Directives

Main goal:听Improving tertiary geoscience education practices

• Developing measures to assess teaching best practices and student performance
• Developing interactive and cutting edge curricula
• Improving science communication in graduates
• Improving science communication best practices (for professionals and to the public)

Themes

• Geoscience Curriculum Development
• Geohazards and Risk Education
• Science Communication & Field Skills Research
• Improving Traditional Learning with Interactive Techniques in the Classroom

Collaborators

Our research unit is highly collaborative, and has made links to many NZ and international researchers and organisations:

DEVORA听&听Jan Lindsay听at University of Auckland,听
,听听and Carol Stewart from the听听Research at Massey University
GNS Science;听Alison Jolley听补苍诲听

We develop research-informed, learner-centred, and interactive curriculum materials for the classroom, laboratory, virtual, and simulated environments:

Development of a 3D Immersive Field Videogame

The听GeoThermal World Videogame (Jacqueline听Dohaney, Ben听Kennedy, Erik听Brogt听补苍诲听Hazel Bradshaw听from听HITLab NZ)

• 3D, immersive videogame which teachs undergraduates basic field skills in a geothermal context. (听补苍诲听)
• Use in lab context, but can be used for students who cannot access the field.

Interactive Experimental Volcanology Labs

Ben Kennedy听runs a collection of hands-on, interactive physical and experimental volcanology labs which are sourced from extant geoscience education and experimental volcanology literature:

Trash Can Volcano Lab听(a.k.a., Liquid Nitrogen Bomb)听
Students fill a trash can with liquid nitrogen and different sizes of ballistics. This experiment illustrates the different input parameters which control explosivity and ballistic dispersal. Original research published by Karen Harpp, Alison Koleszar and Dennis Geist (see听publication听补苍诲听)

Mentos and Coke Explosions听
Students add mentos candy to a bottle of diet coke simulating a CO2 eruptive plume. Experiments can be run under differing input variables (type of candy, type of beverage and shape of the vent) to understand the height and duration of explosive eruptions. Original research by Wright, Rust, and Cashman (see听publication听补苍诲听video)

Lava Fudge Experiment Lab
Students make chocolate fudge with differing temperatures and weight % sucrose to simulate differing levels of viscosity in aa and pahoehoe lavas. Original research by Alison Rust, Cathy Cashman and Wright (see听publication)

M&M Magma Chamber Labs
Students build layers in a magma chamber by calculating the number of major elements (M&M鈥檚) needed to form common minerals and following typical fractional crystallization pattern. Original research by Karl Wirth (see听)

Teaching Independent Research & Synthetic Thinking Skills in Earth Systems Science

• Travis Horton听is running a Semester long teaching strategy which aims to develop students' abilities to understand geoscience as a system and use synthetic (i.e., holistic) thinking skills.听
• Students are asked to perform authentic research; modelling complex research questions in small groups

Group Work in Mineralogy & Petrology Labs

• Jacqueline Dohaney听补苍诲听Ben Kennedy听teach evidence-based research to design and implement group work curricula in mineralogy and petrology labs.
• Research was carried out in collaboration with UBC and the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (see听).

Publication

The mini传媒 earthquakes have generated massive public interest in the geosciences, geohazards, and the communication of these disciplines. Our research group has worked to develop curricula that train undergraduates, postgraduates and professionals how to work together to communicate effectively and mitigate the impacts that disasters have on communities. What is the chance of it happening?听 And what will the impact be?听 These are two fundamental questions a geohazards and risk scientist will be asked.听 But geohazards and risk assessment often has to be made using data which has large uncertainties associated with it and from multiple disciplines (e.g., physical science, social science, engineering, etc.).听 How this material should be presented to stakeholder to optimise their decisions making is the focus of research Current research focus on the most effective way to communicate research to stakeholders.

Projects

Communicating Complex Hazard and Risk Assessments 鈥� Curricula Development

Contributors:听Thomas Wilson,听Erik Brogt,听Samuel Hampton,听Tim Davies听补苍诲听Mark Quigley

Communicating geohazards, risk and disaster science to non-experts can be a challenging and daunting prospect for听hazard scientists, engineers听补苍诲听emergency managers. The Hazard and Disaster Management programme at UC听trains听students to communicate complex research and geohazards issues using strategies and tools used in real world emergency management and disaster risk reduction.

