Ph.D., Marine Geology and Geophysics, University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, Miami, Florida (1998)
..........Dissertation: A Late Cenozoic Mixed Carbonate/Siliciclastic System, South Florida: Lithostratigraphy, Chronostratigraphy, and Sea-Level Record
B.A., Geology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (1992)
..........Oceanography field program, Wallops Island Field Station, VA (Summer 1990)
..........Boston University Marine Program, Woods Hole, MA (Fall semester, 1990)
2007-present: Associate Professor, Penn State Brandywine (formerly Delaware County) (PA)
2001-2007: Assistant Professor, Penn State Delaware County (PA)
2000-2001: Professional Academic Advisor, University of Colorado at Boulder (CO)
1998-2000: Senior Lecturer, Mary Washington College (VA)
1992-1996: Teaching Assistant, University of Miami (FL)
1992: Teaching Assistant, Bucknell University (PA)
2009 - Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, Penn State Brandywine (first award winner)
2008 - Club Adviser of the Year (for THON), Penn State Brandywine
2006 - George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching, Pennsylvania State University
(university-wide teaching award)
2006 - Club Adviser of the Year (for THON and MADE), Penn State Brandywine
2006 - Student Government Association: Most Involved on Campus, Penn State Brandywine
2005-2006 - Fellow in Dutton e-Education Institute, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences,
Pennsylvania State University
2005 - Award for Teaching Excellence, Penn State Commonwealth College (college-level award)
2004 - Woman of the Year, Penn State Brandywine Women's Commission
2002 - Student Government Association Outstanding Service Award, Penn State Brandywine
2004 - Delaware County Heritage Society Award for "Tombstones and Spirits"
2003 - Nominated and selected as part of Project Kaleidoscope's Faculty for the 21st Century
Network (PKAL-F21)
2000 - Outstanding Faculty Member, Mary Washington College
1997 - Merit Award, American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
1997 - Graduate Dean Fellowship, University of Miami
1997 - TEXACO fellowship for outstanding doctoral dissertation research
1995 - Outstanding Student Paper Award, Geology & Hydrology Section, Florida Academy of
Sciences Annual Meeting
1993 - SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) SED (Student Excellence and Development)
award, presented to an outstanding graduate student in sedimentary geoscience
In this three-week summer course, students completed several hands-on investigative projects. Research projects included measuring CO2 changes indoor, urban heat-island effects, changes in water properties downstream, and creating a profile map of the campus.
The honors version of EARTH 100 ties in with the themes of climate change, energy and biodiversity. Students use Digital Commons technology to create audio walking tours of Pennsylvania biodiversity in a local state park and a virtual tour of the Solar Decathlon competition.Syllabus from offering in Summer 2005 (PDF file)
Syllabus from honors offering in Fall 2007 (PDF file)
In this unique hybrid course, students learn the science behind natural disasters and how disasters are portrayed in the media. Students work with real data sets for critical thinking and analysis. Learning of much of the science content is accomplished through virtual lectures and on-line exercises. Students explore case studies of classic disasters in the past and present relating to hurricanes, tsunami, volcanoes, earthquakes, flooding, and climate change.
The honors version of EARTH 101 focuses specifically on coastal disasters and hazards. Topics covered included hurricanes, tsunamis, oil spills, barrier island migration, harmful algal blooms, shark attacks, etc. To further investigate the impact of artificial structures on shoreline erosion, the class took a trip to Ocean City, MD, and Assateague National Seashore, VA. The students had a private tour by a National Park Ranger. Students then held an open forum on campus to discuss the coastal conflict between MD and VA.
Syllabus from offering in Fall 2006 (PDF file)
Syllabus from honors offering in Fall 2002 (PDF file)
This course is offered online through Penn State's eLearning Cooperative.
Significant natural features of Africa as related to human endeavor; case studies include the Nile, climate change, natural resources. Selected topics include conservation efforts of the animals in the wild in Africa, environment and health, and groundwater and archaeology concerns.
In Fall 2004, I taught an on-campus version for the honors program. Honors students conducted the Leaf Pack experiment in the stream that runs through campus. They compared their results to ones obtained by a school in Kenya and shared their results with a school in Trinidad. Students toured the Stroud Environmental Research Center, organizers of the Leaf Pack network.
