IF I HAD A HAMMER: PARTNERING INDUSTRY WITH ACADEMIA TO OFFER A GEOLOGY SHORT COURSE FOR EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS

During the summer of 2002, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Department of Earth Science and the Iowa Limestone Producers Association (ILPA) teamed up to offer a weeklong workshop called "Iowa Geology for Teachers." Funding for the course came largely from the ILPA. Instructors included UNI geology faculty with the assistance of personnel from several agencies, including the Iowa Geological Survey (IGS), Iowa Department of Transportation, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), local county conservation boards, the Iowater section of the Department of Natural Resources, and quarry operators.

The goals of the short course were to assist Iowa earth science teachers to better understand 1) the geology of Iowa, 2) the connection between geology and the aggregate industry, and 3) the availability of classroom resource materials and support organizations. Arriving Sunday evening, the 24 participants were given a schedule for the week and presented with a geologic hammer, hand lens, textbook, and resource materials notebook. The workshop focused on field activities, with visits to quarries, sand and gravel facilities, a cement plant, soil erosion control facilities for agriculture, UNI ground water monitoring locations, and many other natural sites. At most sites, participants were able to collect rock, mineral, fossil, or sediment samples for classroom use. At active quarries, representatives from the aggregate industry talked about aggregate operations, product development, production techniques, and uses for aggregates.

Pre- and post-tests were given and written assessments were administered daily. Two-thirds of the participants had never been to a quarry or sand plant prior to this workshop, and very few had any idea of the connection between quarry production and the variety of products for use in road building and construction. Several did not have fossil or rock and mineral specimens for use with their students. About half of the participants were unaware of organizations such as the IGS or NRCS and the resources they can provide to an earth science teacher. By all measures, this partnership was a highly successful endeavor and demonstrated that industry and academia working together can create a beneficial educational program for earth science teachers.