• Media conferences where HAZM students are tasked听to prepare for and present in front of the media on a challenging and highly uncertain geohazard issue, such as a volcano which has become restless and may erupt soon.听 The media (media studies and journalism students, which include听some real journalists)听question and attempt to extract a sensationalist news story.
• Students are trained to write 'policy briefs' for government ministers.听 Senior Policy Analysts and Advisors from government ministries in Wellington (New Zealand seat of Government) lead these interactive sessions, sharing their hard won lessons.听
• Throughout all classes there is a focus on working together in a team under a difficult deadline to produce the necessary information to inform a hazard or disaster relation issue for a decision maker.

Tongariro & Auckland Volcanic Hazards Simulations

Contributors:听Jacqueline Dohaney,听Erik Brogt,听Ben Kennedy,听Thomas Wilson,听Darren Gravley,听and听Jan Lindsay听(Auckland University)

• Development of highly challenging and engaging geology training simulations for 3rd-4th year undergraduates and postgraduates.
• Simulations require students to synthesize complex data sets and provide real-time advice in order to minimize impacts from major geologic events.
• Tests students practical and transferable skills. Specifically: communication and teamwork skills
• New customized simulations are in development using Avalance TTX鈩� software (Dohaney in collaboration with听UCR3;听Publication)

Lecture-based Capstone Collaborative Hazards Exercises

Contributors:听Alison Jolley,听Thomas Wilson,听Erik Brogt,听Ben Kennedy

• Five 1-hour group exercises were developed for GEOL113 (Environmental Geohazards) to teach first-stage students the basics of earthquakes, volcanoes, land slides, tsunami, geohazards and society.
• Exercises are end of module, capstone activities
• Groups of students work together to apply the concepts learned in lectures

Exercise Te Ripahapa

Contributors:听Tom Robinson,听Thomas Wilson听补苍诲听Tim Davies

• Exercise Te Ripahapa is an authentic emergency management simulation which can be used to teach professionals the impacts of a large scale (Alpine Fault earthquake)
• The simulaton highlights the impacts on people, lifelines and the landscape due to such a large event.

In today鈥檚 academic and professional workplace, geologists need to master field and transferable skills (i.e., skills that are used in mini传媒 and every day settings).听 Our research group studies the best way to teach (and measure) these skills.

Some important geoscience transferable skills include:

Field Skills 鈥� observations, note-taking, interpretation, synthesis
鈥淪oft skills鈥� 鈥� teamwork, communication, decision-making, critical thinking, problem-solving

Science Communication Skills Research;听鈥淚mproving Science Communication Skills鈥�

颁辞苍迟谤颈产耻迟辞谤蝉:听Erik Brogt,听Jacqueline Dohaney,听Thomas Wilson听补苍诲听Ben KennedyFunded by:听

• Current research is aimed at developing scenario-based curricula which specifically targets students communication skills.
• Development of measures and methods to assess science communication.
• Collaborative project with emergency management and science communication researchers across NZ.

Field Skills Research

颁辞苍迟谤颈产耻迟辞谤蝉:听Jacqueline Dohaney听补苍诲听Ben Kennedy)

• Research aimed at understanding how geologists teach and learn basic field skills such as observations and note-taking.
• Development of best practices of observations and note-taking in geology.
• We are also looking at digital note-taking research (Jacqueline Dohaney听in collaboration with Lawrence Malinconico, Lafayette College).

Experiential Capstone Field Trips

• On-going development and assessment of the听听(Darren Gravley,听Sam Hampton)
• 6-week field trips which incorporate interactive, holistic and capstone teaching techniques
• Cutting edge, independent semester long undergraduate research projects.

Implementing the听听in the New Zealand tertiary

Collaborators: Zoe Jordens, Rosie Bradshaw, Maggie Hartnett, Gemma Cartwright and Natalie Burr (from Massey University)

• Use of clickers, and other interactive technology in the classroom to transform traditional (passive) lectures to make them more interactive and engaging.

Funded by听Ako Aotearoa.

context (Ben Kennedy,听Erik Brogt,听Alison Jolley,听Billy O鈥橲teen,听Eva Hartung and Annie Soutter)

Dohaney, J. Brogt, E., Kennedy, B.听(In review) Field Note-taking Behaviour and Perceptions: Towards Classification and Best Practices.