Syllabus from online offering in Spring 2008 (PDF file)
This course covers dinosaurs and what Earth was like during the Mesozoic Era. Students gain insight into the origin and classification of dinosaurs. "Hot topics” covered include the warm blooded/cold blooded debate, the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs, dinosaur trace fossils, the legalities and ethics of selling fossils, the T. rex named Sue, and dinosaur biology and behavior. Attention is also given to the important role the early dinosaur paleontologists played and their international discoveries, as well as what it takes to excavate a dinosaur. The course ends with an examination of how dinosaurs have been portrayed in the media – accurately and erroneously.Syllabus from offering in Fall 2007 (PDF file)
This course is an exploration of the physical Earth and its processes through plate tectonics, rocks and minerals, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. Students do group work and individual research projects that scaffold their skills with the scientific method. Palm Pilots are used during lecture, laboratory, and field activities. Unique field and laboratory exercises I developed include rock identification at a shopping mall, tombstone weathering rates, streamflow discharge rates with U.S. Geological Survey data, and a simulation of an emergency earthquake reporting center.Syllabus from offering in Spring 2007 (PDF file)
This
course examines the geological/biological 4.6 billion year history
of our planet. Topics include fossils, dinosaurs, the paleo-movement
of plates, the Ice Ages, La Brea Tar Pits, etc. Class activities
include the use of Palm Pilots. Each week, students respond to
web-based questions pertaining to course material to engage themselves
in the content outside of class and to prepare for in-class active
learning with the Just-in-Time Teaching pedagogical method.
In the honors version of GEOSC 021 in Fall 2003, topics covered included dinosaur extinction, the warm-blooded/cold-blooded debate, logistics of a field expedition, etc. I arranged a fieldtrip to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History for the students to receive a private tour of the dinosaur hall and collections by one of the museum's dinosaur paleontologists. Students designed a dinosaur badge day for the Junior Girl Scouts to come to campus and complete the Science in Everyday Life badge. The students co-authored a paper with myself on the Junior Girl Scout project that has been published in the Journal of Science Education and Technology.
The Spring 2006 honors version of the course Included modern-day biodiversity issues, especially the topic of elephants in captivity. The Philadelphia Zoo is currently considering shutting down their elephant exhibit. I arranged a videoconference with The Elelphant Sanctuary in Tennessee, a tour of the Philadelphia Zoo, and a classroom visit by the director of the organization Help Philly Zoo Elephants. Students designed a program for 7th-grade girls that came to campus to learn about elephants in captivity and in the wild, and to overall encourage girls to pursue a career in science.
Syllabus from offering in Spring 2004 (PDF file)
Syllabus from honors offering in Spring 2006 (PDF file)
This general oceanography course that examines the beaches to the deepest depths of the ocean. Areas of focus include the formation of waves, tides, and the current state of oceanographic exploration. Students are required to go on a fieldtrip to Cape Henlopen State Park, DE, to research the spatial and temporal distribution of beach profiles.Syllabus from offering in Spring 2004 (PDF file)
Fall 2006 - Environmental Sustainability and Community Service.
This one-credit seminar focuses on developing student skills in researching scientific information, learning about current scientific events, and collecting information relating to the theme of sustainability of global resources. The course focused on the information presented in Jane Goodall's book "Harvest for Hope." For a service project, students organized a food drive on campus and volunteered at Philabundance.
Fall 2005 - African human/environment interactions: The man-eating lions of Tsavo. This one-credit seminar focuses on developing student skills in researching scientific information, learning about current scientific events, and collecting information relating to the theme human/environment interactions on the African continent. The course focused on a case study of the man-eating lions of Tsavo and the current environmental situation in Kenya. For a service project, students wrote letters and created educational kits for an orphanage in Africa.
Fall 2003, 2004 - Diamonds. The seminar focuses on developing student skills in researching scientific information, learning about current scientific events, and collecting information relating to the theme of diamonds. The final class project is designed by the students and utilizes the scientific method. In Fall 2003, the students did a survey on campus and of jewelers about conflict diamonds and gave a presentation of their results to the campus community. The Fall 2004 seminar focused on humans being transformed into diamonds upon death.
Please see description for EARTH 100H, as the two honors courses were taught in conjunction with each other. Projects in EARTH 100H and STS 200H included creating an enhanced podcast and virtual Google Earth tour of the Pennsylvania tree biodiversity in Ridley Creek State Park, a virtual Google Earth tour of the 2007 Solar Decathlon competition, and participation in the Student Conservation Association's Conservation in Action Multimedia contest.Syllabus from honors offering in Fall 2007 (PDF file)
COURSE GOALS- provide a foundation for orientation to public scholarship, civic engagement, and the relationship between learning and democratic practice
- introduce a range of ways that citizens participate in democratic decision making and practice some of these forms
- learn about models and opportunities to engage in public scholarship at Penn State
Syllabus from online offering in Spring 2008 (PDF file)
There are three main themes around which I develop my courses. Since I only teach introductory-level Earth science and geoscience courses for non-science maojrs, these themes are more skill-driven rather than content-based. Below is the “course goals” section as listed on my syllabi:
COURSE GOALS!!!!
I realize that 99.9% of the students that take my geoscience courses will never become professional geologists. This is why I design all my courses around skill-based goals, where you will acquire and/or further develop skills that will be applicable to you no matter what your future career.
COURSE GOALS!!!!
