Geoscience education

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Also known as Earth science education, It is the study of Earth's physical features, processes, and systems, as well as the natural and human-induced events that shape it. It encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including geology, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, environmental science, and more. Geoscience education plays a crucial role in fostering scientific literacy, environmental awareness, and sustainable development, as well as in preparing future generations of geoscientists, policymakers, educators, and citizens. It is also a branch of science education.

Contents

The journals on this subject are the Journal of Geoscience education [1] and the Journal of Astronomy and Earth Science Education.

Geoscience Education Resources and Institutions

In addition to traditional classroom education, there are many resources and institutions available for geoscience education worldwide. These resources include museums, institutions, and research groups, all of which can provide learning opportunities for students of all ages.

One notable institution is the Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre in Canada. This museum offers a range of exhibits and interactive displays that explore the geological and cultural history of the Canadian Rockies. Visitors can explore local geology and learn about the area's mining heritage, as well as delve into the stories of the people who have lived in the region over the centuries.

Another prominent institution is the Geoscience Australia Education Centre in Australia. This centre offers a range of resources for students and educators, including online tools and interactive exhibits that cover topics such as geology, mineral resources, and natural hazards. The centre also hosts educational programs for students of all ages, including hands-on workshops, guided tours, and outreach activities to schools and community groups. [2]

Other notable institutions for geoscience education include the American Museum of Natural History in the United States, the Geological Survey of Canada, and the British Geological Survey in the United Kingdom. With such a wide range of resources and institutions available worldwide, students of all ages can explore the fascinating world of geoscience and deepen their understanding of the Earth and its processes.

Geoscience Education Research Groups have been established around the world to address the challenges facing geoscience education and to improve the effectiveness of teaching methods. These groups bring together geoscientists, educators, and researchers to explore how to engage and motivate students to learn about the Earth and its complex systems. They conduct research to identify best practices in geoscience education, develop innovative teaching methods and materials, and evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches. These groups are supported by national and international geoscience organizations and have made significant contributions to advancing the field of geoscience education. The University of South Carolina's research groups at the Geoscience Department, for example, investigates new geoscience teaching methods and curricula, [3] while the University of Canterbury's Geoscience Education research group focuses on geoscience education in the context of sustainability and climate change.

Additionally, the Commission on Geoscience Education of IUGS (COGE), the International Geoscience Education Organisation (IGEO) and the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Geoscience Education Research Working Group also aims to expand the visibility of geoscience education research in the global Geoscience community by supporting geoscience education research and related initiatives. [4] [5]

Importance of Geoscience Education and future Directions

Geoscience education is a crucial component of understanding our planet and its complex systems. Educating young people about the diverse career opportunities and providing them with resources on geoscience is essential to sustain the industry and support the transition within the workforce. [6] In this regard, some organizations such as the Australian Geosciences Council regularly publish reports on the state of Geoscience Education worldwide. [7] Additionally, the Wuhan Consensus [8] is an initiative that emphasizes the importance of promoting the habitability of the Earth through education, in response to increasing threats to the planet caused by climate change, environmental pollution, and ecological damage. The Consensus advocates for a renewed perception and definition of humanity's role in the world, calling for concerted actions from global universities, research institutions, primary and secondary schools, and all sectors of society to implement the new geoscience education and promote harmonious co-existence between man and nature. As such, the future of Geoscience education [9] must focus on preparing the next generation of geoscientists, policymakers, educators, and citizens to address the pressing environmental challenges facing the world today.

Challenges faced by Geoscience educators worldwide

One of the biggest challenges is raising awareness of the importance of geoscience education. While the majority of countries have compulsory geoscience education in their curricula, more efforts are needed to increase the availability of optional geoscience courses, particularly for students aged 16-18. [10]

Another challenge is the lack of support from national and international geoscience organizations, which could improve geoscience education. Increased funding and infrastructure are also necessary to provide students with necessary resources and tools to succeed in geoscience education. Continued efforts are necessary to promote geoscience education and increase its accessibility, resources, and funding to prepare the next generation of geoscientists to address the environmental challenges facing the world today.

