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Faculty Member

Dr. Doug Czajka

Biography

I am a geoscience education researcher, with a focus on improving process skills (e.g. teamwork, critical thinking, metacognition, etc.) among introductory geoscience students and assessing the link between observed instructional practices and student learning in geoscience classrooms. I'm a professionally licensed geologist, have professional experience as an engineering geologist, and am interested in geologic hazards such as landslides and earthquakes, especially as they relate to the built environment. My `research hobby' finds me occasionally hunting for dinosaur fossils, and I enjoy learning and teaching about dinosaurs and Mesozoic geology.

Education

PhD, North Carolina State University, 2018

Major: Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

MS, North Carolina State University, 2014

Major: Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

BS, North Carolina State University, 2002

Major: Geology

Teaching

GEO 1220

Historical Geology, Fall 2025

GEO 1225

Historical Geology Laboratory, Fall 2025

GEO 1010

Introduction to Geology, Fall 2025

GEO 2020R

Science Excursion, Fall 2025

GEO 1040

The Dinosaurian World, Fall 2025

GEO 1010

Introduction to Geology PP, Spring 2025

GEO 1010

Introduction to Geology PP, Spring 2025

GEO 1040

The Dinosaurian World PP, Spring 2025

Presentations

Jarrett, Brynna (Presenter & Author), Rhodes, Dustin (Co-Presenter), Ambrose, Kaylee (Co-Presenter), Newman, Camden (Co-Author), Czajka, Doug (Other), Geological Society of America Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, "PREPARATION AND MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF A CAMARASAURUS (DINOSAURIA: SAUROPODA) SKULL AND ASSOCIATED BONES FROM THE MORRISON FORMATION OF WYOMING", Provo, Utah. (May 19, 2025)
Czajka, Doug , Viskupic, Karen , Teasedale, Rachel , Ryker, Katherine , Aird, Hannah , GSA Connects 2024, "HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? QUANTIFYING STUDENT LEARNING AND AFFECT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF INSTRUCTIONAL REFORM", Anaheim, California. (September 24, 2024)
Czajka, Doug , Wang, Weihong (Co-Author), GSA Connects 2023, "Exploring Recruitment and Retention in the Earth Sciences at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution", Goelogical Society of America, Pittsburgh, PA. (October 17, 2023)
Czajka, Doug , Teasdale, Rachel , Ryker, Katherine , Viskupic, Karen , GSA Connects 2022, "Do course syllabi reflect observed teaching practices? Using regression analysis with k-fold cross validation to build a predictive model", Geological Society of America, Denver, CO. (October 11, 2022)
Smith, Kristen (Presenter & Author), Toke, Nathan (Co-Author), Johnson, David R (Co-Author), Czajka, Doug , Nelson, Daren (Co-Author), Hiscock, Adam I, GSA Conncets 2022, "The West Mountain Site, Genola North Fault, Utah_ Paleoseismic History and Connectivity with Utah Lake Faults", Geological Society of America, Denver, CO. (October 9, 2022)
Czajka, Doug , Chapman, LeeAnna , Ryker, Katherine , Earth Educators Rendezvous, "Revising the Teacher Beliefs Interview for post-secondary instructors", National Association of Geoscience Teachers, Virtual. (July 16, 2021)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Czajka, Doug , Teasdale, Rachel , Ryker, Katherine , Viskupic, Karen , (2025) "Do course syllabi reflect observed teaching practices in undergraduate geoscience courses?" . Journal of Geoscience Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2025.2489922
Czajka, Doug , Reynders, Gil , Stanford, Courtney , Cole, Renee , Lantz, Juliette , Ruder, Suzanne , (2021) "A Novel Rubric Format for Providing Feedback on Process Skills to STEM Undergraduate Students" (Issue: 6, vol. 50). Journal of College Science Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1080/0047231x.2021.12290533
Teasdale, Rachel , Ryker, Katherine , Viskupic, Karen , Czajka, Doug , Manduca, Cathy , (2020) "Transforming education with community-developed teaching materials_ evidence from direct observations of STEM college classrooms" (Issue: 1, vol. 7). International Journal of STEM Education.
Schweitzer, Mary Higby, Schroeter, Elena R, Czajka, Doug , (2020) "Dinosaurs: How we know what we know" . CRC Press.
Czajka, Doug , McConnell, David , (2019) "The adoption of student-centered teaching materials as a professional development experience for college faculty" (Issue: 5, vol. 41). International Journal of Science Education.
Czajka, Doug , McConnell, David , (2018) "An exploratory study examining undergraduate geology students’ conceptions related to geologic time and rates" (Issue: 3, vol. 66). Journal of Geoscience Education.

Awards

Provost's Award for GE Teaching

Office of Academic Affairs - March 29, 2024

Thank a Teacher

UVU Office of Teaching and Learning - January 10, 2024

Student Recognition for Exceptional Effort during COVID-19

Academic Affairs - May 7, 2020

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