I realize that 99.9% of the students that take my geoscience courses will never become professional geologists. This is why I design all my courses around skill-based goals, where you will acquire and/or further develop skills that will be applicable to you no matter what your future career.
- The scientific method/critical thinking/working with data sets: You will be learning about the methods of science and participating in class activities and assignments that require critical thinking and analyzing science issues with various forms of scientific data.
- Using technology: You will be working with Microsoft Office, Palm Pilot handheld computers, GPS units, Google Earth, and/or additional technological tools throughout the semester to prepare you for the technology-focused world of employment.
- Communicating your knowledge: For the rest of your lives, you will always be a student and a teacher. You will also learn the course material better if you explain it to others in and outside of class. There will be a service project required for you to share your new geoscience knowledge. The project may range from providing instruction and hands-on activities for Girl Scouts to utilizing Penn State's Digital Commons technology to produce enhanced podcasts on a specific scientific topic for the general public.
Students do not realize when they enter introductory-level science courses that these courses serve as an excellent foundation for skills they will need in their futures, no matter what their choice of career. In trying to develop these skills in my students, I choose exercises where the students are actively involved in the hypothesis formation, data collection, and/or process and interpretation. Students must then communicate their results in a graphical and written format.
I also strive to make the science as authentic as possible. I do not use “canned” data sets or ones provided by textbook publishers. Students collect or are provided real data from the real world. My hope is that by conducting many science investigations locally, students will be more aware of the environment around them. Indeed, every semester since I have had students complete their rock identification investigation at the King of Prussia Mall, students come back and tell me that they cannot help but look at building stones on buildings and store fronts!
The following is a sample of in-class and out-of-class assignments from my courses where students develop these skills. Please note that I have students work on a variety of hands-on exercises in not only my laboratory classes but my lecture-only courses as well.
GEOSC 020 – Planet Earth
Mauna Loa Solar Irradiation Exercise
I give my students solar irradiance values, provided by a NOAA scientist, measured at the Mauna Loa volcano observatory since the 1950’s. The students work with and graph pieces of the data set, then the groups all merge their data to see a graph of irradiance values over time. The students note there are three distinct drops in irradiance and must pursue outside of class what global events match the timing of those lower values.
Streamflow Discharge Along the Schuylkill River Exercise
Students are provided with streamflow discharge data collected from five stations along the Schuylkill River. The data comes from the US Geological Survey’s website. Students plot the data over several years and then examine what might cause variations in streamflow and why. The students then look back at the historic record and calculate recurrence of flood intervals.
GEOSC 021 – Earth and Life
Dinosaur-Bird Link Project
Students listen to archived NPR audio broadcasts and research the internet to learn the latest controversy over the relationship between dinosaurs and birds. Students must synthesize information from the opposing sides, present the facts, and then present their own interpretations on this dispute.
Campus Biodiversity Project
Students make a prediction as to which areas of campus have the most and least amount of biodiversity and why. Then the students collect data from around campus on the numbers of different types of insects, birds, plants, etc., they find. The data is compiled into one data set, we have a class discussion about the data, then students must write a report about whether this type of campus assessment is valuable, and why/why not.
GEOSC 040 – The Sea Around Us
Grain-Size Analysis Project
Students formulate a hypothesis based on visual observation about difference in beach sand grain-size distribution from two different beaches. The students use a grain-size analysis machine to separate the sands, record the weights, perform basic mathematic functions with the data, then graph the results using MS Excel. Students write up a report of the project.
Cape Henlopen Beach Profiling Project, Cape Henlopen State Park, DE
Students formulate a hypothesis relating to the temporal and spatial distribution of beach profiles. Students visit the beach, take measurements, process the data in MS Excel, graph and write up a report.
I also strive to make the science as authentic as possible. I do not use “canned” data sets or ones provided by textbook publishers. Students collect or are provided real data from the real world. My hope is that by conducting many science investigations locally, students will be more aware of the environment around them. Indeed, every semester since I have had students complete their rock identification investigation at the King of Prussia Mall, students come back and tell me that they cannot help but look at building stones on buildings and store fronts!
The following is a sample of in-class and out-of-class assignments from my courses where students develop these skills. Please note that I have students work on a variety of hands-on exercises in not only my laboratory classes but my lecture-only courses as well.
GEOSC 020 – Planet Earth
Mauna Loa Solar Irradiation Exercise
I give my students solar irradiance values, provided by a NOAA scientist, measured at the Mauna Loa volcano observatory since the 1950’s. The students work with and graph pieces of the data set, then the groups all merge their data to see a graph of irradiance values over time. The students note there are three distinct drops in irradiance and must pursue outside of class what global events match the timing of those lower values.Streamflow Discharge Along the Schuylkill River Exercise
Students are provided with streamflow discharge data collected from five stations along the Schuylkill River. The data comes from the US Geological Survey’s website. Students plot the data over several years and then examine what might cause variations in streamflow and why. The students then look back at the historic record and calculate recurrence of flood intervals.GEOSC 021 – Earth and Life
Dinosaur-Bird Link Project
Students listen to archived NPR audio broadcasts and research the internet to learn the latest controversy over the relationship between dinosaurs and birds. Students must synthesize information from the opposing sides, present the facts, and then present their own interpretations on this dispute.
