Geoscience Laboratory 5th Edition Answers
Onfroi Baird
Many people ask me for access to questions that have been developed over time as part of the bank of items that evaluate geoscience understanding. Here are item sets, including links to papers, that have been evaluated using item response theory approaches. This space will be updated as new items sets become available:
Geoscience Concept Inventory Item Bank
A valid and reliable bank of items designed for diagnosis of alternative conceptions and assessment of learning in entry-level earth science courses. Rasch analysis was used to generate a bank of items aligned with ability.
The online testing system for the GCI is no longer active. The online testing system for the GCI is no longer active. A word document containing GCI items and answers is available here: GCIv.4_2014_Questions&Answers. A spreadsheet containing answers only is here: GCI MASTER answers 2014. Instructors and researchers are encouraged to use these items freely and without restriction. Item numbers correlate to numbers in paper reporting on GCI Rasch analysis: Libarkin, J.C., Anderson, S.W., 2006, The Geoscience Concept Inventory: Application of Rasch Analysis to Concept Inventory Development in Higher Education: in Applications of Rasch Measurement in Science Education, ed. X. Liu and W. Boone: JAM Publishers, p. 45-73: LibarkinandAnderson2006
DESCRIPTION: The Geoscience Concept Inventory (GCI) is a multiple-choice assessment instrument for use in the Earth sciences classroom. The GCI v.1.0 consisted of 69 validated questions that could be selected by an instructor to create a customized 15-question GCI subtest for use in their course. These test items cover topics related to general physical geology concepts, as well as underlying fundamental ideas in physics and chemistry, such as gravity and radioactivity, that are integral to understanding the conceptual Earth. Each question has gone through rigorous reliability and validation studies. Over TWENTY colleagues have contributed new questions to the item bank, bringing the number of available, high quality questions to almost 200.
A valid and reliable assessment instrument designed for diagnosis of alternative conceptions and assessment of learning around climate change conceptions. Rasch analysis was used to validate the alignment of the item set with ability.
Two publications document the utility of this measure with respect to the general public and college students. Both studies considered the impact of conceptual understanding, affect and world views on risk perception.
This engaging physical geology laboratory course, e-text, and specimen identification kit will challenge and excite students while they explore the globe, study national parks, identify rocks and minerals, analyze data, hypothesize, and extrapolate-- all while learning and applying scientific methodologies!
Introduction to Physical Geology contains 13 modules with engaging laboratories, quizzes, projects, and scientific writing assignments that can uniquely be delivered in any modality. This course is applicable in full-term as well as accelerated semesters. User-friendly, this robust and engaging laboratory course and kit is technologically relevant for the hands-on geoscience lessons, including the identification of forty rock and minerals specimens that are shipped directly to students!
A geoscientist with a bachelors from Colorado Mesa University, Alexandra is a proven leader with relentless ambition. Her native roots in the west, outdoor activity interests, and geographic location embellished her geoscience education. During her studies in geology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), she was offered an internship with the Bureau of Land Management. Post bachelorette, Alexandra worked a diverse set of jobs, several in field settings including as a lead well site geologist and archaeology field assistant. Her continued education (M.S.) at the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) produced an emerging leader, and ignited a passion for geoscience instruction which she channeled into this long-distance learning kit. She began her Ph.D. in the Spring 2023 at the University of Houston's school of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Her research focus is on critical minerals using remote sensing techniques, mainly hyperspectral imaging. She is currently a business developer in the mining and minerals industry with CGG Inc.
Getting a PhD in the United States is not normally a newsworthy event. After all, thousands of people do so every year. But on February 12, 2007, my picture was on the front page of the New York Times, with the headline "Believing Scripture but Playing by Science's Rules." Why the national spotlight? I had just received a PhD in geosciences from a respected secular university, and I am a young-earth creationist.
Going through secular science programs as a creationist is no easy task. I am reminded often of the Apostle Paul's journey to Athens (Acts 17:16-34). Traveling alone, Paul walked the city, preached the gospel, and was engaged by Athenian philosophers. They invited him to address their assembly at the Areopagus. His address provoked much discussion, and several people became followers of Jesus Christ.
In many ways, the secular universities are today's Athens, where the newest ideas are constantly being discussed and debated; and like Athens, these institutions can be "full of idols" (v. 16). Among the science programs, where evolution dominates the classroom and laboratory, it is easy to feel isolated and lonely, much as Paul must have felt. But if you love to study the creation as well as its Creator and His Word, you may find that the best place to be trained is at a secular university.
As an undergraduate, I majored in earth science at a large state institution, and I eagerly went to meet the paleontologist of the department. We were having a wonderful conversation, when he asked: "What do you think killed the dinosaurs?" Right then I had an important choice to make: I could answer with one of the explanations favored by evolutionists (like a meteor impact) or I could risk "outing" myself as a creationist, and endanger my education. I decided that, regardless of the consequences, I must affirm that I believed Noah's Flood was responsible. I'll never forget his response: "Oh, you're a creationist. Really? Well, of course you know you're wrong." Despite our differences, he took me as his student. While he believed that I would eventually change my mind, he never made things difficult for me, and to this day we remain friends.
I went to a small state school for a master's degree in paleontology. As before, I told my academic advisors that I was a creationist. While initially this was not a problem, I soon learned that when I was vocal about my ideas outside of class (I did not challenge evolution or old-age geology in class), such actions were not tolerated. After I wrote a pro-Intelligent Design letter in the school paper, advisors removed themselves from my committee, and there was talk of how to expel me from the program. For more than two years, I wandered an academic wasteland with no funding, projects, or committee, and no hope of graduating. A wonderful family from my church took me in during this difficult time, and with the help of a gracious and strong-willed museum director I was able to complete my degree.
My PhD work brought me to a medium-sized state school. My advisor knew I was a creationist during the application process, and he knew of my previous troubles. Yet he took me on despite these issues, and had the truest sense of tolerance that I have ever seen. Because we both knew that our differences in origins began first with differing views about God, and not as much about how we interpreted the data, we were able to talk about origins issues quite productively. Though I continued to work in an evolutionary framework for my doctoral research, my intention to teach and work as a creationist paleontologist was never attacked or discouraged. As it turned out, I became the department's very first PhD graduate.
My own trip through secular geology programs taught me many lessons about how (and how not!) to handle myself as a creationist among evolutionists. As an undergraduate, I had considerable freedom at a big university. I lived in a science-themed dormitory, led an on-campus church ministry, and was president of a creationist club. While some of the geology faculty frowned at my creationist activities, I was never threatened or treated unfairly. I didn't speak with faculty often about creation issues, but I spoke to my friends and fellow students whenever someone was curious.
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