INFUSING RESEARCH INTO AN UNDERGRADUATE PETROLOGY COURSE TO PROMOTE SCIENTIFIC LITERACY

This presentation highlights the curricular design and outcomes of an undergraduate petrology course at Fort Lewis College that was recast to focus on combined field- and analytical-based research. This course has engaged students as “active agents” in the “messy” process of scientific discovery to promote scientific habits of mind, and has also given them a sense of ownership in knowledge construction. These research classes have yielded a significant new geological database, and allowed students to make contributions to our understanding of geology in the region.

Students in this elective course worked as teams in collaboration with faculty to engage in all aspects of research and further hone their skills in scientific inquiry. All offerings of this course involved a small component of traditional lecture, complemented by a comprehensive review of the literature on a given topic. Invited lectures and trips by leading regional geologists provided opportunities for professional discussions and interactions. All of the students engaged in the active collection of petrologic data in field and laboratory sessions, and some used state-of-the art analytical tools as part of their experiences.

Formative and summative assessment data collected on student perspectives, and from other faculty that interacted with them before and after the courses, document the successful outcomes of this research-oriented petrology course on the scientific awareness of budding geoscientists at Fort Lewis College. The integration of classroom studies with applied research has had a positive impact on the academic interests of the students, given them a chance to engage in the process of science, helped them develop skills and perspectives for careers in geosciences, and instilled a passion for geologic research.

Many of the students who took the research petrology courses have gone on to highly successful academic and career paths. We maintain that the insight and values that these future geoscientists gained from authentic research experiences early in their education and careers was critical to their professional development. This process infused the students with a greater understanding of the elements and complications of research which stand to impact their decisions on future issues in society and communities.