Campus Biodiversity Project
Students make a prediction as to which areas of campus have the most and least amount of biodiversity and why. Then the students collect data from around campus on the numbers of different types of insects, birds, plants, etc., they find. The data is compiled into one data set, we have a class discussion about the data, then students must write a report about whether this type of campus assessment is valuable, and why/why not.
GEOSC 040 – The Sea Around Us
Grain-Size Analysis Project
Students formulate a hypothesis based on visual observation about difference in beach sand grain-size distribution from two different beaches. The students use a grain-size analysis machine to separate the sands, record the weights, perform basic mathematic functions with the data, then graph the results using MS Excel. Students write up a report of the project.
Cape Henlopen Beach Profiling Project, Cape Henlopen State Park, DE
Students formulate a hypothesis relating to the temporal and spatial distribution of beach profiles. Students visit the beach, take measurements, process the data in MS Excel, graph and write up a report.
The US Department of Labor reports that over 60% of today’s jobs require some form of technology use. There is no doubt that the students graduating from my campus will be using technology in one form or another in their lives. One observation I have made over the past few years is that students feel very comfortable with computers, yet they have a very narrow set of computer skills they are comfortable with. For example, students can use email and IM, but I have been surprised at how many students I have had to show how to insert page numbers in MS Word, or copy and paste a graph from MS Excel to MS Word. I feel it is more valuable for the students to learn how to use technology to work with data and prepare professional-looking reports.
In all of my courses, students are required to use MS Word and MS Excel. Excel has been the biggest struggle for me as an instructor, since so few of my students know how to use Excel beyond entering numbers in cells. I take the time to show students how to sort data, how to perform simple mathematical functions with formulas in cells, and how to graph the data. Students are aware from my grading sheet that the Excel graphs must be placed in their Word document with the report write-up. I do not have my students use MS PowerPoint. I do not feel that PowerPoint adds to my course goals, the presentations would take up too much class time, and there are several other classes on campus that require students to learn PowerPoint.
The greatest technology addition to my courses has been the use of handheld computer technology, the Palm Pilots. I am very fortunate that the College of Earth & Mineral Sciences has provided me with 24 Palm Pilots for student use in my classes. Rarely do students get to use this technology in their college courses, and by using them in my geoscience classes, students are able to see another application of this technology beyond the use as an address book and calendar. Some of the ways students use the Palm Pilots include:
I have also used technology in my class instruction. With geoscience being a very visual science, I try to make use of as many forms of media as possible. I primarily use PowerPoint for my lectures. I also show brief video segments of experiments, flooding, hurricane formation, etc.
I have begun using virtual lectures during the times I must cancel lecture for out-of-state meetings. In Spring 2004, I utilized Microsoft Producer to create virtual lectures for my students to watch. These lectures contained my PowerPoint slides and my narration. Students watched these lectures via the internet on campus or at home. Readings corresponded with these lectures, and a follow-up quiz was given upon my return to campus. The informal student feedback was that these lectures were “cool,” a great way not to lose a lecture while I was out-of-town, and very flexible to fit their busy schedules. I am continuing with the virtual lectures utilizing Adobe Captivate to create these informational presentations for the students.
In all of my courses, students are required to use MS Word and MS Excel. Excel has been the biggest struggle for me as an instructor, since so few of my students know how to use Excel beyond entering numbers in cells. I take the time to show students how to sort data, how to perform simple mathematical functions with formulas in cells, and how to graph the data. Students are aware from my grading sheet that the Excel graphs must be placed in their Word document with the report write-up. I do not have my students use MS PowerPoint. I do not feel that PowerPoint adds to my course goals, the presentations would take up too much class time, and there are several other classes on campus that require students to learn PowerPoint.
The greatest technology addition to my courses has been the use of handheld computer technology, the Palm Pilots. I am very fortunate that the College of Earth & Mineral Sciences has provided me with 24 Palm Pilots for student use in my classes. Rarely do students get to use this technology in their college courses, and by using them in my geoscience classes, students are able to see another application of this technology beyond the use as an address book and calendar. Some of the ways students use the Palm Pilots include:
- Reading eBooks – I have created eBooks based on current news stories. Students read these eBooks, then participate in think-pair-share and jigsaw exercises. I also have written eBooks that discuss rock and mineral identification procedures that students can use in the labs and field-based eBooks discussing procedures students should follow during specific outdoor investigations.
