USING HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS IN A LECTURE-ONLY GEOLOGIC HAZARDS COURSE TO SIMULATE A LABORATORY EXPERIENCE AND ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING

Our Hazardous Planet is a three-credit, entry-level, non-majors geologic hazards course that meets in a lecture-only setting. Thus, the course does not have a laboratory component included. As an integral part of the course, one that enhances student learning and supplements the lecture experience, I’ve designed a series of six homework assignments. These assignments solidify concepts introduced in lecture, broaden and sharpen understanding of hazardous geologic processes, introduce students to scales, variables and quantitative and graphical techniques related to these processes, and illustrate methods used to monitor and predict each hazard. These assignments simulate a laboratory experience and constitute one-third of the student course assessment.

The homework assignments address hazards related to Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanoes, Landslides, River Flooding, and Hurricanes, with assignment of each exercise carefully choreographed with the syllabus schedule. I hand out paper copies of each assignment and, for easy student access, place all assignments online. A week or more is typically given to complete each assignment. I assess student comprehension by grading and including specific questions and problems on lecture examinations that link directly back to each assignment.

Assignments rely heavily on information obtained from pertinent, reliable websites, and appropriate links are liberally included throughout each assignment. To create question sets, I use USGS references and fact sheets, NOAA and NASA Earth Observatory sites, state, museum and other agency sites, online exercises, news articles and databases, university geoscience department sites, and more. Students focus on historically significant events via electronic resources and by referring to their course textbook. I introduce quantitative and graphical techniques in lecture and in the assignment, with electronic references provided, and give ample space to do problems.

By using well crafted, resource-rich homework assignments in an otherwise non-laboratory course, I offer students the opportunity to learn about geologic hazards on a broader scope and in more depth than they would in a lecture-only course. Inclusion of these assignments greatly enhances the educational value for students taking Our Hazardous Planet.