HP Technology is being used in the redesign of three laboratory courses. Goals of the redesign include: Visualization of Earth Processes and History; Enhance student’s ability to manage and interpret data; Foster critical thinking; Improve student communication skills; and Enhance the quantity, quality, and diversity of students pursuing Earth Science careers.
Impact on Student Learning
Past – Final exam performance has been disappointing. Average scores are between 50-60% indicating poor retention or lack of understanding. Instructor evaluations are positive but a common complaint is that geology is boring or that they will not use what they learned.
Today - Students like to use technology in learning and are comfortable with it. 50% had prior experience with Google Earth.
Future - Pre-test to develop a baseline of geoscience knowledge and to determine common misconceptions. Post-test to determine how knowledge and confidence in geoscience has improved. We will focus on improvement in visualization skills, understanding of basic concepts, and appreciation of relevance of geoscience to everyday life. Exit survey will determine which lessons were most/least useful and interest level of students. We will track basic statistics about number and diversity of students impacted and how many students pursue a B.S. degree in geoscience or related fields.
Impact on Teaching
Laboratories have been taught using colored pencils and static illustrations provided in manuals. HP technology allows us to develop dynamic exercises using real data (see topography example above) and emphasizing concept maps and Earth system science (see carbon cycle example below). Lessons plans will be shared through the HP wiki and http://serc.carleton.edu. Our goal is an online laboratory experience that motivates students to explore outside of class.
Technology Implementation
Laboratory exercises are developed using XML, Google Earth, MS OneNote, and CMap Tools (see earthquake example above). Google Earth allows students to access, manipulate, and visualize geoscience data. OneNote and CMap Tools provide annotation and drawing tools that help students jump from “seeing” to “understanding”.
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