TEACHING AND LEARNING GEOMORPHOLOGY: USING A CONSTRUCTIVE-BASED INQUIRY CASE STUDY APPROACH TO EXAMINE DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS ALONG THE SALMON RIVER, IDAHO

Case study strategies have long been used as an effective instructional tool in K-12 and higher education classroom and field settings. Key instructional aspects of a traditional case study incorporate 'tell them' direct-instruction tactics. That is, students are informed of the topic, followed by specifics that the instructor uses to direct students to accept a construct of the topic, such as the formation of a specific fluvial deposit. Often, the instructor assumes that the students are deducing the concept based upon the information provided, as well as a few questions or comments from fellow students. Constructivist-based inquiry is a focused inductive mode in which students are exposed to information and scenarios similar to the concept to be learned. In fact, this mode of instruction has long been heralded as an effective method to increase student achievement in science education. The underlying focus and intent is for students to identify the concept, via varying modes of guidance, as opposed to being told what it is. In turn, additional concept-related information, such as names, processes, language, and related concepts readily contribute to a student's meaningful acquisition of new knowledge.

This paper addresses the educational foundation for, and discusses a specific example of a field based inquiry case study. The foundational information includes a concise description of the effectiveness as well as design, conduct, and assessment of constructivist learning. The example case study setting is a unique deposit along the Salmon River Road, east of Riggins, ID. The instructional example demonstrates effective use of a guided-model, inquiry-based case study during a geomorphology course multi-day field trip. The outcomes were not surprising: the benefits for the students were both educationally and practically positive. Not only did students understand a variety of scenarios for the depositional environment, but they also developed a process to purposefully investigate and effectively learn about other geomorphic processes and events.