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LINKAGES TO
ENGAGEMENT
At University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Christine V. Evans
Dept. of Geosciences
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside Department of Geosciences
is a small but successful department
within the smallest comprehensive university in the UW system.
Formerly a more traditional “rocks and petroleum” program,
the Department was on the verge of extinction in 1999.
Fortunately, a farsighted Dean intervened and proposed
a change of direction for the department,
filling in behind retirements with new leadership
and a strong environmental focus.
Several strategies have been key to resuscitating the Department
to its current status:
increasing majors, faculty, and SCH/FTE.
First, we embraced our niche as the campus’ environmental
resource, specifically offering urban or other developed settings
for our focus on environmental quality.
DEPARTMENT MISSION
It is our purpose to become the central resource for earth-system
Environmental science at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside,
And in Kenosha and Racine counties. To this end, the Department of
Geosciences will foster faculty, student, and staff involvement
And investment in important local and regional environmental issues.
Lead contamination in older neighborhoods
Mercury deposition and cycling
Wetlands and water supply
Phytoremediation
Contaminant sorption by earth materials
REC
Root River Environmental Education and Community Center
CEDAR
Center for Environmental Education, Demonstration and Applied
Research
Secondly we revamped our majors' curriculum
to enable our students to learn to integrate
practical technological skills
and civic engagement
to produce positive outcomes at both physical and
social levels.
Since 2000, the Department has added seven new
courses to the curriculum:
GEOS 106—Great Lakes Water Resources
GEOS 108—Dirt Appreciation
GEOS 207—Field Methods
GEOS 440—Contaminants in Terrestrial Systems
GEOS 445—Environmental Sampling, Monitoring, &
Assessment
GEOS 470—Remediation Science and Technology
GEOS 496—Geoscience Applications
We also made sure our curriculum was compatible with state
certification as
Professional Geologist
Professional Hydrogeologist
Professional Soil Scientist
And introduced two concentrations:
Environmental Geosciences
Earth Science
Established broader learning outcomes and goals for our
students:
1.Describe the dynamic equilibria within and among earth systems
in terms of the physical properties of their components
2. Evaluate current environmental issues with respect to both the
underlying science and policy, and articulate a position using
supportive evidence.
3. Research pertinent evidence of a given phenomenon and utilize
critical thinking to discriminate among uncertainties and
limitations.
4. Participate in civic initiatives as a responsible expression of
science in the service of society
The Department of Geosciences has taken campus leadership
in participation in the national SENCER initiative,
which links science education and civic engagement.
The Department of Geosciences faculty is encouraged to serve
on faculty-governance committees and has a long record of
service and leadership in this regard.
Geosciences faculty vigorously support a certificate program in
Community Based Learning, direct the campus minor in
Environmental Studies, and have actively participated in campus
initiatives such as First Year Experience, General Education
reform, the campus' Teaching and Learning Center, and
collaborative course offerings that link academic skills (math,
reading, writing) courses to extra support in General Education
science courses.
Our Department has become a strong and active supporter of a
teacher preparation program that is undergoing important
curriculum and organizational changes. Our newest faculty
addition is an atmospheric chemist with significant teaching
responsibility in our campus' new Liberal Arts major for
elementary school teachers.
We have worked closely with the TEDU Department, and others, to
develop a curriculum that will particularly foster competence and
confidence in math and science. Geosciences faculty also serve
as academic advisors to these students and in Spring 2008, will
begin to teach core upper level courses for this program.
Finally, we have also amended and upgraded our merit review
criteria so that they explicitly support faculty participation in
active learning approaches in the classroom, and faculty research
that is applied to issues of active regional concern, and which
involves our students in the research process.
The Department of Geosciences recognizes that standard
instructor evaluations are not learner-centered and will
supplement these evaluations with learner-centered
alternatives, recognizing that such evaluations are indirect
indicators of student learning.
The Department of Geosciences will evaluate major content
course instruction on the basis of collected student work from
individual courses i.e., outcomes, vs. the outcomes listed in our
program assessment plan. Depending on course objectives, as
given in individual course syllabi, other evidence—such as
standardized exams and qualitative rubrics—will be used as
appropriate.
We will also value active learning very highly. Teaching that
incorporates such learning—e.g., laboratory work, course
projects, presentations, and “hands-on” activities will be a
hallmark of the Department.
The Department of Geosciences recognizes that not every
attempt to improve student learning will be effective or popular
with students. We therefore give important weight to faculty
attempts to improve pedagogy, even if standard instructor
evaluations may be negatively affected by those efforts. We also
conduct and record peer observations and use and discuss those
observations within our normal departmental framework of
faculty and program development.
The mission of the Department of Geosciences is to become a
central resource for environmental earth-system science at
the University and within the region. Consistent with this
mission is to foster and reward faculty investment in local and
regional environmental issues.
Thus, fundamental scientific research activities, including
grant proposal and technical reports, that enhance
environmental quality and quality-of-life for our communities
will be given equal weight when assessing research
productivity.
Furthermore, our objectives in preparing our students for
professional environmental activities make it essential to
provide students access to research participation, as well as
opportunities to present their research.
Thus, faculty research will be considered most meritorious
when results can be applied to issues of active regional
concern, and when students are active
participants
in the research process.
Programmatic Considerations
As a small department, the Department of Geosciences must
make every effort to balance assessments of individuals based on
current and prospective contributions to the Department’s
mission. This will require a realistic, and holistic, appraisal of
individuals within a flexible context of depth and breadth that
most effectively moves the Department toward its objectives. The
Department of Geosciences seeks to implement quality offerings
within a pedagogical context that emphasizes active learning and
a learner-centered focus. This shall be the primary responsibility
of each faculty member, and assessments of teaching, research,
and service will all be evaluated as they contribute to this
responsibility.