Teacher of the Month--
Stephen J. Reynolds |
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Since joining the ASU Geology Department in 1991, Stephen Reynolds has received the department's Outstanding Teacher Award three times: in 1992, 1993 and 1996. Johnathan Fink, Geology Professor and Chairman, said, "His outgoing, enthusiastic and empathetic personality, his passion for fieldwork and his dedication to students combine to create the kind of exceptional instructor parents long for."
Stephen J. Reynolds: Philosophies of Teaching and Learning
Introductory Science Classes
Most college science courses turn students, including the bright ones, off to science. Clearly something is wrong with the way we have approached the teaching of science. Reasons cited for why students become turned off include ( 1) an overemphasis on terminology that the student perceives (correctly) they will never use again, (2) a lack of unifying concepts to tie disparate "facts" together, (3) a lack of discovery, and (4) a lack of perceived relevance to the students' lives. A major goal of an introductory science class therefore should be to not turn students off to science. Such courses should convey the fun, excitement, relevance, and intellectual rewards of learning about our environment. Students should see that science is dynamic and a common-sense way of approaching a problem, rather than a foreign way of thinking or a collection of static facts. We should help the students learn, in a hands-on fashion, how to observe and to think (e.g., reason). They should learn science by actually doing science!
New Directions
Science teaching in the United States is poised for fundamental change. The standard lecture-andnote-taking format is not the most effective learning method for many situations and students, nor does it develop important certain skills, like critical inquiry. Someone once defined a lecture as "the process by which the notes of the professor become the notes of the student without passing through the minds of either." Students in traditional science lecture classes may learn some 'facts', but generally do not take from the course an understanding of how science is done.
In my courses, I emphasize developing observational, critical-thinking, and critical-inquiry skills, and de-emphasize memorization and rote learning. I have successfully implemented a number of methods for actively engaging the students and getting them to observe, think, and interact with their peers, in spite of the large class size and a large classroom designed for a lecture-style format. I believe that such teaching methods have huge advantages over the lecture-only format, especially in classes with diverse student populations and students with many different learning skills and strategies. As my teaching evaluations attest, students respond eagerly to this approach. A main goal of this type of course (and I would argue any college course) should be to teach students to be clear-thinking, informed citizens who make sound choices in policy and personal-life decisions. They should leave college with an appreciation for science and an openness and enthusiasm for continued learning.
Less Is More
In my classes, I follow a Less is More approach, where I cover fewer key concepts in greater detail, in order to more effectively teach thinking processes and convey how science actually works. A less-is-more approach also lets me use the "lecture part" of class time for elaborating only the most important concepts, freeing up class time for observation and critical-thinking exercises, demonstrations, slide and video shows, discussions about current geologic events, exploring both sides of controversial environmental issues, and other forms of in-class active learning. Most students look forward to coming to class because it is fun, stimulating, and engaging. My classes encourage natural curiosity, questioning, and free exploration of alternative ideas.
Observe First - Terms Later
I strongly believe in a constructivist, learning-cycle approach, where students begin learning about a subject by first gaining hands-on personal experience, such as by observing and experimenting. This process lets them remain curious, pose questions, suggest alternative explanations, and devise possible tests and predictions. A discussion of these student-derived questions and explanations lets me introduce terms and concepts only after the students actually have the need for them. Also, the students will then have a personal framework into which they can attach their new knowledge.
Writing, Reviewing, and Revising
If you ask industry representatives what is the most important skill that our students need to improve, it is writing. I incorporate large writing components in all my courses, including my 220student introductory geology course. In my upper-level and graduate courses, students each complete 5 to 10 short writing assignments, each involving some independent research, in addition to a longer term paper. Students peer review each other's drafts and revise their manuscripts accordingly. Then, I rigorously edit the papers for content, grammar, and clarity of writing. Most students' writing has improved dramatically after 10 or so of these assignments.
In my introductory geology courses, I have one or more essay questions on each test and usually edit and grade all 1,000 of these myself (220 students, 4-5 exams). In addition, students do a capstone term paper on the geology of their home town or any other area that has significance to them (e.g., their favorite national park). They investigate how the geology influences the scenery and topography, and evaluate the area's natural resources and hazards. This is the most fun and interesting part of the course for many students, because it gives them an opportunity to apply what they have learned, to a place that means something to them. Many students tell me that they cannot wait to get back home to check things out for themselves and to share their new knowledge of geology with family and friends.