Jolley, A., Jones, F., and Harris, S. 2013. Measuring student knowledge of landscapes and their formation timespans.听Journal of Geoscience Education,听61(2):240-251.听

Dohaney, J., E. Brogt, and B. Kennedy.听(2012). Successful Curriculum Development and Evaluation of Group Work in an Introductory Mineralogy Laboratory.听Journal of Geoscience Education, 60:1, pp. 21-33. DOI: 10.5408/10-212.1

Jolley, A., Lane, E.,听Kennedy, B.,听and Frapp茅-S茅n茅clauze, T-P. (2012). SPESS: A New Instrument for Measuring Student Perceptions in Earth and Ocean Science.听Journal of Geoscience Education, 60:1, 83-91. DOI: 10.5408/10-199.1
Link:听

听

Kennedy, B.听and Frapp茅-S茅n茅clauze, T-P. (2010) Attitude Surveys in Earth and Ocean Science. In D.A. Cancilla and S.P. Albon (Eds.),听Moving the Laboratory Online: Situating the Online Laboratory Learning Experience for Future Success: 89-104. Newburyport: The Sloan Consortium.

Reports & Magazine Articles

Kennedy, B., Brogt, E.,听Jordens, Z.,听Jolley, A., Bradshaw, R., Hartnett, M.,听O鈥橲teen, B.,听Hartung, E., Soutter, A., Cartwright, G. and Burr, N. (2013)听Transforming Tertiary Science Education: Improving learning during lectures.听Ako Aotearoa, National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence. 32pp.
Link:听听
Kennedy, B., Brogt, E. and Dohaney, J.听(2012)听Geoscience education at the University of mini传媒.听Geoscience Society of New Zealand Newsletter 8: 34-36. Newsletter Article.

Conference Proceedings

Dohaney, J., Kennedy, B., Brogt, E., and Bradshaw, H. (2012).听The Geothermal World Videogame: An Authentic, Immersive videogame used to teach observation skills needed for exploration. New Zealand Geothermal Workshop Proceedings, 19-21 November 2012, Auckland New Zealand. (Full conference paper)

Kennedy, B., Brogt, E.,听Jolley, A., Hampton, S.听and Wilson, T.听(2013).听Shaking up an introductory geohazards course.听Christchurch, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand Annual Conference (GSNZ), 24-27 Nov 2013. (Oral presentation)

Dohaney, J., Brogt, E., Wilson, T. and Kennedy, B.听(2013).听Teaching geoscience with simulation: Scenario-based role-plays.听Christchurch, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand Annual Conference (GSNZ), 24-27 Nov 2013. (Oral presentation)

Dohaney, J., Brogt, E., Kennedy, B. and Wilson, T.听(2013).听Using role-play to improve science communication efficacy in students.听Denver, CO, USA: Geological Society of America annual meeting, 27-30 Oct 2013. (Oral presentation)

Brogt, E., and Dohaney, J.听(2013)听Teaching Hazards and Disaster Communication: Theory and Practice. PCST/SCANZ Symposium 2013: Disasters 鈥� Communicating in the Crisis and the Aftermath. Science Communicators Association of New Zealand. Christchurch, New Zealand. (Oral presentation)
url link:听http://www.scanz.co.nz/erik-brogt-and-jackie-dohaney-presentation.html.

Kennedy, B. and Brogt, E.听(2013)听Transforming tertiary science education: Improving learning during lectures.听Auckland, New Zealand: Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Conference 2013 (HERDSA), 1-4 Jul 2013. (Oral presentation)

Dohaney, Jacqueline, Brogt, E., Kennedy, Ben.听(2012)听Teaching Geology with 21st Century Techniques. GeoNZ 2012 Conference, Hamilton, New Zealand. Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publications. (Oral presentation)

Kennedy, B. and Brogt, E.听(2012)听Improving learning in undergraduate geology.听Hamilton, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand Annual Conference (GSNZ), 25-28 Nov 2012. (Oral presentation)

O'Steen, B., Jolley, A.,听Kennedy, B., Brogt, E., Bradshaw, R. and Jordens, Z. (2011).听Champagne quality curriculum development on a beer budget? Data, collaboration and departmental buy in are key to the curriculum development process.听Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand: Tertiary Education Research in New Zealand (TERNZ 2011), 23-25 Nov 2011. (Oral presentation)

