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Dear Friends,

Please consider a submission to Topical Session 191, titled  
"Quantitative and Qualitative Methods and Results in Geoscience  
Education." This session may be of particular interest to those  
workers who want to discuss theory, or who are hardcore number- 
crunchers, and/or those who are looking to share qualitative methods  
and results. The GSA description and rationale follow. Thank you!

Description:
Emphasis on pure research or research methodology, and not classroom  
strategies or teaching tips. Results of qualitative analysis  
(phenomenologic, ethnographic, etc.) or numerical analysis (ANOVA,  
nonparametrics, etc.) of actual data; methodology in educational  
research.

Rationale:
Many discussions of geoscience education research are focused on  
classroom strategies or teaching tips, in a "what we tried and how  
students liked it," kind of discussion. While it is important to be  
able to share our teaching strategies, such discussions in and of  
themselves often don’t represent pure research. There is often no  
“deliverable” or “consumable” for other scientists beyond a generic  
potential to improve one’s teaching. This session aims to provide an  
opportunity for discussion of research methods and/or actual data  
analysis, either qualitative or quantitative. Examples of  
methodological discussions may include (but not be limited to):  
applications of parametric and nonparametric statistics; generating  
qualitative data and identifying themes therein; and processing of  
either qualitative or quantitative data. Examples of analysis and  
results may include (but not be limited to): analysis of variance,  
comparison of means or clustering of quantitative data; emergent  
themes, textual analysis, phenomenology or theoretical frameworks  
yielded from structured or unstructured interviews and/or focus  
groups, or some other form of qualitative data.

Dr. Anthony D. Feig
Assistant Professor
Department of Geosciences
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe LA 71209
318.342.1894