Undergraduate geoscience education research: Evolution of an emerging field of discipline‐based education research

Abstract

Discipline‐based education research (DBER) conducted by faculty within geoscience departments can address identified needs in undergraduate geoscience education. This study explores the evolution of undergraduate geoscience education research (GER) from 1985 to 2016, primarily in terms of the types of published research and secondarily in terms of the insights this literature offers on the evolution of GER as a scholarly discipline. Stokes’ (1997) quadrant model of research types is used as a theoretical framework for the former and Kuhn's (1970) model of disciplinary paradigm for the latter. An exploratory sequential mixed‐methods approach to a systematic literature review of 1,760 articles is utilized. The period 1985–2000 is characterized by proto‐research as evidenced by the abundance of instructive and informational education articles rather than research articles. From 2000 to 2011, GER underwent a growth period characterized by the presence of applied, use‐inspired, and pure basic research. The period 2011–2016 appears to be a period of relative steady‐state conditions in the normalized number of GER publications per year. Existing gaps in knowledge about geoscience education, the evident unfamiliarity with education and social science research methodologies among authors of GER articles, and efforts to build consensus about what GER is and how to conduct it suggest that GER is preparadigmatic or at a low paradigm state. That is, GER is an immature discipline as far as the evolution of a discipline goes. A path forward is proposed for the continued evolutionary growth of GER. This study provides new perspectives on the emergence of GER as a discipline that can be used as a basis for studies on cross‐disciplinary DBER comparisons.

Two-Year College Students Report Multiple Benefits From Participation in an Integrated Geoscience Research, Coursework, and Outreach Internship Program

“…Undergraduate research participation has shown many academic, social, and career benefits for students (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics et al, 2017), particularly in geoscience (Arthurs, 2019) and for underrepresented students in STEM (Carpi et al, 2017). Undergraduate research experiences successfully influence career choice (Harrison et al, 2011), promote STEM identity among URMs, introduce nonmajors to geoscience (Kortz & van der Hoeven Kraft, 2016), and support transfer for two-year college students to universities (Higgins et al, 2011).…”

Using an engagement lens to model active learning in the geosciences

“…These provide illustrative examples of studies in Region 7 of Figure 1 with overlapping cognitive and emotional engagement dimensions. Other types of models, including computational models (Bice, 2001(Bice, , 2006Kirchner et al, 2018), demonstrations (Arthurs, 2019), and classroom experiments (Coştu et al, 2010;Soja, 1999), are similarly used in geoscience classrooms to increase cognitive engagement. Luo et al (2016) demonstrated a large effect size of 1.06 (Cohen's d) using a simulation for teaching landform development and evolution with a group of college students in a physical geography lab.…”

“…Geoscience Education Research (GER) is a nascent community of practice (Arthurs, 2019;Lukes et al, 2015) relative to other discipline-based education research (DBER) fields (National Research Council, 2012). Nevertheless, the community is highly engaged in active learning in the classroom (Egger, 2019, Mosher & Keane, 2021.…”

A Resource for Understanding and Evaluating Outcomes of Undergraduate Field Experiences

“…Affective outcomes could include: a newfound interest in a subject, such as conservation; motivation to continue seeking out field learning experiences; or, development of a connection to place (Boyle et al 2007, Simm and Marvell 2015, Jolley et al 2018a. Outcomes in the psychomotor domain could include: the improved ability to geolocate, collect and measure sediment in a lake with the appropriate instrumentation and accuracy, or use established methodology to sample stream invertebrates (Arthurs 2019, Scott et al 2012). In addition to considering these three fundamental learning domains, UFEs may promote student outcomes that span domains and enter the social realm, such as developing communication skills (Bell and Anscombe 2013), building friendships and collaborations Boyle 2009, Jolley et al 2019), and/or developing a sense of belonging in a discipline (Kortz et al 2020, Malm et al 2020, O'Brien et al 2020.…”