UNDERGRADUATE FIELD EXPERIENCES: MORE THAN SHOW AND TELL

The Sam Houston State University (SHSU) geology program incorporates field experiences into almost all required and elective courses in the curriculum. Faculty adhere to the concept that ‘geology is not learned through the seat of the pants, but through the soles of your shoes.’ Freshman to sophomore level undergraduate students are required to take a two-week Introductory Field Methods course as part of their matriculation. During their residency in the program, students will have a minimum of seven required field experiences associated with courses. These trips are from one to four days in duration. In addition, the program sponsors various field experiences each semester not associated with a particular course. These experiences are open to all students and have served as a great recruiting tool into the program. Student outcomes are almost all positive. When planning field experiences, faculty focus on two questions: (1) Why is a trip the best method for learning (this)? and (2) What will the students gain from this trip? If the field experience is required for the course, then these questions are linked to the student learning outcomes in the course syllabus. Students are required to gather discipline-specific data, make and record observations, and participate in discussions. Student focus and retention fade quickly without tasks that require directed attention. Post trip reflection (field trip discussions, post-trip writing, trip critiques, etc.) lead to a lasting rather than ephemeral effects (c.f. Di Stefano et al., 2023). SHSU does not have its own geology field camp capstone course, so our students must attend camps run by other universities. Over the last decade plus, our students have regularly been some of the best prepared and most excited according to our polling of camp directors. Additionally, students who go on to graduate work regularly indicate that the time they spent in the field with us as highly advantageous.