IS IT TIME TO REVISE THE 1938 “ELEVEN GEOMORPHIC PROVINCES” SCHEMA FOR TEACHING CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY?

This talk addresses the merit of replacing, modifying or augmenting a teaching framework from the year 1938 that is widely used in teaching California Geology within the California Community College (CCC) System (CCCS) and elsewhere.

California Geology classes are taught: (1) at many CCCs and CA colleges and universities, (2) most commonly within a Geology or Earth Science department, (3) less commonly within a Geography department. This talk addresses California Geology classes taught in a geology and not a geography context.

Many California Geology classes are taught using the “Eleven Geomorphic Provinces” (11 GP System) published 78 years ago in the1938 Geomorphic Map of California by Olaf Jenkins.

We discuss two reasons for reforming the 11 GP System:

1) Students may be burdened by learning basic geology of 11 provinces. Because some basic characteristics of some adjoining provinces are materially identical, a potential exists for less repetitive and more effective learning to occur. A teaching system that requires learning the features of fewer geologic provinces might facilitate deeper, more integrated learning.

2) The 11 GP System predates and does not fully benefit from the post-1938 paradigm shift to plate tectonics or the application of isotopic geochemistry, seismic tomography, space-based measurements of land surface movement, robust computation and modeling in generating data or evaluating hypotheses about California’s geology.

The talk provides specific examples and benefits of how the 11 GP System might be modified or replaced. Three primary approaches to consider are (1) merging several provinces within the 11 GP System, (2) revising the entire province system with a new regional schema, and (3) using a chronologic or process – based teaching system rather than a geographic/aerially-based system. Examples of all three approaches presented for discussion.