This program funds for three years the portion of the new Distinguished Speakers Program of the National Association of Geology Teachers (NAGT) aimed at enhancing the abilities of faculty to teach undergraduate geology effectively and innovatively at both introductory and upper levels. While many visiting speaker programs focus on research, the NAGT Distinguished Speakers Program focuses on geoscience teaching and learning. A visit by a NAGT speaker will give faculty members in the host department an opportunity to learn first-hand from an exemplary and enthusiastic geoscience educator about innovative curricula and techniques that work in the classroom, laboratory, and field. Grant funds will partially underwrite these faculty enhancement visits. They involve application to the NAGT Speakers Bureau (c/o Barbara Tewksbury) outlining a list of desired speakers and the reasons for interest in the host department. If specific agreement is reached, a visit of roughly two days including lectures, workshops, and discussions is set up, and followup activities aimed at facilitating the desired change are scheduled. The program covers most costs of the speaker; costs of local transportation, food, lodging, and materials are borne by the host institution.
