The Role of Introductory Geoscience Courses in Preparing Teachers—And All Students—For the Future: Are We Making the Grade?

Introductory geoscience courses enroll hundreds of thousands of students a year, most of whom do not major in the geosciences. For many, including future K–12 teachers, an introductory course is the only place they will encounter Earth science at the college level. New standards for K–12 science education have profound implications for teacher preparation, particularly in Earth science. The new standards call for taking a systems approach, highlighting how humans interact with Earth, making use of science and engineering practices, and engaging students in discourse. Analysis of responses to the National Geoscience Faculty Survey (n = 813 in 2004; n = 994 in 2009; n = 972 in 2012; and n = 1074 in 2016) and data from 152 syllabi suggest that a systems approach is not widespread and human interactions with Earth are not emphasized, and that most instructors engage students in mostly low cognitive-level practices. While the use of discourse practices has increased over time, these and other active learning components are not yet widely included in students’ grades. These results suggest that courses are not currently well-aligned with teacher needs. However, instructors have access to many research-based instructional resources to support them in making changes that will help all students—including future teachers

Recruiting Students into the Earth Sciences through Undergraduate Research

This article discusses the challenges of recruiting undergraduate students into STEM disciplines and describes strategies which have been used to stimulate undergraduate interest in Earth sciences research at Stanford University

Evolution of the Northwestern Margin of the Basin and Range: The Geology and Extensional History of the Warner Range and Environs, Northeastern California

Along the northwestern margin of the Basin and Range province, mid-Miocene to Pliocene volcanic rocks cover and obscure much of the earlier history of the region. In northeastern California, however, slip on the Surprise Valley fault has resulted in the uplift of the Warner Range, exposing \u3e4 km of volcaniclastic and volcanic rocks as old as late Eocene. New geologic mapping, combined with geochemistry and geochronology of rocks in the Warner Range and surrounding region, documents a history of volcanism and extension from the Eocene to the present that provides insight into the evolution of this margin. Our work reveals that subduction-related arc volcanism began ca. 40 Ma and continued into the mid-Miocene, despite the nearby impingement of the Yellowstone hotspot and eruptions of flood basalts. Extensional normal faulting began in the mid- to late Miocene in relative isolation from other Basin and Range normal faults. Later Miocene and Pliocene volcanic rocks flowed into low-lying areas produced by mid-Miocene extension. These younger basalts are cut by normal faults, requiring a second episode of extension that began after 3 Ma. Our cross-section reconstructions indicate that 12%–15% extension has been accommodated across the Warner Range region, primarily along the Surprise Valley fault, which has accommodated 8 km of dip-slip motion. A similarly protracted or two-part history of extension has been observed elsewhere in the western Basin and Range. While relatively little extension has been accommodated in the Warner Range region, it continues to the present day. Thus, the Surprise Valley fault appears to have persisted as the westernmost boundary of Basin and Range extension since the mid-Miocene

Engaging Students in Earthquakes via Real-Time Data and Decisions

The topic of earthquakes appears in virtually all introductory undergraduate geoscience courses. Most students entering these courses already have some knowledge of earthquakes and why they occur, but that knowledge often derives from the most recent event in the news and can therefore be biased toward the most destructive earthquakes. In addition, students arrive at college with misconceptions, perhaps picked up from erroneous or poorly presented media coverage. These misconceptions can go unchecked or even be reinforced by introductory textbooks, most of which contain errors and oversimplifications about earthquake processes

Magmatic Rifting and Active Volcanism Conference, Afar Rift Consortium

The Magmatic Rifting and Active Volcanism (MRAV) Conference took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia January 10-13, 2012, convened by members of the Afar Rift Consortium, an international team investigating active magmatism and deformation in the Afar region. Over 200 people from around the world attended. The conference participants primarily presented the results of work on ongoing rifting processes in Afar, but work was also presented that addressed other portions of the East African Rift, comparable rift settings elsewhere, rifting processes in general, and the hazards and resources associated with the East African Rift. The scientific program outlined the current state of knowledge in the East African rift and placed recent discoveries within the broader context of rift-related research globally. Central to the meeting was the presentation of results from thematic, multi-collaborator, international programs (e.g. Afar Consortium, RiftLink, Actions Marges), individual research groups, and industrial partners. The rich detail and modern datasets presented at the meeting highlight the importance of the existing infrastructure of international research in East Africa, which should be leveraged by GeoPRISMS to effectively focus resources in the extensive East African Rift System primary site

