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Greetings Colleagues-

On the Cutting Edge is offering an emerging theme workshop this April on complex systems.   Using a systems perspective to think about Earth processes (and other problems) is a hallmark of geoscientists and this perspective is one of the most important things that we can give to our students.  But it is hard!  The workshop  will bring together 30 individuals drawn from geoscience, education, cognitive science, and other disciplines.  We will  explore the cognitive underpinnings that make learning about complex systems, feedbacks and emergent behavior difficult, learn where our colleagues in  geoscience and other disciplines (e.g. social science, ecology) are having success,  and explore the use of models, visualizations, and other strategies to help students develop an understanding of the behavior of complex systems.    The workshop participants will produce a website with presentations, summaries of workshop discussions, and examples of teaching practice in the geosciences and beyond. 

If you have experience teaching about complex systems, or conducting research on teaching or learning about complex systems,  and are interested in learning more about this important topic, we encourage you to apply.  The application deadline is February 1.  You can find full information as well as the application form at 

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/complexsystems/workshop2010/index.html

The workshop will take place  April 18-20, at Carleton College.  The operational costs of the workshop as well as room, board, and workshop materials are covered by a grant from NSF. Participants or their home institutions must provide transportation to and from the workshop. 

We hope that you are interested!  Please pass this announcement on to colleagues  who might be interested in participating.

Cathy Manduca

Cathryn A Manduca
Director, Science Education Resource Center
Executive Director, National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Carleton College
1 N College Street
Northfield, MN  55057
507 222 7096
serc.carleton.edu