Promoting Student Learning Through Experimental Studies in Geoscience Courses

最近有一点很清楚，传统的以讲授为基础的课程不能满足大多数理科大学生的需求。在课堂上学习事实对学生来说是一种无效的准备方式。为了帮助解决这个问题，许多地质学课程都引入了研究内容。这个项目以矿物学课程为中心，是向研究型课程迈进的又一步。学生们喜欢做实验研究。他们喜欢在项目中工作，在那里他们成为专家。他们成为原创思想家和调查者。他们学习科学家如何创造科学，并通过应用学习基本的科学原理。正在获得的新设备使学生能够进行更复杂的、长达一学期的实验研究。他们在团队中工作，设计他们的项目，收集数据，并解释结果。他们在课堂上、研讨会上和出版物上陈述他们的结论。该设备还可用于矿物学以外的其他课程的教学和学生研究，包括构造地质学、地貌学、岩石学、工业矿物学、矿床学、沉积学和地层学以及煤炭地质学。尤其是视频系统，简化了基于岩相显微镜的大型小组教学和讨论，并便于展示学生的研究成果。*

It has recently become clear that traditional, lecture-based courses do not serve the needs of most college science students. Learning facts in a lecture setting is an ineffective way to prepare students. To help solve this problem, research components are being introduced in many of the geology courses. This project, centered around the Mineralogy class, is a further move toward a research-based curriculum. Students enjoy doing experimental studies. They like working on projects where they become the expert. They become original thinkers and investigators. They learn how scientists create science, and learn basic scientific principles through application. The new equipment being acquired allows students to conduct more sophisticated, semester-long, experimental investigations. They work in teams, designing their projects, collecting data, and interpreting results. They present their conclusions in class, in seminars, and in publications. The equipment can also be used for teaching and for student research in classes other than Mineralogy, including Structural Geology, Geomorphology, Petrology, Industrial Minerals, Ore Deposits, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, and Coal Geology. The video system, in particular, simplifies large group instruction and discussion based on the petrographic microscope, and facilitates presentations of student research results. *