Transformative Teaching: From Educator to Design Engineer

In the winter of 2016, I was assigned to teach Introduction to Geology, a course for non-science majors open to all students across campus. Perhaps you are familiar with such a course. It draws 300–400 students from all over campus into a large-lecture environment, lacks a laboratory component, and is affectionately known as “Rocks for Jocks.” It is mainly taken by students needing to fulfill a science requirement—because it is NOT chemistry or physics. My approach to teaching has always been quite different from the more traditional mode of teaching. I had been teaching our introductory geology course for geoscience majors and saw my assignment as chance to explore some new tactics and strategies for engaging non-science majors in a journey of discovery of geology as a human endeavour, with all the implications that come from that.