|
Earth Sciences
Prepared by Peter Schiffman,
UC Davis, Lead Faculty for Earth Sciences
Summary of Identified Trends
Faculty from community colleges, CSU, and UC are in general
satisfied with the current lower division requirements for
the Geology/Earth Science degree. But they also acknowledge
that their biggest challenge lies in convincing community
colleges students of the need to complete these requirements
prior to transfer. Most of the discussion amongst Earth Science
faculty at the regional meetings centered on ways this could
possibly be accomplished.
Summary of Identified Issues
1. Many community college geology majors transfer to four-year
colleges and universities without having completed most—if
any—of their math, physics, and chemistry requirements
while attending the community college.
2. Students completing IGETC requirements at the community
colleges often fail to complete the pre-calculus/calculus
math and other science prerequisites for the Geology major
offered at four-year schools.
3. Community college students' enthusiasm about Earth Sciences,
kindled in classes such as Physical and Historical Geology,
leads to these same students transferring out of community
colleges "too" early (i.e., before completing their
math and other science requirements).
4. Currently only Physical and Historical Geology have CAN
numbers; however, a majority of community colleges offer more
classes than this. Should other geology courses, such as Oceanography,
Environmental Geology, and Mineralogy be given CAN status?
5. There needs to be improved communication amongst faculty
in community colleges and four-year schools, especially regarding
curricular changes and presenting information about transferring
from a community college to a particular four-year program.
Comments from Statewide Meetings and the General Field
Participants in meetings across the state expressed these
concerns:
1. In an ideal world, math, physics, and chemistry courses
would incorporate some geologic examples into their curriculum,
e.g., in assigned problem sets. Since this is not likely to
happen, Earth Sciences faculty should make a greater effort
to incorporate math, chemistry, and physics into their own
courses. This may be particularly important for courses in
Physical and Historical Geology, as these are the only two
geology courses that are considered lower division.
2. Earth Sciences faculty need to be even more vigilant in
advising their potential transfer students to complete math,
chemistry, and physics prerequisites required for major preparation
at four-year schools, even at the expense of IGETC. Some attendees
at all regional meetings suggested that high-unit major programs
(like Earth Sciences) need a new program of study to replace
IGETC as a community college graduation model (specifically
a program that stresses completion of major preparation requirements
in math, chemistry, and physics
3. One way to try and keep Earth Science students at community
college while completing their lower division major requirements
would be to establish joint enrollment at four-year colleges
and universities. This would allow these students, while in
their final year at community college finishing their basic
science requirements, to take more advances geology courses
at their local college/university. Many CSU campuses are in
effect already doing this on a limited basis under their cross-enrollment
policies.
4. Currently only Physical and Historical Geology have CAN
descriptors; however, a majority of community colleges offer
more classes than this. The attendees at the regional meetings
debated whether other geology courses, such as Oceanography,
Environmental Geology, and Mineralogy might be given CAN status.
The majority agreed that for cost and staffing reasons, it
is unrealistic to expect that community colleges can teach
a Mineralogy course (especially one with Optics) that would
be (CAN) equivalent to that taught at a four-year institution.
Most attendees also agreed that on paper, community college
courses on Oceanography and Environmental Geology are very
similar to those taught at four-year colleges. Yet at four-year
colleges, these courses presently have upper-division status.
While discussion about possible revision yielded some suggestions
at the statewide meeting, this topic will be added to next
year's agenda.
5. Geology departments at 4-year schools can and should do
more outreach to community colleges. For example, they can
design specific informational links for prospective community
college transfer students (and their advisors) on departmental
websites. (See an example of this at http://www-geology.ucdavis.edu/www/studentinfo/transfer.html).
Community colleges should be specifically invited to attend
departmental open houses, and community colleges instructors
should consider bringing their students to these events. Field
trips should be run jointly with faculty and students from
community colleges and 4-year schools. This would have the
added benefit of creating and maintaining interaction with
faculty from a variety of schools. Finally, the possibility
of forming a listserve or chat room about the issues addressed
in this and other meetings should be examined.
Recommendations to the Discipline
1. Identify strategies to urge students, in the strongest
language possible, to complete prerequisites before transfer.
2. Earth Sciences faculty should make a greater effort to
incorporate math, chemistry, and physics into their own courses,
particularly in Physical and Historical Geology.
3. Establish joint enrollment at four-year schools for Geology
students in their final year at a community
college, allowing them to take more advances geology courses
at their local university while finishing their basic science
requirements at the community college. Many CSU campuses are
already doing this with their cross-enrollment policies.
4. Geology departments at four-year schools can and should
do more outreach to community colleges. Specific recommendations
include:
- designing specific informational links for prospective
community college transfer students (and their advisors)
on departmental websites.
- invite community colleges to attend departmental open
houses to which these instructors should consider bringing
their students
- run joint field trips with faculty and students from community
colleges and four-year schools. This strategy would have
the added benefit of creating and maintaining interaction
with faculty from a variety of schools.
- form a listserve or chat room where issues addressed in
this and other meetings should be examined.
Recommendations for Support Courses
Join with other disciplines to consider what might comprise
a science alternative to the IGETC model to serve Earth Sciences
and other science-intensive majors.
Topics for Further Discussion
1. Consider what might comprise a science alternative to
the IGETC model to serve Earth Sciences and other science-intensive
majors.
2. Consider establishing CAN descriptions for courses in
Mineralogy, Oceanography, and Environmental Geology
3. Alternatively, consider a mechanism for waiving requirements
for upper division courses that have already been taken at
the lower division (e.g., Oceanography and Environmental Geology).
|
