Promoting Student Learning Through Experimental Studies in Geoscience Courses

它最近变得很明显，传统的，以讲座为基础的课程不服务于大多数大学理科学生的需求。 在课堂上学习事实是一种让学生做好准备的无效方法。 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，围绕矿物学类为中心，是进一步走向研究为基础的课程。 学生喜欢做实验研究。 他们喜欢在自己成为专家的项目上工作。 他们成为原创的思考者和研究者。 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。 正在收购的新设备允许学生进行更复杂的，长达一个学期的实验研究。 他们在团队中工作，设计他们的项目，收集数据和解释结果。 他们在课堂上、研讨会上和出版物上提出他们的结论。 该设备也可用于教学和学生研究类以外的矿物学，包括结构地质学，地貌学，岩石学，工业矿物，矿床，沉积学和地层学，以及煤炭地质学。 视频系统，特别是，简化了大型团体教学和讨论的基础上岩相显微镜，并促进学生的研究成果的演示。 *

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. *