UTILIZING INTERDISCIPLINARY FIRST-YEAR-PROGRAM CLUSTERS AND INTERACTIVE MEDIA TO ENHANCE FIELD-BASED LEARNING IN CONNECTICUT AND GEORGIA

Few would argue with the inherent educational value of embedding geologic field trips within classes at all levels of the geologic curriculum. Yet, time, logistical, and liability constraints limit the extent to which these activities can be undertaken, especially for introductory classes. This poster reports on our experience in leveraging time and resources through our institution’s liberal arts first-year-program (FYP) to enhance interdisciplinary field experiences for the freshmen co-enrolled in a 3-course cluster titled “Art Rocks.” This cluster includes introductory geology, studio art, and a resource-responsibility-research course that introduces students to university life. The academic objectives of the cluster are to introduce students to the workings of Earth, to better understand landscapes near campus, and to learn approaches to capture and present these features artistically and scientifically. Students learn to identify and interpret geologic materials (rocks, minerals), they utilize these materials as drawing subjects in art class, and then through field trips they examine the geology of local river landscapes and use these sites for plein air painting. We have taught the cluster 3 times, and continue to delve deeper into our overlapping interest in understanding and representing landscapes in ways that now involve upper classmen through undergraduate research. This has led to joint research/creative field expeditions to examine the geomorphology and artistry of Providence Canyon State Park (PCSP), a spectacular collection of canyons that formed by erosion following land clearing in southwest Georgia in the early 1800’s. Students involved in this work have completed follow-up research projects including presentations at GSA meetings. As well, because we have developed a rich collection of multimedia (high definition video, interactive imagery), we are able to bring this extended field experience back to our FYP cluster and to the public at large through a new “Art Rocks” exhibit in the Connecticut Science Center. With FYP funding we now complete the learning cycle by taking our cluster classes to the Science Center Art Rocks exhibit as well as the nearby Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art where students view Hudson River School landscape paintings.