Collaborative Research: Using the Rock Art Stability Index to Engage Community College Students in Field-Based Interdisciplinary Research

地质学(42)本项目介绍梅萨社区学院和马里科帕县社区学院地区注册的地质学、自然地理学和考古学课程的学生进行岩石艺术的基础田野研究。由于人为活动和自然过程，美国西部常见的史前岩画(岩画)和岩画(象形文字)正在退化。正在开发的课程模块利用学生对其文化遗产的兴趣，并使用岩石艺术稳定性指数(RAASI)帮助他们将岩石类型和风化特征的知识与岩石艺术的保护联系起来。随着学生们了解风化过程，他们正在生成有助于保存岩石艺术的数据。这些数据正在与文化资源经理共享，并可能导致新的和改进的岩石艺术保护技术。对这些单元的评估有助于增进对“以地点为基础的”和有意义的研究如何吸引和留住STEM学科中代表性不足的学生的理解。通过亚利桑那州地理联盟提供的讲习班，K-12教师正在熟悉这些模块。

Geology (42) This project introduces Mesa Community College and other Maricopa County Community College District students enrolled in geology, physical geography, and archaeology courses to basic field research on rock art. Rock art, prehistoric rock engravings (petroglyphs) and rock paintings (pictographs) common in the American West, is being degraded as a result of anthropogenic activities and natural processes. The curriculum modules being developed take advantage of the students' interest in their cultural heritage and use the Rock Art Stability Index (RASI) to help them link their knowledge of rock types and weathering characteristics to the preservation of the rock art. As the students learn about weathering processes, they are generating data that contribute to the preservation of the rock art. These data are being shared with cultural resource managers and may lead to new and improved rock art preservation techniques. The evaluation of the modules is contributing to advancing the understanding of how "place-based" and meaningful research attracts and retains underrepresented students in STEM disciplines. K-12 teachers are becoming familiar with the modules through workshops offered by the Arizona Geographic Alliance.