TEACHING ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY: AN AUTHENTIC FIELD AND LABORATORY RESEARCH APPROACH

Many undergraduate geoscience majors have few opportunities to conduct authentic field and laboratory research, yet many of these same students will pursue careers that require substantial field and laboratory skills. For example, students need experience in the design of rigorous field data collection and analysis protocols in complex, spatially and temporally heterogeneous environmental systems. Furthermore, students need to learn to effectively communicate scientific results to peers and to the general public. However, traditional undergraduate coursework provides few opportunities to conduct hands-on, environmental field research or to communicate science to the public. Therefore, we developed a problem-based, service-learning undergraduate course focused on assessment of water quality in a local urban lake. Students were introduced to specific laboratory techniques in the first weeks of the course by analyzing water samples from a retention pond near the lake. Having gained familiarity with relevant lab (colorimetry; IC; pH, DO, TDS probes) and field (Van dorn sampler, peat corer, Secchi disk, “peepers”) techniques through homework, readings and work with the retention pond samples, students designed and executed a field sampling strategy to assess lake eutrophication. Classroom work consisted of weekly “question of the day” (QED) problems (e.g. “How does DO change with depth in a eutrophic lake?”). Students answered QEDs to the best of their ability individually, then gathered in groups to create and illustrate their consensus answers on a whiteboard. The course instructor next presented a “mini-lecture” to address the QED, which was also the subject of the following homework. Students presented the final results of their research in an open house poster session for the general public, as well as in a written summary report given to local neighborhood associations. Course evaluation data were collected using a preinstruction experience survey, pre/post knowledge and attitude surveys, an open-ended postinstruction course evaluation, and a series of interviews with four students enrolled in the course. Analysis of this data suggests that students benefited greatly, both with respect to learning outcomes and attitudes, from the authentic inquiry format of the class.