AN AUTHENTIC RESEARCH APPROACH TO TEACHING ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY

The geosciences, including hydrogeology and environmental consulting, are projected to continue as a high-demand employment field. Preparing undergraduate students for these careers is crucial. Specifically, students must develop an understanding of complex biogeochemical systems, skills in designing field sampling and analysis protocols for heterogeneous environments, and effective written and oral communication skills. Traditional undergraduate courses, however, often fail to provide students with the requisite experience to develop this set of knowledge and skills.

To meet these needs, we developed a field- and laboratory-based environmental geochemistry course in which students design and complete a research study of water quality in a local kettle lake. Students were tasked with determining whether the lake was eutrophic and if it had been impacted by road salt. Eutrophication is a global problem impacting surface water systems. Because it involves biogeochemical cycles, spatial and temporal heterogeneity and biological-geological interactions, it is a rich problem for undergraduate study. Instructional techniques included short “question of the day” exercises, brief lectures, and lab activities designed to familiarize students with relevant analytical and field techniques. The entire class (14-18 students) worked in teams to develop and carry out a field sampling and analysis protocol over a 15-week semester. At the end of the semester, students presented their work in a public poster session and submitted a written report to a local community association.

The course has been offered once per year for the past three years, with students carrying out research at two field sites. A third site is planned for fall 2012. Analysis of the course assessment data (a pre/post knowledge test, course evaluations, student work, and student interviews) suggests that students developed a significantly improved understanding of lake systems and the process of eutrophication, and perceived that the course improved their analytical and interpersonal skills. Overall, students reported a strong sense of satisfaction with the research- and community-oriented nature of the course.