Related Research Articles

The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is one of the world's largest professional geological societies with more than 40,000 members across 129 countries as of 2021. The AAPG works to "advance the science of geology, especially as it relates to petroleum, natural gas, other subsurface fluids, and mineral resources; to promote the technology of exploring for, finding, and producing these materials in an economically and environmentally sound manner; and to advance the professional well-being of its members." The AAPG was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma; currently almost one-third of its members live outside the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Geophysical Union</span> Nonprofit organization of geophysicists

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of Earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary scientists and enthusiasts that according to their website includes 130,000 people. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international fields within the Earth and space sciences. The geophysical sciences involve four fundamental areas: atmospheric and ocean sciences; solid-Earth sciences; hydrologic sciences; and space sciences. The organization's headquarters is located on Florida Avenue in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Society of Exploration Geophysicists</span> Nonprofit geoscience organization

The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) is a learned society dedicated to promoting the science and education of exploration geophysics in particular and geophysics in general. The Society fosters the expert and ethical practice of geophysics in the exploration and development of natural resources, in characterizing the near-surface, and in mitigating earth hazards. As of November 2019, SEG has more than 14,000 members working in more than 114 countries. SEG was founded in 1930 in Houston, Texas but its business office has been headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma since the mid-1940s. While most SEG members are involved in exploration for petroleum, SEG members also are involved in application of geophysics methods to mineral exploration as well as environmental and engineering problems, archaeology, and other scientific endeavors. SEG publishes The Leading Edge (TLE), a monthly professional magazine, Geophysics, a peer-reviewed archival publication, and Interpretation, a peer-reviewed journal co-published by SEG and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Union of Geological Sciences</span>

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)</span> University in Wuhan, China

The China University of Geosciences is a key national university directly under the administration of the Education Ministry of the People's Republic of China. It is located in Wuhan, the capital of Central China's Hubei Province. It is a Chinese state Double First Class University Plan university identified by the Ministry of Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China Geological Survey</span>

The China Geological Survey (CGS) (Chinese: 中国地质调查局) is a government-owned, not-for-profit, Chinese organization researching China's mineral resources. It is a public institution managed by the State Council's ministries and commissions responsible for geological and mineral exploration under the State Council of the People's Republic of China. According to the national land and resources survey plan, it is now managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources. It is the largest Geoscience agency in China since being reinstated in 1999, and the headquarter is in Beijing, the capital of China.

Ethnogeology is the study of how geological features are understood by indigenous communities around the globe from a "place-based" perspective, in specific reference to traditional knowledge and to the stories and ideas about the Earth that were passed down through traditions and the wisdom of elders. The focus in past research tended to be on the unique ideas and knowledge of minorities and distinct cultural groups, and how this relates to universal and cross cultural knowledge discovered by humanity as a whole. Knowledge claims that are based more on universal discoveries and natural science can be found in the subjects of philosophy, chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and geology. The term "ethnogeology" first enters the geological literature through the work of John Murray of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada in the mid-1990s by virtue of his studies of the Northern Cree First Nation geological worldviews in the Province of Manitoba in Canada. At that time, a cadre of geologists and geoscience educators - particularly Dr. Steven Semken of Navajo Community College in Shiprock, New Mexico and colleagues - were examining the interesting connections among Native American traditional knowledge, geoscience concepts, and the unique vision of planet Earth's history as articulated by indigenous ethnogeological wisdom.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2008 as the International Year of Planet Earth to increase awareness of the importance of Earth sciences for the advancement of sustainable development. UNESCO was designated as the lead agency. The Year's activities spanned the three years 2006–2009.

The year 2006 was declared the International Year of Deserts and Desertification by the United Nations General Assembly. The Year aims to raise $20 million from industry and governments and will spend half on co-funding research, and half on "outreach" activities. It will be the biggest ever international effort to promote the Earth sciences. Apart from researchers, who are expected to benefit under the Year's Science Programme, the principal target groups for the Year's broader messages are:

Iain Simpson Stewart is a Scottish geologist who is currently Jordan-UK El Hassan bin Talal Research Chair in Sustainability at the Royal Scientific Society in Jordan. He is a UNESCO Chair in Geoscience and Society and formerly a member of the Scientific Board of UNESCO's International Geoscience Programme. Described as geology's "rock star", Stewart is best known to the public as the presenter of a number of science programmes for the BBC, notably the BAFTA nominated Earth: The Power of the Planet (2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers</span>

The European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE) is a professional organization for geoscientists and engineers, established in 1951 with a worldwide membership. The association provides a platform for professionals in geophysics, petroleum exploration, geology, reservoir engineering, mining, civil engineering, digitalization and energy transition to exchange ideas and information. EAGE operates two divisions: the Oil & Gas Geoscience Division and the Near Surface Geoscience Division.

