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Online Workshop 12-28 May 2008

Comments from the Application Process. See also Questions from the Application Process

Here are most of the comments on the application form:

SUMMARY OF COMMENTS

• There is presently a critical need for educating students and the general public about earth sciences.

• Cultural diversity should be considered when teaching earth sciences.

• Discussions about policy and advocacy are an important component when teaching earth sciences.

• An online format offers participants flexibility that they would not have in a face-to-face workshop.

• The results of the workshop should be distributed widely – to the academic research community, the education community, and the general public.

COMMENTS

• Good luck!

• Bravo! We need more coordinated efforts like this.

• This is a really good idea, and I hope that some positive outcomes result from this.

• Sounds like something that needs to be done very soon.

• This is a much-needed effort!!!

• This is a great idea. I hope you are able to have an impact on the general public.

• I think this is a great idea for getting a broad spectrum of views; I hope the number of participants isn't too limited!

• This online workshop is a wonderful idea.

• This project looks fascinating.

• Sounds exciting - good luck!

• Understanding what elicits interest might be as important as the literacy element in this project. We learn well what interests us and that is what motivates careers.

• Words alone can not express the level of my interest in the subject of earth science literacy, nor in my desire to be a part of this effort.

• I look forward to participating in the program.

• This is a great idea!

• I am very excited to see this notice, as I have spent the past few months reading everything I can get my hands on related to geographic literacy and earth science education, and how to use technology to improve the current educational offerings.

• I'm very happy to see this happening, and feel it's a long overdue discussion.

• I am excited and would love to be a part of this. I love teaching earth science and would love to help develop it more.

• Thank you for doing this, it is a great idea.

• Thank you for the opportunity to participate.

• This is a very important topic and I am happy to see that a workshop is being organized. I think a face-to-face would be better (those discussions during coffee-breaks can't be substituted!) but I am confident that this format will also be very effective in meeting its objectives.

• I look forward to working with you.

• Good luck in finding candidates. This seems like an amazing opportunity, and I hope to become a part of it.

• I think this is a terrific idea. As you know, it will join the suite of other related frameworks in Ocean Science and Climate/Atmosphere which have been developed. It will be important to take that work into account in framing the Earth Science Literacy frameworks. I am excited to be a part of this!

• I wish your committee the very best in this endeavor.

• Interesting concept - anxious to see how this works.

• Very timely and necessary, thank you for initiating this effort!

• It is encouraging to see this type of workshop and I hope it will lead to effective change, even at some degree, to our educational system.

• I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

• What can be more relevant to the public than the planet we live on? “If we intend to live on this planet.... we truly need to understand how it works.”

• I hope the workshop goes well.

• I am extremely excited about this endeavor to revitalize the Earth Sciences education.

• I appreciate the opportunity to participate, and compliment the organizers in providing a flexible workshop format to move along a very critical dialogue for our field.

• What a good idea. Good luck!

• I greatly look forward to the experience, if selected.

• Let's talk about possible solutions to this problem!

• I look forward to seeing the output of this team - it's a very important project!

• The results from this committee could potentially reach many different stakeholders (educators, industry, government).

• This is a great idea. I hope it goes well!

• Best wishes for a successful outcome.

• Thank you for organizing this at a time when it is critically needed.

• I look forward to working with you.

• I am thrilled that you have decided to organize this workshop and I don't think the timing could be any better for both educational reasons, as textbooks are completely rewritten to reflect inquiry teaching techniques, and political reasons, the importance of public awareness of implications of climate change.

• I feel it is important to have a broad cross-section of both academics and industrial geologists utilized for this project if it is to be successful.

• I look forward to the experience!

• You should be commended for your recognition of this need.

• Fantastic idea both in subject and mechanism. I hope it is successful.

• Wonderful initiative!

• Good luck. The mission is an important one.

• Fantastic endeavor, all the best.

• Sounds like a great plan. I'd love to participate.

• Should be interesting - I look forward to participating.

• This is an outstanding initiative and I really applaud the organizers. SEPM is quite far-sighted, as well as public-minded to be involved in activity like this.

• This sounds like an exciting and meaningful endeavor!

• Thank you for inviting me!

• This sounds like it could potentially be a very important project and I really would like the chance to participate.

• Thank you for your consideration.

• This is a great idea and the online format makes it much more accessible for everyone to participate. Thanks for putting this together.

• I didn't have experience with online workshops until now. It is interesting for me.

• This workshop looks like a great opportunity!

• Sounds fun.

• Seems like a good idea. Whether or not you invite me to participate, good luck!

• This approach sounds intriguing and provides for broad input from a variety of individuals from a variety of geographic locations. A great way to budget resources.

• Bring your "lessons learned" experiences ... participate without hesitation! ... and consider all angles of the various issues that are raised. Trust in knowing this workshop and activities are being held to better the future of our children and the planet ... in a way, it's like leaving a small part of our generation in the geologic record for our successors to uncover. Thank you for the opportunity to participate!

• It would be interesting to generate a document out of the experience.

• I greatly appreciate what you are doing and feel strongly that we need to voice concerns before the problem becomes a crisis.

• I look forward to it! I hope it's as flexible as you say, as well as fun because I'll be on a sort of vacation at the time of the conference! ;-)

• Thank you. I hope it is a successful endeavor.

• It sounds really great!

• Whatever comes of this program, make sure that the results are widely and repeatedly "broadcast" to teachers, parents, folks that are looking for new ideas to address this, folks with deep pockets to fund some of this. It has been amazing to me to note the provincialism of efforts to enhance literacy. It would be good to involve organizations more.

• I am heartened by the workshop organizers' efforts to promote the geosciences in today's culture. Thank you for putting this workshop together.

• This is a very exciting opportunity. I would be grateful for the chance to participate. Thank you.

• This kind of online workshop appears to be a cutting-edge way to conduct the workshops of the future. The flexibility offered is outstanding.

• I'm looking forward to this seminar - thanks for hosting it.

• I think it's a great idea! My alma mater has changed the focus of its geology department from 'hard science' to science education...just to stay afloat...because the geology majors enrollments are nearly non-existent. We have to start doing something. Education systems have to realize that if we're going to find solutions to our energy and other resource/pollution crises, we are going to need geologists and other earth scientists.