LEARNING GEOLOGY BY DOING GEOLOGY: INTEGRATING AUTHENTIC RESEARCH AND FIELD INVESTIGATIONS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF GEOLOGY

The Field Investigations in Geology (GEOL 3720) course taught in the Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences at Youngstown State University (YSU) provides students the opportunity to conduct authentic research. Students are also provided the opportunity to present their research at Quest: A forum for Student Research at YSU. GEOL 3720 is populated by sophomore to senior students that are science and non-science majors. Students in the course are assigned to research projects in groups of three to four students. Each group consists of 1 or 2 upper division geology majors (experts) and 2 or 3 non-science or lower division geology majors with little or no geology background (novices). Groups then write a research proposal for their project which includes the research methods, schedule of research, and materials needed to complete the project. Projects are coordinated by group members with faculty assistance including assembling needed materials from departmental equipment, assigning responsibilities and supervising non-group members during collection of field data, and compiling field data collected by all students. Students' research projects are conducted at field sites on San Salvador, Bahamas during a seven day trip that is headquartered at the Gerace Research Center of the College of the Bahamas. Samples and data collected in the Bahamas are analyzed when the groups return to YSU.

Grouping geology experts with geology novices in a class populated by science and non-science majors promotes interaction and inquiry by novices with the experts that doesn't always occur between novices and faculty. These groupings also facilitate interaction where the experts can share their knowledge with the class. The quality of research that can be conducted in undergraduate courses by students with varying levels of geologic knowledge is exemplified by the fact that two projects from this course are in preparation for publication in peer-reviewed geological journals.