ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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To our Earth science-oriented colleagues:
We invite and encourage you to consider submitting an abstract for the
topical session "Innovation, evaluation, and best practices in informal
geoscience education" at the national Geological Society of America meeting
October 16th to 19th in Salt Lake City.
Go to http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2005/techProg.htm to submit an
abstract and go to http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2005/reg.htm to
register for the meeting. Abstract deadlines are July 12th.
If you have any questions about the session, please feel free to contact me
at [log in to unmask] or 607 273 6623 x18.
Sincerely,
Rob Ross
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Topical session T97.
Title: Innovation, evaluation, and best practices in informal geoscience
education
Sponsored by: National Association of Geoscience Teachers; GSA Geoscience
Education Division; Association of Earth Science Editors
Conveners: Robert M. Ross, Warren D. Allmon
This symposium will feature models of best practices in informal geoscience
education, including for example innovative approaches, techniques for
evaluation, and creation of partnerships with formal education. In
convening and promoting this session, we hope to raise awareness of the
extraordinary significance of informal geoscience education, of the
opportunities that exist, and of the need to raise standards in the field.
Informal education - from museums to television to outreach activities (to
name but a few) -- reaches much of the American public every year, and is
in principle an ideal venue from which to educate the public about critical
issues in Earth system education. The urgency of global change, crises
associated with natural resources and natural hazards, and the significance
of new ways of thinking about how the Earth works make effective informal
science education an especially important tool for fostering an Earth
science literate public. Though national efforts exist to reform formal
Earth science education, no efforts currently exist to systematically raise
the standards of informal Earth system education, or to compile examples of
effective models. Attempts to foster interactions and cross-fertilization
between informal and formal education have not reached nearly their full
potential. And researchers who must satisfy education and outreach
requirements associated with research programs might greatly improve the
impact of their outreach with effective models if such models they were
readily available.
Speakers in this session will contribute to improvement of informal
geoscience education through presentations on new and more effective ways
to encourage lifelong learning in Earth system science. Examples of
appropriate presentations include (but are not limited to) special events
for the public, application of tested classroom approaches to outreach, use
of popular media as outreach tools, and new forms of interactive
exhibits. We especially encourage presentations that evaluate sustained
impact, e.g., upon learning or upon affective variables such as improving
attitude toward science and increased interest in pursuing other
opportunities for informal geoscience education. Presenters are welcome to
present completed work, work in progress, or visionary ideas on reform in
informal geoscience education.
Robert M. Ross
Director of Education
Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution
1259 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
Ph: (607) 273-6623, Ext.18
Fax: (607) 273-6620
Email: [log in to unmask]
Visit us on the Web at: www.museumoftheearth.org and at www.priweb.org.
The Museum of the Earth is part of Ithaca's Discovery Trail. Learn more at
www.discoverytrail.net.
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