Speaker: Dr. Casey Davenport (MEAS Ph.D. 2013, M.S. 2009), Assistant Professor of Meteorology, Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, UNC-Charlotte |

Seminar Title: Embracing an Evidence-Based Approach to Teaching Quantitatively-intensive Geoscience Courses |

Abstract: Many courses in the geosciences (relating to the Earth, atmosphere, or ocean) require students to successfully combine discipline-specific concepts along with other often challenging content from mathematics, physics, chemistry, or computer science. While instructors are able to demonstrate such complex tasks with ease, students often struggle, even if they’ve passed prerequisite courses. This presentation will discuss why students can be particularly challenged by quantitatively-intensive geoscience courses, as well as proven teaching methods that boost student performance and understanding. Dr. Davenport will also detail her experience of redesigning an upper-level atmospheric science course using an approach called worked examples and the impact it had on student success.