EDUCATOR’S CORNER On the Art of Teaching Geology Rasoul Sorkhabi, Ph.D., CPG-11981
Dr. Rasoul Sorkhabi is a professor at the University of Utah’s Energy & Geoscience Institute, Salt Lake City. Email:
rsorkhabi@egi.utah.edu
Geology is a science; teaching geology is an art. Both need to be learned and practiced. Every one of us during his or her student years has seen professors who were great research sci- entists but poor teachers or vice versa, and also professors who had excelled in both research and teaching. Excellence in work comes from learning and experience. Excellent teachers are always remembered and respected because they have life-long impacts on our knowledge, views, and sometimes, our careers too. Geoscience education is important because it trains the next generations of geologists. This implies that the quality of geoscience education directly impacts the students’ employ- ment and work. But geoscience education is also important because it teaches the public about our how our one and only home planet functions, and about its natural environments, resources, and hazards. This public knowledge about geology is critical because informed citizens and leaders influence policy- making decisions in society. This article shares some tips and suggestions for teaching geoscience courses particularly at undergraduate levels. My intention is not to present an all- inclusive paper on the principles and practices in geoscience education but rather some points that may be interesting and important for further thought.
Advantages of Geoscience
Geoscience has certain characteristics and advantages that should be utilized in geoscience education. These points, out- lined below, are valuable assets for the teachers to tap into.
(1) Planet Earth is an interesting subject. Even though most people think of science as dry and difficult, they are
fascinated by gemstones, rocks, fossils, mountains, rivers, glaciers, seaside, clouds, and other geologic phenomena. People want to know how Earth functions, how the planet has evolved, and how minerals, rocks, mountains, oceans, etc. form. Indeed, a survey of science news stories reveal that discoveries related to geoscience are highly popular and widely covered.1 A geoscience teacher should utilize this curiosity and fascination about Earth as a valuable asset and try to enrich and deepen it.
(2) Geoscience is an integrative science. Indeed, aside from astronomy, all branches of natural science – physics,
chemistry and biology – investigate some particular aspect of Earth – its forces, matter and lifeforms.2 But geoscience specifically studies Earth as a unified planetary system. In other words, geoscience, in addition to its own methods, utilizes the principles and techniques of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to study Earth as an interlinked and holistic system. Geoscience education, to some degree, is also an education in science, and a geoscience teacher should be familiar with the other branches of science as well.
(3) Geoscience is an applied science. We study Earth in order to mitigate natural hazards, locate economic minerals
and energy resources, help solve environmental problems, and construct safe buildings, bridges and dams. Geoscience education has direct economic and safety implications for society and human life.
(4) Geoscience is a regional science. Geoscience is inti- mately related to the landscape, tectonic setting, and natu-
ral resources of the cities and environments where colleges are located. Some years ago in an article I remarked that the traditional disciplines of geology (physical, historical and applied) are mental divisions in order to manage our scientific knowledge, but when we place this knowledge in a regional context it can be better conveyed to students. In other words, geoscience teaching can be most effective if the teacher incorporates the local geology and environ- ment in the lectures on various geologic processes and concepts.3 Geologist David Goldsmith has documented that a regional case-based curriculum for introductory geology promotes student engagement and inquiry.4 He cites the Great Salt Lake, the Tibetan Plateau, Iceland, the Pacific Ocean, and East African rift basins as regional examples he used to introduce his students to the various facets of physical geology.
Balanced Approaches
A keyword in successful geoscience education in colleges and universities is “balance” – how to adopt a balanced approach to various components in geoscience teaching. These components may appear to be opposites and hence difficult to reconcile,
1. Sorkhabi, Rasoul, 2019. Good News: Earth Science is most popular with the public. The Professional Geologist, vol. 56, no. 3 (July- September), pp. 44-45.
2. Sorkhabi, Rasoul, 2016. Understanding Earth in the wider sense of science. Earth, November 2016, pp. 8-9. 3. Sorkhabi, Rasoul, 1997. A regional approach to geology education. Journal of Geological Society of India, vol. 49, no. 5, pp. 604-606. 4. Goldsmith, David W., 2011. A case-based curriculum for introductory geology. Journal of Geoscience Education, vol. 59, pp. 119-125.
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