Mentoring
I believe that most students learn good intellectual and work habits by observing them in people who have earned their respect. I openly share with students my enthusiasm, work ethics, and thought processes. I take special care to display an openness to any possible explanation and a willingness to use whatever is required to understand and study a particular problem. I encourage my students to take a broad, interdisciplinary view of science, and of life. I display and encourage a tolerance for different ideas, ways to approach challenges, and cultures.
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Curriculum Vitae - Stephen J. Reynolds
Department of Geology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-
1404 Ph: (602) 965-9049
Degrees
University of Texas, El Paso: B.S., Geology, 1974
University of Arizona: M.S., Geosciences, 1977, Ph.D., Geosciences,1982
Recent Professional Experience
Arizona State University, Dept. of Geology: Associate
Professor (8/91 to present).
Arizona Geological Survey: Research Geologist (2/81 to 7/
91)
Organizations/Committees
ASU
Geology Department (past and present): Curriculum, Graduate, Lead
Undergraduate Advisor,
Student-Faculty Relations (Geology Club Sponsor), Space
ACEPT: Faculty Advisory Committee and others
CLAS: Excellence in Instruction
Other
Arizona Geological Society: former President, Vice President for
Programs, Councilor, Digest Editor,
Publications Committee, Program Committee, Geologic Highway Map Committee
Arizona Geological Survey Geologic Mapping Advisory Committee (1993-
present)
Geological Society of America
U.S. Dept. of Interior, National Geologic Mapping Advisory Committee
(1992-present)
ASU Department of Geology Outstanding Teacher Award: 1992, 1993, 1996
Nominated for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award, 1993
Jenney, J.P., and Reynolds, S.J., eds., 1989, Geologic evolution
of Arizona: Arizona Geological Society Digest 17, 866 p.
Davis, G.H., and Reynolds, S.J., 1996, Structural Geology of Rocks
and Regions (2nd Edition): New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.,
776 p.
Contributions to teaching
excellence||Back to Top
Co-PI for Arizona Collaborative for the Excellence in Preparation of
Teachers (ACEPT) initiative, whose goals are
to train new teachers in pedagogically sound science-education methods, and
to reform introductory science classes at ASU and affiliated institutions
- Faculty Advisory committee and various other
committees and workgroups
- Coordinator for Geology Faculty
participation in ACEPT
- Active participant in ACEPT faculty
summer workshop
- Coordinator of Department of Geology
TA training
- Existing Courses taught: Introduction to Geology, Advanced Field Geology, Advanced Structural Geology, Cordilleran Regional Geology, Geotectonics, and Summer Field Geology.
- New Courses Developed:
- Applied Arizona Geology--a combined field-classroom,
writing-intensive course taught in the evening to permit
participation of teachers, and industry and governmental geologists
- Introduction to Geology in the Field--a hands-on, project-based nonmajors field course
- Patterns in Nature--an interdisciplinary math-science-education class
- Orogenic Systems--a project-oriented, writing-intensive
graduate course
Curriculum
Development||Back to Top
- Co-authored a new edition of the most widely used undergraduate structural geology textbook
- Developed a number of new exercises and techniques for infusing active participation and cooperative learning into large introductory geology classes
- Assumed lead role in informing other introductory geology instructors of new
teaching methods for large introductory geology classes
- Developed the Arizona Geology Virtual Tourist, a hands-on,
critical thinking activity for the World Wide Web Coordinated acquisition and geology department use of multimedia instruction on the ASU information server
- Prepared interactive World Wide Web presentations on (1) Science Reform at ASU, and (2) Geology for Teachers Wrote a detailed prospectus and outline for an introductory geology textbook, from a constructivist perspective
- Developing Volcano Island, an interactive, multimedia computer simulation,
in which students may freely explore a computer-generated landscape,
observing various computer-rendered geologic environments and their
associated hazards. Simulation includes video narratives from a black,
female scientist to provide a role model for minority females.
- Reviewed an introductory geology textbook and participated in a forum on
future directions of college textbooks
Example Outreach and Field
Activities||Back to Top
- Led 10 to 15 voluntary field trips per year for GLG 101, school groups, professional societies, and other organizations
- Gave 5 to 10 presentations per year to teachers, school groups, and community organizations
- Helped develop demonstrations and coordinate presentations by graduate students to elementary and middle schools
- Keynote presenter in the Minerals in Society Summer 1996 program for in-service teachers
- Featured on KUAT (PBS) special on the Sonoran Desert.
UPFD Home Page||Arizona State University
Last Update:
October 18, 2001
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URL--http://www.asu.edu/upfd/teachmo/reynolds.html