DUAL CREDIT GEOLOGY CASE STUDY: TWO HIGH SCHOOLS GROWING A CADRE OF FUTURE GEOSCIENTISTS

A dual credit Earth Science / Physical Geology program has been established which brings together Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois, Maine East High School and Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois. The program is in its fifth year. To date 240 students have completed the course and earned credit at both the high school and college level. Enrollment trends in this dual credit program rival those of traditional AP science classes in the two high schools which boast some of the highest AP enrollments in the region.

Establishing and sustaining the program has not been without challenges including: introducing dual credit to students and parents, working with guidance counselors, establishing common assessments, developing curriculum materials, recruiting teachers, collaborating between institutions, to name a few. Two years of collaboration between the high school and college administration led to the start-up of the program in 2010. Understanding the challenges from both sides is critical to establishing and successfully running a dual credit program focused on growing a cadre of future geoscientists. Thus far we have tracked many graduates of the program into geoscience programs at both two and four year institutions.