Analysis of Skills Sought by Employers of Bachelors-Level Geoscientists

Bachelors-level geoscientists make up the majority of the geoscience workforce, and positions for entry-level geoscientists are expected to grow rapidly over the next decade, with some jobs anticipating upward of 10% growth (National Center for O*NET Development, 2021). Are geoscience departments adequately preparing undergraduate students to succeed in these positions

Dwarfs on the Shoulders of Giants: Bayesian Analysis With Informative Priors in Elite Sports Research and Decision Making

While sample sizes in elite sports are necessarily small, so are the effects that may be relevant. This conundrum is complicated by an understandable reluctance of athletes to comply with extensive study requirements. In Bayesian analyses, pre-existing knowledge (e.g., from sub-elite trials) can be formally included to supplement scarce data. Moreover, some design specifics for small sample research extend to the extreme case of a single subject. This provides the basis for actionable feedback (e.g., about individual responses) thereby incentivising participation. As a proof-of-concept, we conducted a replicated cross-over trial on the effect of cold-water immersion (CWI) on sprint performance recovery in soccer players. Times for 30 m linear sprint and the initial 5 m section, respectively, were measured by light gates before and 24 h after induction of fatigue. Data were analysed by Bayesian and by standard frequentist methods. Informative priors are based on a published metaanalysis. Seven players completed the trial. Sprint performance was 4.156 ± 0.193 s for 30 m linear sprint and 0.978 ± 0.064 s for the initial 5 m section. CWI improved recovery of sprint time for the initial 5 m section (difference to control: -0.060 ± 0.060 s, p = 0.004) but not for the full 30 m sprint (0.002 ± 0.115 s, p = 0.959), with general agreement between Bayesian and frequentist interval estimates. On the individual level, relevant differences between analytical approaches were present for most players. Changes in the two performance measures are correlated (p = 0.009) with a fairly good reproducibility of individual response patterns. Bayesian analyses with informative priors may be a practicable and meaningful option particularly for very small samples and when the analytical aim is decision making (use / don't use in the specific setting) rather than generalizable inference

Uses and misuses of the STROBE statement: bibliographic study

Objectives Appropriate reporting is central to the application of findings from research to clinical practice. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) recommendations consist of a checklist of 22 items that provide guidance on the reporting of cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies, in order to facilitate critical appraisal and interpretation of results. STROBE was published in October 2007 in several journals including The Lancet, BMJ, Annals of Internal Medicine and PLoS Medicine. Within the framework of the revision of the STROBE recommendations, the authors examined the context and circumstances in which the STROBE statement was used in the past. Design The authors searched the Web of Science database in August 2010 for articles which cited STROBE and examined a random sample of 100 articles using a standardised, piloted data extraction form. The use of STROBE in observational studies and systematic reviews (including meta-analyses) was classified as appropriate or inappropriate. The use of STROBE to guide the reporting of observational studies was considered appropriate. Inappropriate uses included the use of STROBE as a tool to assess the methodological quality of studies or as a guideline on how to design and conduct studies. Results The authors identified 640 articles that cited STROBE. In the random sample of 100 articles, about half were observational studies (32%) or systematic reviews (19%). Comments, editorials and letters accounted for 15%, methodological articles for 8%, and recommendations and narrative reviews for 26% of articles. Of the 32 observational studies, 26 (81%) made appropriate use of STROBE, and three uses (10%) were considered inappropriate. Among 19 systematic reviews, 10 (53%) used STROBE inappropriately as a tool to assess study quality. Conclusions The STROBE reporting recommendations are frequently used inappropriately in systematic reviews and meta-analyses as an instrument to assess the methodological quality of observational studies

Analysis of Skills Sought by Employers of Bachelors-Level Geoscientists

Bachelors-level geoscientists make up the majority of the geoscience workforce, and positions for entry-level geoscientists are expected to grow rapidly over the next decade, with some jobs anticipating upward of 10% growth (National Center for O*NET Development, 2021). Are geoscience departments adequately preparing undergraduate students to succeed in these positions