90-4 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Out-Of-School-Time Cohorts and Hands-On Research Projects on Geoscience Education and Recruitment in Oklahoma: Lessons from WRANE

Session: Diversifying Geoscience Education Across the Academic Playing Field: Using Creative Methods to Foster the Current and Next Generations of Geoscience Professionals, Part I

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Abstract:

The Water Resources, Assessment, and Networking Ecosystem (WRANE) program was designed to increase the exposure of pre-university students to the geosciences and improve the quality of geoscience education. The WRANE program created cohorts between teachers and students and educated them in water-focused geoscience topics through an online curriculum, community science research projects, and summer symposia, all facilitated through a team of Oklahoma State University faculty centered in the Boone Pickens School of Geology.

The WRANE program consisted of three years of cohort groups, with 8 teachers from 7 different schools participating for at least one year. The majority of the participants were female, and the student participants were racially and ethnically diverse. The impact of WRANE activities on students and teachers was evaluated through surveys at the end of each year using a retrospective pre-post format. Student interest in STEM and Geoscience fields was evaluated using the STEM-GEO scale, which indicated a general increase in interest in STEM and Geoscience areas, particularly with regards to learning science and in science and technology related careers. This outcome was confirmed by student responses that showed that the WRANE program resulted in improved knowledge, increased openness to geoscience majors, and connections to working geoscientists. In contrast, student perceptions of STEM fields as assessed by the STEM Semantics Survey did not show significant improvements due to the WRANE program. Teacher responses to open-ended prompts showed that the WRANE program generally resulted in an increased knowledge of water geoscience topics, particularly with regards to research and careers. They also reported on their students’ enthusiasm for the hands-on, minds-on activities and research projects facilitated by the WRANE program, as well as an improvement in soft skills such as collaboration, public speaking, and accepting constructive feedback. Overall, the WRANE program has had a positive impact on improving the geoscience knowledge and experiences of the participants, despite difficulties in student and teacher recruitment and maintaining participation.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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