- Collecting survey information – I conduct information surveys in class where the students can enter their responses on the Palms. I can then hotsync the Palms and review the class information in one database and project that information if I choose to do so.
- Collect data from laboratory exercises – For example, during the rock and mineral identification labs, I have students record their data in the Palms (mineral hardness, luster, etc.). Students hotsync the Palms, I project the class data without their names, and we review the sample properties BEFORE the students leave the lab. This way, I do not have data sheets that have been altered by students before they hand them in, I know the data forms are complete, and I know that students have learned the correct identification information by the end of lab.
- Collect field data – The Palms have been extremely useful for collecting data outdoors, such as the campus biodiversity data and tombstone weathering data.
- Watching instructional videos – In working with Instructional Services, I have prepared videos for students to watch on the Palm that give them instructions on field procedures. This has proven extremely valuable when I take the students in the field and they forget part of the field technique. If I cannot come over to them right away, the students watch the instructional video to continue their fieldwork.
- Quizzes and diagnostic surveys – For the handful of quizzes I give in my courses, I have the students take the quizzes on the Palm Pilots. Instructional Services has formatted an online quiz program for the Palms that when they are hotsynced, they automatically calculate the quiz score and email a copy of the score to the student and myself. The email also contains the questions the student marked incorrectly and lists the correct response. The same format and email responses exist for the diagnostic surveys, given during the first week of classes so that I may assess the students' prior knowledge of course content. Students are trained to use the Palm Pilots early in the semester. I have included in this section some of the “ice-breakers” we do while learning to use the Palms. Students read an eBook, learn to beam materials to one another, and learn how to input information through the practice surveys. The first survey I take the students through step-by-step, the second survey students ask one another the questions and enter the responses. The Palms are then hotsynced and as a class we review everyone’s favorite sports team, reality TV show, etc.
I have also used technology in my class instruction. With geoscience being a very visual science, I try to make use of as many forms of media as possible. I primarily use PowerPoint for my lectures. I also show brief video segments of experiments, flooding, hurricane formation, etc.
I have begun using virtual lectures during the times I must cancel lecture for out-of-state meetings. In Spring 2004, I utilized Microsoft Producer to create virtual lectures for my students to watch. These lectures contained my PowerPoint slides and my narration. Students watched these lectures via the internet on campus or at home. Readings corresponded with these lectures, and a follow-up quiz was given upon my return to campus. The informal student feedback was that these lectures were “cool,” a great way not to lose a lecture while I was out-of-town, and very flexible to fit their busy schedules. I am continuing with the virtual lectures utilizing Adobe Captivate to create these informational presentations for the students.
Below is a quote from a student in one of my courses:
No matter what major a student pursues, a student must learn how to effectively communicate material to others. Students must be able to identify their audience and present that material at the appropriate level. I firmly believe that students learn science better if they have to talk about it or share their science knowledge with someone besides their professor. This outside communication gives students the confidence that they comprehend the course material.
In my courses, I not only have students write up the results of their investigations for my review, but I also structure events with required participation for students to share their knowledge. All of my courses have a service-learning component for students to have the opportunity to bring science to others. In the past, my GEOSC 021 course conducted the “Change Thru Geologic Time,” where anyone on campus could come to the gym and learn about fossils and segments of the geologic time scale. Any loose change people brought with them was donated to THON. The design and execution of this project resulted in a publication in the Journal of Geoscience Education.
EARTH 150 - Dinosaur Extinctions and Other Controversies
The Jared Box
Students created dinosaur-themed Jared Boxes to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Wilmington, Delaware. Students were required to create fun kits and handwrite a letter to a child about their favorite dinosaur species and other dinosaur topics. To date, we have dropped off 113 Jared Boxes to the House.
GEOSC 020 - Planet Earth
Tombstones and Spirits
Tied in to the tombstone weathering research project, students in both sections of GEOSC 020 were on campus for the Saturday morning of Community Day to conduct a free walking tour of the cemetery and discuss the results of their research relating to tombstone style, position, and weathering. Each GEOSC student was paired with one of Dr. Phyllis Cole’s AMST students for a joint discussion. *** This collaborative project won a Preservation Award from the Heritage Commission of Delaware County.
GEOSC 021 - Earth and Life and GEOSC 040 - The Sea Around Us
Absolutely Incredible Kid Day!
The third Thursday of March is year is designated as Absolutely Incredible Kid Day! (AIKD) Started by Camp Fire USA, this national volunteer day asks adults to write letters to kids to let them know how important they are. My classes ‘adopted’ the entire 6th grade at The Village Charter School of Chester Upland to write letters to. The GEOSC 021 students chose an endangered species and wrote about the Endangered Species Act, the threats to their species, etc. The GEOSC 040 students wrote about an oceanography topic of their choosing. The letters had to have certain science content but be presented in a kid-friendly manner. The letters were delivered to the school on AIKD.
