LINKAGES TO ENGAGEMENT

At University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Christine V. EvansDept. of Geosciences

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside Department of Geosciences is a small but successful department within the smallest comprehensive university in the UW system. Formerly a more traditional “rocks and petroleum” program, the Department was on the verge of extinction in 1999. Fortunately, a farsighted Dean intervened and proposed a change of direction for the department, filling in behind retirements with new leadership and a strong environmental focus. Several strategies have been key to resuscitating the Department to its current status: increasing majors, faculty, and SCH/FTE.

First, we embraced our niche as the campus’ environmental resource, specifically offering urban or other developed settings for our focus on environmental quality.

DEPARTMENT MISSION

It is our purpose to become the central resource for earth-system Environmental science at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside,And in Kenosha and Racine counties. To this end, the Department of Geosciences will foster faculty, student, and staff involvementAnd investment in important local and regional environmental issues.

Lead contamination in older neighborhoods

Mercury deposition and cycling

Wetlands and water supply

Phytoremediation

Contaminant sorption by earth materials

REC

Root River Environmental Education and Community Center

CEDAR

Center for Environmental Education, Demonstration and Applied Research

Secondly we revamped our majors' curriculumto enable our students to learn to integrate practical technological skills and civic engagement to produce positive outcomes at both physical and social levels.

Since 2000, the Department has added seven new courses to the curriculum:

GEOS 106—Great Lakes Water Resources

GEOS 108—Dirt Appreciation

GEOS 207—Field Methods

GEOS 440—Contaminants in Terrestrial Systems

GEOS 445—Environmental Sampling, Monitoring, & Assessment

GEOS 470—Remediation Science and Technology

GEOS 496—Geoscience Applications

We also made sure our curriculum was compatible with state certification as

Professional Geologist

Professional Hydrogeologist

Professional Soil Scientist

And introduced two concentrations:

Environmental Geosciences

Earth Science

Established broader learning outcomes and goals for our students:

1.Describe the dynamic equilibria within and among earth systems in terms of the physical properties of their components

2. Evaluate current environmental issues with respect to both the underlying science and policy, and articulate a position using supportive evidence.

3. Research pertinent evidence of a given phenomenon and utilize critical thinking to discriminate among uncertainties and limitations.

4. Participate in civic initiatives as a responsible expression of science in the service of society

The Department of Geosciences has taken campus leadership

in participation in the national SENCER initiative,

which links science education and civic engagement.

The Department of Geosciences faculty is encouraged to serve on faculty-governance committees and has a long record of service and leadership in this regard.

Geosciences faculty vigorously support a certificate program in Community Based Learning, direct the campus minor in Environmental Studies, and have actively participated in campus initiatives such as First Year Experience, General Education reform, the campus' Teaching and Learning Center, and collaborative course offerings that link academic skills (math, reading, writing) courses to extra support in General Education science courses.

Our Department has become a strong and active supporter of a teacher preparation program that is undergoing important curriculum and organizational changes. Our newest faculty addition is an atmospheric chemist with significant teaching responsibility in our campus' new Liberal Arts major for elementary school teachers.

We have worked closely with the TEDU Department, and others, to develop a curriculum that will particularly foster competence and confidence in math and science. Geosciences faculty also serve as academic advisors to these students and in Spring 2008, will begin to teach core upper level courses for this program.

Finally, we have also amended and upgraded our merit review criteria so that they explicitly support faculty participation in active learning approaches in the classroom, and faculty research that is applied to issues of active regional concern, and which involves our students in the research process.

The Department of Geosciences recognizes that standard instructor evaluations are not learner-centered and will supplement these evaluations with learner-centered alternatives, recognizing that such evaluations are indirect indicators of student learning.

The Department of Geosciences will evaluate major content course instruction on the basis of collected student work from individual courses i.e., outcomes, vs. the outcomes listed in our program assessment plan. Depending on course objectives, as given in individual course syllabi, other evidence—such as standardized exams and qualitative rubrics—will be used as appropriate.

We will also value active learning very highly. Teaching that incorporates such learning—e.g., laboratory work, course projects, presentations, and “hands-on” activities will be a hallmark of the Department.

The Department of Geosciences recognizes that not every attempt to improve student learning will be effective or popular with students. We therefore give important weight to faculty attempts to improve pedagogy, even if standard instructor evaluations may be negatively affected by those efforts. We also conduct and record peer observations and use and discuss those observations within our normal departmental framework of faculty and program development.

The mission of the Department of Geosciences is to become a central resource for environmental earth-system science at the University and within the region. Consistent with this mission is to foster and reward faculty investment in local and regional environmental issues.

Thus, fundamental scientific research activities, including grant proposal and technical reports, that enhance environmental quality and quality-of-life for our communities will be given equal weight when assessing research productivity.

Furthermore, our objectives in preparing our students for professional environmental activities make it essential to provide students access to research participation, as well as opportunities to present their research.

Thus, faculty research will be considered most meritorious when results can be applied to issues of active regional concern, and when students are active participants in the research process.

Programmatic Considerations

As a small department, the Department of Geosciences must make every effort to balance assessments of individuals based on current and prospective contributions to the Department’s mission. This will require a realistic, and holistic, appraisal of individuals within a flexible context of depth and breadth that most effectively moves the Department toward its objectives. The Department of Geosciences seeks to implement quality offerings within a pedagogical context that emphasizes active learning and a learner-centered focus. This shall be the primary responsibility of each faculty member, and assessments of teaching, research, and service will all be evaluated as they contribute to this responsibility.