A set of brief worksheets designed to be completed by students working alone or in groups, Lecture Tutorials in Introductory Geoscience engage students in the learning process and make abstract concepts real. Through the use of effective questioning, step-by-step learning, and a progression of simple-to-complex visuals, Lecture Tutorials help students construct correct scientific ideas about often-difficult topics, while dispelling common misconceptions. Research based on extensive classroom use shows that Lecture Tutorials increase student learning more than just a lecture alone.
Get actively involved in the practical application of earth science concepts as you learn to navigate common pitfalls and misconceptions related to content from any introductory earth science course with Lecture Tutorials in Earth Science.
This Physical Geology textbook uses cutting edge research to guide the creation of carefully structured pages that cover topics commonly taught in introductory physical geology courses. The book is focused around images and emphasizes the key concepts Research (e.g. Mayer, 2003) indicates that students learn more deeply: - when extraneous material is excluded rather than included, - from words and pictures than from words alone, - when printed words are placed near rather than far from corresponding pictures, and - when words are presented in conversational rather than formal style. Most traditional geoscience textbooks do not address this research. Although geoscience textbooks are image-rich, the text is often separate from figures, generally with a note in the text referring the student to look at the image. Research indicates that many students just glance at the images or ignore them altogether, resulting in a less productive learning experience than intended by the authors. Also, most textbooks, even "essentials" versions, tend to have more information than an introductory student can learn in a semester, and the students, therefore, have a difficult time distilling the key concepts from the details. Images play an integral role in the textbook. There are no long blocks of text to read, but, instead, most information is presented incorporated in or around figures. Students therefore examine the images, integrating text and figures, which results in a deeper learning experience. Concepts are represented in multiple ways (photographs, written descriptions, detailed drawings, sketches, graphs, analogies, etc.) to maximize student learning. Because research indicates that students have a difficult time pulling out the key points from images, many of the images in this book are simple, without too many realistic-but-distracting details. Many of the photographs are accompanied by a simplified sketch of the same area illustrating the important geological features shown. The process of comparing two images presenting the same information in different ways (e.g. a photograph and a sketch) directs students to observe the important features and requires students to integrate those two images, strengthening their learning. Simple language is used when writing, and non-essential vocabulary words are omitted, so students will not focus on memorizing definitions without understanding the concepts. The book has a more conversational style than many current textbooks. This textbook presents the key concepts in geoscience without additional distracting details. As a result, this book is shorter than other books currently on the market. The concise nature of the book encourages students to read it. Because it emphasizes the key concepts, students have a better understanding of the fundamentals and will come to class more prepared. Therefore, instructors will be able to cover additional information in class, because the fundamentals are already understood by the students. The themes in the book are plate tectonics, water cycle, rock cycle and how geology and people affect each other. These are concepts that are key in understanding geoology and learning why it is relevant in today's society. These three themes are emphasized, and individual topics are related back to the overarching themes.
Geology is everywhere in our daily lives. We are surrounded by materials and resources extracted from the Earth, our climate is changing at alarming rates, and hazards due to Earth’s processes are leading to major catastrophes. We will be reliant upon a population of informed citizens to make and vote for policies that protect our Earth, and change that will keep our planet habitable. Therefore, understanding our Earth has never been more important. Understanding Earth leads the way by fully integrating the study of climate science into the core intro geology curriculum. Through strategic placement of the climate science chapters at the beginning of the geomorphology content, we offer a text that places our changing climate as a key force shaping the rest of our discussion on Earth’s surficial processes.
Developed by three experts to coincide with geology lab kits, this laboratory manual provides a clear and cohesive introduction to the field of geology. Introductory Geology is designed to ease new students into the often complex topics of physical geology and the study of our planet and its makeup. This text introduces readers to the various uses of the scientific method in geological terms. Readers will encounter a comprehensive yet straightforward style and flow as they journey through this text. They will understand the various spheres of geology and begin to master geological outcomes which derive from a growing knowledge of the tools and subjects which this text covers in great detail.
“Since K–12 students taught using the new [Next Generation Science Standards]will be arriving in college classrooms prepared in a different way from those in our classrooms currently, it would behoove college teachers to be prepared to alter their teaching methods ... or be perceived to be dinosaurs using the older teaching methods.” — From Exemplary College Science Teaching If you’re looking for inspiration to alter your teaching methods to match new standards and new times, this book is for you. As the first in the Exemplary Science series to focus exclusively on college science teaching, this book offers 16 examples of college teaching that builds on what students learned in high school. Understanding that college does not exist in a vacuum, the chapter authors demonstrate how to adapt the methods and frameworks under which secondary students have been working and make them their own for the college classroom, adding new technologies when appropriate and letting the students take an active role in their learning. Among the innovative topics and techniques the essays in this book explore are • Lecture-free college science teaching • Peer-led study groups as learning communities • Jigsaw techniques that enhance learning • Inquiry incorporated into large-group settings • Interactive video conferences for assessing student attitudes and behaviors The clichéd image of the professor droning on before a packed lecture hall is a thing of the past. The essays in this book explain why—and offer the promise of a better future.
Advances in Geophysics, Volume 61 - Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Geosciences, the latest release in this highly-respected publication in the field of geophysics, contains new chapters on a variety of topics, including a historical review on the development of machine learning, machine learning to investigate fault rupture on various scales, a review on machine learning techniques to describe fractured media, signal augmentation to improve the generalization of deep neural networks, deep generator priors for Bayesian seismic inversion, as well as a review on homogenization for seismology, and more. - Provides high-level reviews of the latest innovations in geophysics - Written by recognized experts in the field - Presents an essential publication for researchers in all fields of geophysics