Sharon Mosher is an American geologist. She did her undergraduate work at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After earning an MSc from Brown University, she returned to the University of Illinois to get her PhD in Geology in 1978. Since 2001 she has held the William Stamps Farish Chair at University of Texas, and, since 2009 she has served as the dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at Texas. In 2013 she became the president of the American Geosciences Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China University of Geosciences (Beijing)</span> University in Beijing, China

The China University of Geosciences (Beijing) (Chinese: 中国地质大学(北京); abbreviated CUGB or 北京地大) is a public research university located in Haidian District in Beijing. It is a key national university of China and a Double First Class university listed by the Chinese Ministry of Education. The university is under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education and also holds a partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estella Atekwana</span> American geophysicist

Estella Atekwana is a geophysicist studying biogeophysics and tectonophysics. She is currently Dean of the College of Letters and Science at University of California, Davis. She previously served as Dean of the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment at the University of Delaware. She is also an adjunct professor at both the University of Waterloo and the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Before joining the University of Delaware in 2017, she was the Department Head of the Boone Pickens School of Geology at Oklahoma State University. She is a Regents Distinguished Professor and a Clyde Wheeler Sun Endowed Chair at Oklahoma State University, where she maintains an adjunct appointment. Atekwana has also been a faculty member at Missouri University of Science & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and Western Michigan University.

Marilyn J. Suiter is a geologist whose professional career has spanned teaching, working the oil and gas industry and public services. In her leadership roles at both the American Geosciences Institute and the National Science Foundation, Suiter has worked over decades to increase the ethnic diversity of the geosciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geological engineering</span>

Geological engineering is a discipline of engineering concerned with the application of geological science and engineering principles to fields, such as civil engineering, mining, environmental engineering, and forestry, among others. The work of geological engineers often directs or supports the work of other engineering disciplines such as assessing the suitability of locations for civil engineering, environmental engineering, mining operations, and oil and gas projects by conducting geological, geoenvironmental, geophysical, and geotechnical studies. They are involved with impact studies for facilities and operations that affect surface and subsurface environments. The engineering design input and other recommendations made by geological engineers on these projects will often have a large impact on construction and operations. Geological engineers plan, design, and implement geotechnical, geological, geophysical, hydrogeological, and environmental data acquisition. This ranges from manual ground-based methods to deep drilling, to geochemical sampling, to advanced geophysical techniques and satellite surveying. Geological engineers are also concerned with the analysis of past and future ground behaviour, mapping at all scales, and ground characterization programs for specific engineering requirements. These analyses lead geological engineers to make recommendations and prepare reports which could have major effects on the foundations of construction, mining, and civil engineering projects. Some examples of projects include rock excavation, building foundation consolidation, pressure grouting, hydraulic channel erosion control, slope and fill stabilization, landslide risk assessment, groundwater monitoring, and assessment and remediation of contamination. In addition, geological engineers are included on design teams that develop solutions to surface hazards, groundwater remediation, underground and surface excavation projects, and resource management. Like mining engineers, geological engineers also conduct resource exploration campaigns, mine evaluation and feasibility assessments, and contribute to the ongoing efficiency, sustainability, and safety of active mining projects

Kim Anne Kastens is an American geophysicist who is a professor at the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. She was awarded the American Geophysical Union Excellence in Earth and Space Science Education Award in 2009 and elected Fellow in 2021.

The International Geoscience Education Organisation (IGEO) is an international non-governmental organization aimed to promote the improvement of the quality of geoscience education worldwide.

The Commission for Geoscience Education, Training, and Technology Transfer, mostly known as the Commission on Geoscience Education is a global organization operating under the International Union of Geological Sciences. It focuses on advancing geoscience education and promoting the transfer of knowledge and technology in this field on a global scale.

References

  1. ↑ "Journal of Geoscience Education". Research Journal: JGE. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  2. ↑ Australia, c\=AU\;o\=Australia Government\;ou\=Geoscience (2021-11-01). "Visit our Education Centre". www.ga.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  3. ↑ "Geoscience Education Research - School of the Earth, Ocean & Environment | University of South Carolina". sc.edu. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  4. ↑ "Geoscience Education Research Working Group - education". connect.agu.org. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  5. ↑ "IUGS – Commission on Geoscience Education" . Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  6. ↑ Fischer, Melissa A. Burt, Rebecca T. Barnes, Sarah Schanz, Sandra Clinton, Emily V. (2023-01-26). "Mentorship Builds Inclusivity and Belonging in the Geosciences". Eos. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  7. ↑ "Australian Geoscience Council Inc. - Australian Tertiary Geoscience Education Profile". www.agc.org.au. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  8. ↑ Geosciences (Wuhan), China University of. "Wuhan Consensus: An Initiative for a New Geoscience Education was released". www.prnewswire.com (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  9. ↑ StaffWriter (31 January 2023). "Mning.org".
  10. ↑ King, Chris (2013-03-01). "Geoscience education across the globe – results of the IUGS-COGE/IGEO survey". Episodes Journal of International Geoscience. 36 (1): 19–30. doi: 10.18814/epiiugs/2013/v36i1/004 .
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