USING A RELEVANT GEOLOGY THEME TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED SCIENCE LIBERAL STUDIES COURSE

A current impetus in higher education is to develop liberal studies courses to better engage non-science majors in the basic concepts of science that promote scientific literacy. Colleges and universities have traditionally relied on large lecture/lab introductory courses to serve the needs of general science requirements. In the fall of 2003, Fairmont State University implemented a novel approach to better serve its non-science majors. A team of collaborating science professors developed a course called “Coal in the Heart of Appalachia.” This nontraditional science course focuses on an important regional issue by seamlessly integrating physics, chemistry, biology, and geology to study the origins, extraction, transportation, and utililization of coal. Course outcomes include content, process, and civic engagement in energy consumption, environmental implications, health affects, and nonrenewable resources. Experiential learning opportunities include a trip through an underground coal mine, a tour of a historic coal town, evening speakers, and cultural events. This presentation discusses the methods implemented to move from a traditional lecture/lab format to an inquiry and constructivist-based “activity” approach. The many challenges faced included university administration, encouraging professors to abandon traditional pedagogies, and student registration, retention, and anxiety. Preliminary evaluations indicate students are learning science and altering misconceptions. A NSF-CCLI grant funded the development of this SENCER/AAC&U course.