ENHANCEMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING IN A COMBINED FIELD GEOLOGY/FIELD BIOLOGY COURSE FOR TWO-YEAR COLLEGES

Active learning reinforces topical knowledge and helps integrate that knowledge with a broad range of skills related to both academics and the real world. Primary among these skills is the ability to critically analyze information. Short-term research projects carried out by students demonstrate that learning through discovery is as important as learning from formal instruction. Rather than learning by rote, students are enabled to apply their knowledge to new situations and solve problems. Integration of biology and geology in a field setting allows students to experience whole science in a real setting and to build cross-disciplinary bridges. They are assisted by faculty who want them to ask questions and who want to listen to their suggestions. This course is especially valuable in increasing student scientific literacy and incorporates NSF science standards for Life Science, Earth and Space Science, and History and Nature of Science. We also believe that this course teaches in a variety of ways suited to all eight of the multiple intelligences proposed by Gardner¹.

¹Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic,1983