PLACE, PARTNERSHIP AND PEDAGOGY - EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION OF WATERSHED-BASED FIELD INSTRUCTION FOR UNDERGRADUATE GEOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CURRICULA

Watershed-based field studies have been an integral component of undergraduate curricula in geology and environmental science at SUNY Plattsburgh since the creation of an environmental science program in 1972. Among the most successful initiatives in the Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) are the educational and research programs we co-sponsor with our academic partner institution, the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy, New York. The nearly 35-year collaboration between SUNY Plattsburgh and Miner Institute culminated with the Applied Environmental Science Program (AESP), a fall-semester residential program for CEES students at Miner Institute and the Little Chazy River Field Laboratory (LCRFL). The LCRFL provides the focus for watershed-based instruction and undergraduate research. The collaboration also led to several summer educational and research programs including most recently the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Programs (2000-2006) sponsored by NSF (EAR-9912288; EAR-0139132; EAR-0353750).

The AESP is based on a constructivist pedagogy that emphasizes small-group, inquiry-based instruction. Courses are taught in a day-long format which promotes seamless integration of lecture, field and laboratory activities and facilitates inclusion of long-term student projects. Watershed-based field studies provide an integrating thread that connects many components of the program. Field instruction fosters constructivist learning by creating an informal, student-centered environment that actively involves students in scientific inquiry through the collection, analysis and synthesis of real-world data.

Using the Little Chazy River watershed as a field laboratory in different courses encourages students to build interdisciplinary linkages and instills a sense of place. Place-based learning reinforces student understanding of natural environments and promotes a better appreciation for the role of science in society. A recent program assessment showed that most alumni believe the living and learning experiences in the AESP strongly influenced their professional development and they continue to have a high regard for the program long after graduation.