Improving undergraduate student critical thinking and ability to solve environmental problems with fossil records through FossilSketch application

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving students’ learning in geosciences classes using the FossilSketch application. FossilSketch is web-based educational software for teaching micropaleontology that trains students in the basics of specimen identification and ecological interpretations using microfossils. These skills are important for environmental impact studies, applications in energy resource industries, and as a foundation for understanding the past, present, and future of our oceanic ecosystems.

The goal of the project is to improve the pilot version of FossilSketch software to make it self-sustainable for general use in different science courses (e.g., biology, geology, and environmental science). This Engaged Student Learning Level 2 project aims to strengthen student academic experiences, their interest in STEM career trajectories, and their ability to solve environmental problems with fossil records.

FossilSketch provides students a flexible environment to practice, monitor their progress, and receive individual feedback. The improved version of the FossilSketch application seeks to provide geoscience educators with a collaborative working environment to upload and share microfossil collections and educational activities for different courses.

Drawing on principles of self-regulated learning, this project is designed to enhance and support students’ learning, self-regulation, and knowledge retention using the FossilSketch application. The collected data will contribute to deeper understanding of self-regulation in geosciences. FossilSketch will be introduced and evaluated at Texas A&M University, an HSI with a diverse student population.

The FossilSketch online module will allow for integrating it into Massive Open Online Courses. High school teachers and other educators will be affected through outreach activities. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students.

Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.