GEOSC 021H - Earth and Life
Junior Girl Scout badge day
The honors students fully developed and conducted a one-day program on a Saturday for the Junior Girl Scouts. Scout troops were invited to campus to complete the requirements for the “Science in Everyday Life” badge, with all the activities revolving around a dinosaur theme. The students also wrote a workbook with dinosaur information that the girls took home with them.
It is a rare occasion in college to feel that you have done something to shape someone else’s life in a positive way. This was my first service learning project and I can honestly say that I would love to do another. In all my college years I have never felt like I had a chance to give something back to the community. Overall, it is great to see Penn State help the community and develop new ways of teaching interesting science to a new generation.
No matter what major a student pursues, a student must learn how to effectively communicate material to others. Students must be able to identify their audience and present that material at the appropriate level. I firmly believe that students learn science better if they have to talk about it or share their science knowledge with someone besides their professor. This outside communication gives students the confidence that they comprehend the course material.
In my courses, I not only have students write up the results of their investigations for my review, but I also structure events with required participation for students to share their knowledge. All of my courses have a service-learning component for students to have the opportunity to bring science to others. In the past, my GEOSC 021 course conducted the “Change Thru Geologic Time,” where anyone on campus could come to the gym and learn about fossils and segments of the geologic time scale. Any loose change people brought with them was donated to THON. The design and execution of this project resulted in a publication in the Journal of Geoscience Education.
EARTH 150 - Dinosaur Extinctions and Other Controversies
The Jared Box
Students created dinosaur-themed Jared Boxes to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Wilmington, Delaware. Students were required to create fun kits and handwrite a letter to a child about their favorite dinosaur species and other dinosaur topics. To date, we have dropped off 113 Jared Boxes to the House.GEOSC 020 - Planet Earth
Tombstones and Spirits
Tied in to the tombstone weathering research project, students in both sections of GEOSC 020 were on campus for the Saturday morning of Community Day to conduct a free walking tour of the cemetery and discuss the results of their research relating to tombstone style, position, and weathering. Each GEOSC student was paired with one of Dr. Phyllis Cole’s AMST students for a joint discussion. *** This collaborative project won a Preservation Award from the Heritage Commission of Delaware County.GEOSC 021 - Earth and Life and GEOSC 040 - The Sea Around Us
Absolutely Incredible Kid Day!
The third Thursday of March is year is designated as Absolutely Incredible Kid Day! (AIKD) Started by Camp Fire USA, this national volunteer day asks adults to write letters to kids to let them know how important they are. My classes ‘adopted’ the entire 6th grade at The Village Charter School of Chester Upland to write letters to. The GEOSC 021 students chose an endangered species and wrote about the Endangered Species Act, the threats to their species, etc. The GEOSC 040 students wrote about an oceanography topic of their choosing. The letters had to have certain science content but be presented in a kid-friendly manner. The letters were delivered to the school on AIKD.
GEOSC 021H - Earth and Life
Junior Girl Scout badge day
The honors students fully developed and conducted a one-day program on a Saturday for the Junior Girl Scouts. Scout troops were invited to campus to complete the requirements for the “Science in Everyday Life” badge, with all the activities revolving around a dinosaur theme. The students also wrote a workbook with dinosaur information that the girls took home with them.
This one-credit course serves as the orientation for new Cooper and Schreyer Honors Scholars at Penn State Brandywine.
Students complete most of the work during the summer and complete the orientation by the end of September.As the majority of the students in the seminar are freshmen, this seminar is the first academic approach students have to the topic of world food problems and the connection to democratic practices. The topics coverd are in the context of environmental sustainability and democracy: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. Food production and consumption, in particular, are high-priority needs. From organic foods to Frankenfoods, this course explores how we can make a difference in creating a sustainable society and how democratic practices can dictate the future direction of food resources locally and globally. One component of the course is to organize an open microphone session on National Constitution Day for the campus community to discuss world food issues. The required text for the course is Dr. Jane Goodall's "Harvest for Hope." With this seminar, students earn 1 credit towards Penn State's minor in Civic and Community Engagement.
Syllabus from honors offering in Fall 2008 (PDF file)
I co-teach this upper division, interdisciplinary honors course with Dr. Myra Goldschmidt (English). The course enrolls sophomore and junior Cooper and Schreyer Honors Scholars. For these students, it is their first academic approach to the topic of innovation. The topics covered are in the context of creative thinking and approaches, and how to institute sustained change for local-to-international issues. The scholars develop professional skills: writing abstracts, manuscripts and preparing oral and poster presentations. The scholars learn how to target the presentation of material to specific audiences and learn how to use several mediums of communication effectively, from the written word to multimedia productions. (note the photo above shows scholars during an innovative book binding workshop) At the end of this course, the scholars have a toolkit of resources to bring with them into their professional life, as well as a deeper appreciation and understanding of the need for innovation.Syllabus from honors offering in Fall 2008 (PDF file)
This graduate-level course was taught in conjunction with a National Science Foundation grant (Transforming Earth System Science Education) seeking to increase the number of middle school and high school teachers seeking highly qualified status for Earth science teaching. The course was co-taught by myself and Dr. Tanya Furman (Geosciences - University Park) at UP in Summer 2008 and Brandywine in Summer 2009. The course focuses on getting teachers to think about the Big Ideas in Earth science and different pedagogical strategies to engage their students in learning. A blog highlights resources from the course.