Jordens, Z., Hartnett, M., Bradshaw, R.,听Jolley, A.,听O鈥橲teen, B., Brogt, E., & Kennedy, B.听(2011).听Measuring student learning and classroom engagement using evidence-based research to encourage science lecturers to reconsider how they teach. Tertiary Education Research in New Zealand Conference. November 23-25, Wellington, New Zealand (Oral presentation)

Brogt, E., Liggett, D., Pedley, K.,听Jolley, A.听and听Kennedy, B.听(2011).听Curriculum and assessment changes in a disaster scenario.听Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand: Tertiary Education Research in New Zealand (TERNZ 2011), 23-25 Nov 2011. (Oral presentation)

Dohaney, J., Powell, T., Gravley, D.M. and听Kennedy, B.听(2010).听The Geothermal Game: An authentic, problem-based simulation used to teach geothermal energy exploration and exploitation concepts.听Denver, CO, USA: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (GSA), 31 Oct-3 Nov 2010. In Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 42(5) 497. (Oral presentation)

Jolley, A., Jones, F., Harris, S., and Rhajiak, J. 2011. Correlating knowledge of landscape formation timescales and geologic time using a new validated concept test.听Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs,听43(5):183. Minneapolis, MN. (Oral presentation)听

Kennedy, B., Brogt, E., & O鈥橲teen, B.听(2010).听Transforming tertiary science education in New Zealand (with the help of Carl Wieman).听Spotlight on Tertiary Teaching in mini传媒 and Beyond. March 26, Christchurch, New Zealand (Oral presentation).

Kennedy, B.,听Gilley, B. and Frappe, T-P. (2008).听Does Earth and Ocean Sciences Change How Students See the World? Assessing How Earth and Ocean Sciences Courses Affect Student Attitudes.听Houston, TX, USA: Geological Society of America Joint Annual Meeting, 5-9 Oct 2008. In Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 40(6) 495. (Oral presentation)

Jolley, A., and Ayala, G. 2013. 鈥淟iving with volcanoes鈥�: geoarchaeology in the high school classroom.听Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 45(7):314. Denver, CO. (Poster presentation)听

Dohaney, J.; Kennedy, B.; Brogt, E.;听Gravley, D.;听Wilson, T.; O'Steen, B.听(2011).听The Volcanic Hazards Simulation: Students behaving expert-like when faced with challenging, authentic tasks during a simulated Volcanic Crisis.听American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, San Francisco, California, U.S.A. Abstract #ED31A-0731 (Poster presentation)

Jolley, A., Harris, S., and Bevier, M.L. 2011. Tracking student progress with a mineralogy/petrology concept inventory.听Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative End of Year Event.听Vancouver, BC. (Poster presentation)听

Dohaney, J., Kennedy, B.,听Borella, M.W., Hamilton, C. and Gravley, D.M. (2010)听Volcanic hazards simulation: a collaborative role-play exercise using multiple synchronous time series datasets to perform volanic forecasting and hazard management.听Denver, CO, USA: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (GSA), 31 Oct-3 Nov 2010. In Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 42(5) 124. (Poster presentation)

Jolley, A. 2010a. Identifying landscapes and their formation timescales:听 comparing knowledge and confidence of beginner and advanced geoscience undergraduate students.听Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative End of Year Event.听Vancouver, BC. (Poster presentation)听

Jolley, A.听2010b. Landscape identification and formation: the development of a test to measure student knowledge and confidence.听Western Inter鈥怳niversity Geosciences Conference. Saskatoon, SK. (Poster presentation)听

Dohaney, J.听(2009).听Successful Group Work in an Introductory Mineralogy Lab Setting, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 41, No. 7, p. 92. (Poster presentation)

Jolley, A., and Lane, E. 2009. A new tool for investigating undergraduate attitudes about earth science.听Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 41(7):94. Portland, OR. (Poster presentation)听

Kennedy, B., Jones, F., Stull, R., Harris, S., Gilley, B., Frappe, T., and Wieman, C. (2008)听Maximizing Student Learning in an Introductory Level Natural Disasters Class. National Association of Geoscience teachers 鈥� Pacific Northwest Section Annual Meeting, Yakima, Washington. (Poster presentation)