Clift, Sigrid J.¹
(1) The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

ABSTRACT: Developing Effective Programs for Enhancing Geoscience Education: The Role of the State Geological Survey

State geological surveys provide an important service in the form of outreach programs that reach diverse groups, including K-12 teachers and students, college students, informal science providers, science professionals, decision makers, and the general public. Traditional services, such as workshops, classroom activities, field trips, publications, tours, and lectures, are increasingly complemented by innovative geoscience technologies, such as 3-D visualization, GIS, and web-based learning.
The Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG), a research unit at The University of Texas at Austin, also serves as the Texas Geological Survey and has been providing geoscience outreach since it opened its doors in 1909. BEG’s outreach program has evolved over the years, and today it is taking up the challenge to increase the science literacy of all children within the context of increased accountability. Partnerships with informal and formal educators at local, state, and national levels are a key component of BEG outreach.
This presentation will review BEG’s K-12 programs and its commitment to providing enriching geoscience experiences to teachers and students and to supporting the ongoing effort in Texas to strengthen earth science curricula in the classroom. Knowledge of the earth sciences will help students become informed citizens of the future who will be prepared to make the important decisions about managing the Earth’s natural resources and responding to and mitigating the effects of natural hazards.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90026©2004 AAPG Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas, April 18-21, 2004.