How Geoscientists Think and Learn

  1. Kim A. Kastens1
  2. Cathryn A. Manduca2
  3. Cinzia Cervato3
  4. Robert Frodeman4
  5. Charles Goodwin5
  6. Lynn S. Liben6
  7. David W. Mogk7
  8. Timothy C. Spangler8
  9. Neil A. Stillings9
  10. Sarah Titus10

Article first published online: 3 JUN 2011

DOI: 10.1029/2009EO310001

Issue

Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union

Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union

Volume 90, Issue 31, pages 265–266, 4 August 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kastens, K. A., C. A. Manduca, C. Cervato, R. Frodeman, C. Goodwin, L. S. Liben, D. W. Mogk, T. C. Spangler, N. A. Stillings, and S. Titus (2009), How Geoscientists Think and Learn, Eos Trans. AGU, 90(31), 265–266, doi:10.1029/2009EO310001.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, Palisades, N.Y.

  2. 2

    Science Education Resource Center, Carleton College, Northfield, Minn.

  3. 3

    Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames

  4. 4

    Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies, University of North Texas, Denton

  5. 5

    Department of Applied Linguistics, University of California, Los Angeles

  6. 6

    Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park

  7. 7

    Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman

  8. 8

    University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colo.

  9. 9

    School of Cognitive Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, Mass.

  10. 10

    Department of Geology, Carleton College

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 JUN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 3 JUN 2011

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Keywords:

  • learning science;
  • geocognition

Decades ago, pioneering petroleum geologist Wallace Pratt pointed out that oil is first found in the human mind. His insight remains true today: Across geoscience specialties, the human mind is arguably the geoscientist's most important tool. It is the mind that converts colors and textures of dirt, or blotches on a satellite image, or wiggles on a seismogram, into explanatory narratives about the formation and migration of oil, the rise and fall of mountain ranges, the opening and closing of oceans. Improved understanding of how humans think and learn about the Earth can help geoscientists and geoscience educators do their jobs better, and can highlight the strengths that geoscience expertise brings to interdisciplinary problem solving.

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