Scientist interaction with Signals of Spring, where I reviewed student expert analysis journal entries and provide feedback via internet. Students are using NASA and other earth imagery to explain the migration of animals tracked by satellites, http://www.signalsofspring.net/ (Spring 2002, 2003, 2004)
Instructor for Math Options, A Math and Science Career Day for 7th Grade Girls, PSU Delaware County (May 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008)
Team Instructor in The Global Ocean course for the Masters of Liberal Studies Program, Mary Washington College (Summer 2000)
Instructor for the Fredericksburg Regional Commonwealth Governor's High School Summer Program Digging the Summer (Summer 2000)
Instructor/Organizer for the second Mary Washington College/Commonwealth Governor's High School Summer Enrichment Program To Dinosaurs and Back (Summer 2000)
Instructor/Organizer for the first Mary Washington College/Commonwealth Governor's High School Summer Enrichment Program Rivers - From Fredericksburg to Mars (Summer 1999)
Welcome to the wonderful world of Just-in-Time Teaching! Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT for short) is a teaching and learning strategy based on the interaction between web-based study assignments and an active learner classroom. Students respond electronically to carefully constructed web-based assignments which are due shortly before class, and the instructor reads the student submissions "just-in-time" to adjust the classroom lesson to suit the students' needs. Thus, the heart of JiTT is the "feedback loop" formed by the students' outside-of-class preparation that fundamentally affects what happens during the subsequent in-class time together.
For the 2009 York College's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CELT) seminar on JiTT
You have a homework assignment to complete no later than 5PM evening of Wednesday, February 18 - your first JiTT exercise. Responses are anonymous (although for a typical classroom assignment, you would have a student identifier with each submission). Please think carefully about these questions and reply with thoughtful responses. We will review the responses as a group on Thursday afternoon.
LINK to JiTT exercise
For the 2009 York College's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CELT) seminar on JiTT
You have a homework assignment to complete no later than 5PM evening of Wednesday, February 18 - your first JiTT exercise. Responses are anonymous (although for a typical classroom assignment, you would have a student identifier with each submission). Please think carefully about these questions and reply with thoughtful responses. We will review the responses as a group on Thursday afternoon.
LINK to JiTT exercise
Regional to national conferences and workshops
Invited speaker for York College (CUNY) - Center for Excellence Teaching and Learning Series, "Just-in-Time Teaching: Using Web-based Questions to Enhance Learning," February 19, 2009.
Speaker on Just-in-Time Teaching: a pedagogical approach that enhances learning in the complicated lives of our students. The Scholarship for Learning and Teaching, Lilly-East Conference on College and University Teaching, University of Delaware, April 15-17, 2009.
Speaker at PKAL/CCIC workshop at Yale University, "Building a Connecticut College and University STEM Network: Supporting Pedagogies of Engagement with Just-in-Time Teaching," October 24, 2008.
Panelist for session, "Mid-Career Faculty: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities," Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, October 6, 2008.
Invited plenary panelist (w/Rodriguez, H., and Takayama, K.) on The Scholarship for Learning and Teaching, Lilly-East Conference on College and University Teaching, University of Delaware, April 16-18, 2008.
Invited speaker for three additional conference presentations (Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union).
Invited speaker for York College (CUNY) - Center for Excellence Teaching and Learning Series, "Just-in-Time Teaching: Using Web-based Questions to Enhance Learning," February 19, 2009.
Speaker on Just-in-Time Teaching: a pedagogical approach that enhances learning in the complicated lives of our students. The Scholarship for Learning and Teaching, Lilly-East Conference on College and University Teaching, University of Delaware, April 15-17, 2009.
Speaker at PKAL/CCIC workshop at Yale University, "Building a Connecticut College and University STEM Network: Supporting Pedagogies of Engagement with Just-in-Time Teaching," October 24, 2008.
Panelist for session, "Mid-Career Faculty: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities," Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, October 6, 2008.
Invited plenary panelist (w/Rodriguez, H., and Takayama, K.) on The Scholarship for Learning and Teaching, Lilly-East Conference on College and University Teaching, University of Delaware, April 16-18, 2008.
Invited speaker for three additional conference presentations (Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union).
