Next steps

Priorities beyond QuEST

What’s next? I would suggest that the next step is to identify the Department’s priorities, concentrating on practicalities that depend on whether a “champion” or project coordinator (i.e. someone to do all the leg work) can be found. Hopefully these recommendations and all the background information will be useful to the future “concrete” quantitative Earth science curriculum development projects.

Here are some top priorities based on the work and ‘discoveries’ during the QuEST project. Choices made will require a balance between individual and collective preferences and the practicalities of implementation.

Priorities are likely to evolve based on discussions with stakeholders.

  1. Implementation tactics: once a clearly defined objective has been identified, consider incorporating a SWOT approach to identify strengths and weakness of existing situation as well as the opportunities and threats (or barriers) associated with accomplishing the goal. A prepared worksheet for carrying out a SWOT analysis is available here (MSWord) or here (PDF).
  2. Getting buy-in will be a key aspect of rejuvenating curriculum. See …\QUEST\background\Getting Buy-In from Colleagues.docx, downloaded from online doc generated during EER 2023. Needs refining and delivering as PDF.
  3. Establish consensus regarding the undergraduate quantitative capabilities that are consistent and compatible across the QES disciplines within EOAS.
  4. More regular interaction between quantitative faculty and the EOAS communications team will help make EOAS’s QES opportunities more visible, attractive and relevant.
  5. Support for students needs revisiting and prioritizing. Student success and effective recruiting depend on staying current with how their needs and stressors evolve from year to year, and providing corresponding mentoring as effectively as possible with available resources (time, energy, costs).
  6. Recruitment or “marketing” of QES opportunities pervades QuEST recommendations. Adjustments to courses and curriculum are all just as much about making QES degrees visible & inspiring as  they are about refining the capabilities students will develop.
  7. Career preparation includes raising awareness of opportunities, fostering authentic learning (fundamentals in relevant contexts), enabling reflection about relevance of learning, and helping students develop personal capabilities and attitudes to ensure they are prepared for the increasingly diverse and competitive workforce.
  8. Climate issues are a primary concern for current students. A more “rigorous” (although still accessible to appropriate first year students) first year course about climate science (or climate physics) is likely to be well-received. But make sure it has an “eye-catching” public face. Maybe “climate physics” is the wrong title since it seems daunting.
  9. QES curricular deliberations need to engage with current and emerging environmental sciences and the sustainability initiatives across campus – T. Ivanochko is the Department’s point-person on these efforts.