WEB-BASED LABS USED AS A COMPONENT OF FRESHMEN-LEVEL GEOSCIENCES COURSES: BRINGING THE SCIENCE CLOSER TO HOME

The Digital Geology of Idaho (http://geology.isu.edu/Digital_Geology_Idaho) provides several labs at Idaho State University to teach local geology. Without the ability to visualize the importance of geology in their lives, students often forget concepts soon after the course ends. However, when the geology is localized and made easily available to non-science majors, the students are more successful in retaining knowledge.

During the first week students use the Digital Atlas of Idaho to write down some basic facts about various aspects of geology, topographic maps, minerals, rocks, hydrology, etc. Many of these points are discussed in more detail later. A second lab on the Bonneville Flood provides an opportunity to learn details about a geological event that affected the local area. A local field trip during the last lab section showcased the effects of the flood in the Pocatello, Idaho area.

Knowledge surveys were administered before and after the labs were completed. Confidence levels of student knowledge demonstrably increased. Total initial confidence in personal knowledge about the subjects presented in the Digital Geology Lab ranged from 43% to 59%. After completion of the lab, confidence in personal knowledge ranged from 70% to 81%. In relation to the Bonneville Flood lab, personal confidence grew from 42-55% to 84-94%.

However, simply asking students how they much they “think” they know about a topic is not the only way knowledge growth was observed. On a midterm exam, students in several sections of the Geology and Human Affairs labs were tested on several key points of the take-home labs. Overwhelmingly, the students performed very well on this section of the exam. Evaluation of knowledge growth also occurred on the local field trip.

The internet provides a great resource for freshmen-level geoscience courses if it is utilized. It creates an opportunity to introduce students to the same topic in various ways as well as show them that everything they are learning in class is relevant to their everyday lives. These two labs allow the students the freedom to work at their own pace while still learning about the local geology, beyond what they would learn in a traditional lecture/lab setting.