The following are presentations given as part of seminar series and conferences at Penn State Brandywine and Penn State University - University Park
Guertin, L.A., lead presenter with panelists P. Cole, I. Esparragoza, J. Tierney, Panel on undergraduate involvement in research. Faculty Forum, Penn State Brandywine, December 2, 2008.
Guertin, L.A., Spizzirri, P.R., Utilization of Digital Commons technology for outreach and education. Penn State Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, March 29, 2008. Student co-presenter.
Guertin, L.A., Helpful tips for student multimedia projects in the Digital Commons. Technology Day 2008, Penn State University Brandywine, January 10, 2008.
Guertin, L.A., Preparing sophomores to engage in public scholarship. Sophomore Year: Critical Turning Points for Students and Their Academic Advisers, Sixth Annual Professional Development Conference on Academic Advising, The Pennsylvania State University - University Park, October 4-5, 2007.
Guertin, L.A., Using audio recordings and iTunesU at Penn State. Technology Day 2007, Penn State Brandywine, May 14, 2007.
Guertin, L.A., What I wish I knew before I taught online for the first time. Technology Day 2006, Penn State Brandywine, May 8, 2006.
Guertin, L.A., The impact of service learning. Faculty contributions to student recruitment and retention. Best practices and examples from the field. Pennsylvania State University, February 3, 2006.
Guertin, L.A., Geology and Environment of Rwanda. The Bone Woman seminar, Penn State Brandywine, October 3, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Rzasa, S.E., Kim, H., Effects of Just-in-Time Teaching on Student learning. Colloquy XI - Making Connections: Educators Communicating Across Differences, Penn State University - University Park campus, May 11, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Using ANGEL to support Just-in-Time Teaching. Innovate with ANGEL (virtual seminar), Penn State University, April 28, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Using virtual lectures for geoscience e-instruction. Dutton e-Education Institute e-Education seminar, Penn State University, April 12, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., TSUNAMI 101: The truth about tsunamis. Campus-wide seminar. Penn State Brandywine, January 13, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Just-in-Time Teaching: Web-based responses with follow-up peer discussion. Faculty Forum, Penn State Brandywine, December 2, 2004.
Guertin, L.A., Innovative uses of Palm Pilots in introductory-level geoscience courses. Department of Geosciences Colloquium, Penn State University - University Park campus, October 5, 2004.
Guertin, L.A., Virtual lectures with Microsoft Producer. Technology Day 2004, Penn State Brandywine, June 4, 2004.
Guertin, L.A., lead presenter with panelists P. Cole, I. Esparragoza, J. Tierney, Panel on undergraduate involvement in research. Faculty Forum, Penn State Brandywine, December 2, 2008.
Guertin, L.A., Spizzirri, P.R., Utilization of Digital Commons technology for outreach and education. Penn State Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, March 29, 2008. Student co-presenter.
Guertin, L.A., Helpful tips for student multimedia projects in the Digital Commons. Technology Day 2008, Penn State University Brandywine, January 10, 2008.
Guertin, L.A., Preparing sophomores to engage in public scholarship. Sophomore Year: Critical Turning Points for Students and Their Academic Advisers, Sixth Annual Professional Development Conference on Academic Advising, The Pennsylvania State University - University Park, October 4-5, 2007.
Guertin, L.A., Using audio recordings and iTunesU at Penn State. Technology Day 2007, Penn State Brandywine, May 14, 2007.
Guertin, L.A., What I wish I knew before I taught online for the first time. Technology Day 2006, Penn State Brandywine, May 8, 2006.
Guertin, L.A., The impact of service learning. Faculty contributions to student recruitment and retention. Best practices and examples from the field. Pennsylvania State University, February 3, 2006.
Guertin, L.A., Geology and Environment of Rwanda. The Bone Woman seminar, Penn State Brandywine, October 3, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Rzasa, S.E., Kim, H., Effects of Just-in-Time Teaching on Student learning. Colloquy XI - Making Connections: Educators Communicating Across Differences, Penn State University - University Park campus, May 11, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Using ANGEL to support Just-in-Time Teaching. Innovate with ANGEL (virtual seminar), Penn State University, April 28, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Using virtual lectures for geoscience e-instruction. Dutton e-Education Institute e-Education seminar, Penn State University, April 12, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., TSUNAMI 101: The truth about tsunamis. Campus-wide seminar. Penn State Brandywine, January 13, 2005.
Guertin, L.A., Just-in-Time Teaching: Web-based responses with follow-up peer discussion. Faculty Forum, Penn State Brandywine, December 2, 2004.
Guertin, L.A., Innovative uses of Palm Pilots in introductory-level geoscience courses. Department of Geosciences Colloquium, Penn State University - University Park campus, October 5, 2004.
Guertin, L.A., Virtual lectures with Microsoft Producer. Technology Day 2004, Penn State Brandywine, June 4, 2004.