A NEW DAY IN THE FIELD

Students often fail to appreciate or recognize the various connections within the diverse array of coursework that embodies an undergraduate degree. The level of academic performance of non-major students in Physical Geology Laboratory courses indicated a disconnect of one type or other. It could be that these students are simply unmotivated, under-prepared, or both to excel in an introductory laboratory course. Non-major students usually fail to discern value or benefit obtained from identifying unknown rock and mineral samples or from studying topographic maps, especially when no connection is made between the use of systematic observation and evaluation techniques with undertakings encountered later in their professional and personal lives.

We have designed a new laboratory exercise that is based upon campus field work. Students are given a brief introductory lecture in the laboratory and a handout including a topographic map, then walk to the field area. At the site, students are able to make their own observations along several transects, compare the local topography to its representation on the topographic map, and make measurements to determine the Representative Fraction [RF] scale of the topographic map. A two page paper discussing uses for topographic maps and the methodology used to calculate the RF scale is due the following week. Students are evaluated on a number of criteria, including (1) observation and evaluation, (2) application of newly acquired knowledge in unique situations, (3) communication of results through written reports, and (4) the use of proper citation within the written report. This new exercise benefits non-major and major students in a number of ways: a hands-on use of topographic maps, an opportunity to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes while still in the field, reinforcement of the necessity of developing good writing skills, and provides intellectual value.