Effective Practices in the Learning and Teaching of Volcanology: from the Classroom to the Field

This workshop invites participants to engage with a new synthesis of effective practices for teaching volcanology in classroom, laboratory and field environments. We will introduce participants to innovative teaching techniques, activities, datasets and related research, all specific to volcanology. These will include approaches to face-to-face, hybrid, and online settings (e.g., virtual field trips) and consider the inclusion of students from diverse identities through frameworks such as culturally responsive curriculum design. 

Using resources grounded in evidence, participants will apply new practices and curricula to their own contexts by planning and designing volcanological learning and teaching content. Facilitated discussions will help identify the new frontiers of volcanology learning and teaching and prioritize important needs and interests of the community. Participants will thus be encouraged to share challenges they face in the classroom, including those relating to technological integration and teaching through the pandemic. Participants will leave the workshop with insight, solutions and resources (e.g., lesson plans and rubrics) that support the implementation of effective practices to achieve desired learning outcomes in their own settings. 

A background in teaching volcanology is not required for participation in this workshop. All levels of experience are welcome and encouraged to participate, whether you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of teaching, are a seasoned instructor, or anywhere in between. This full day, interactive workshop will be held in a hybrid format. It will consist of a morning classroom-based session (in-person and online) followed by an afternoon field session. The field session will involve visiting some classic pyroclastic deposits from Tarawera, and we will explore inclusive and investigative approaches to field work. The in-person field session is optional and will be complemented by an asynchronous, virtual field session. Thus, it is possible to attend only the morning portion of the workshop. All participants (regardless of mode of attendance) will have access to the asynchronous, virtual field session.