Hydrogeology Laboratory Improvement for Enhancing Undergraduate Teaching and Research in Water Sciences

地质学这个项目有两个目标。一是为北爱荷华大学的学生提供机会，学习解释观测到的地表和地下水资源污染模式的基本概念。另一个是为他们提供机会，通过使用现代实验室设备来提高他们的分析技能。该项目的中心是使用一种新的离子色谱系统。该系统的安装提高了地球科学系本科生水文地质实验室的分析能力。这台新的离子色谱仪正在使用一个新建的校园监测井场来监测水流和水质。我们项目的一个相关方面是正在进行的实验室课程改进过程。在这个项目中，我们正在实施德克萨斯和怀尔德的建议，“NSTA通向科学标准的道路：将愿景付诸实践的指导方针”，国家科学教师协会，1997年，并遵循克劳夫和克拉克的建议，“烹饪书籍和建构主义：更好的实验室活动方法”，科学教师，第61卷，第2期(1994)，第34-37页。在水文地质学、环境水文学和物理地质学等课程的实验部分增加了新的练习。这些练习为学生提供了更多发展批判性思维技能和科学态度的机会。这些练习中的许多都是基于现场的实践经验，旨在帮助学生理解地下地质系统中水-岩相互作用的基本原理。在受影响的课程中，学生从受污染和未受污染的地区、不同土地利用方式的地区和垃圾填埋场收集地下水和溪水样本。然后，学生们使用离子色层分析这些样品中常见的无机离子含量。学生们还通过在模拟实验室系统和田间地块中使用离子示踪剂(溴、氯等)来研究地下水流动。这些练习正在向他们传授普遍的化学特征和渗滤液迁移的概念，提高他们对土地利用做法如何造成地下水污染以及地下水污染的许多衍生环境后果的理解。这个项目使学生更容易找到课堂和实验室学习与实际现场情况之间的联系。在与水有关的课程中扩大现有的实验室练习，使我们的学生有更多的机会为在环境服务公司工作以及在研究生水平上的深造做准备。

Geology (42) This project has two objectives. One is to provide University of Northern Iowa students with an opportunity to learn the fundamental concepts that explain observed patterns of surface and subsurface water resources pollution. The other is to provide them with opportunities to improve their analytical skills by using modern laboratory equipment. The project is centered on the use of a new ion chromatography system. The installation of this system has enhanced the analytical capability of the undergraduate hydrogeology laboratory in the Department of Earth Science. This new ion chromatograph is being used to monitor water flow and quality using a newly built on-campus monitoring well site. A related dimension of our project is an on-going process of laboratory curriculum improvement. In this project we are implementing the recommendations of Texley and Wild, "NSTA Pathways to the Science Standards: Guidelines for Moving the Vision into Practice," National Science Teachers Association, 1997, and following the recommendations of Clough and Clark, "Cookbooks and Constructivism: A Better Approach to Laboratory Activities," The Science Teacher, Vol. 61, No. 2 (1994) pp. 34-37. New exercises are being added to the lab component of various courses, such as Hydrogeology, Environmental Hydrology, and Physical Geology. These exercises are providing the students with increased opportunities to develop critical thinking skills and a scientific attitude. Many of these exercises are field-based hands-on experiences designed to facilitate student understanding of the fundamentals of water-rock interactions in subsurface geologic systems. In the impacted courses, students are collecting ground water and stream water samples from polluted and unpolluted areas, from areas of varying land use practices, and from landfill sites. Students are then analyzing these samples using ion chromatography for their common inorganic ion content. Students are also studying groundwater flow by using ion tracers (bromide, chloride, and others) in both simulated lab systems and in the field plots. These exercises are teaching them the concepts of prevalent chemical characters and leachate migration, improving their understanding of how land use practices cause subsurface water pollution, and many of the derivative environmental consequences of subsurface water pollution. This project is making it easier for the students to find a link between their classroom and laboratory learning and the real field situation. This expansion of available laboratory exercises in water-related classes is giving our students more opportunities to prepare for employment in environmental services companies as well as for further study at the graduate level.