Starting in the Field: An Update on GEO 401, 'Physical Geology'

Introductory courses in geosciences have always been an important pathway for inspiring and developing enthusiasm among new students, and for framing a perspective on the many pathways students can take as they launch careers in modern geological sciences.

During the COVID-19 shutdown, we looked forward to a return to normalcy in classroom instruction but also allowed ourselves to explore the idea of a new model for teaching introductory geology — teaching “intro” as a field-based course.

The Department Executive Committee approved our proposed plan, and we worked together to develop an assessment plan for the new course. The pilot offering happened in the Fall 2021 semester, and we are now in our third year of teaching and assessing a field-based version of GEO 401, “Physical Geology.”

First-year students select this section of GEO 401 during their orientation, and enrollment is currently limited to 18 students. The course is centered on experiential, field-based instruction, with students in the field every Friday for four hours, and in the classroom for one hour each Wednesday, so we can introduce new topics and concepts before heading outside.

Students also participate in a one-hour “debrief” each week where they can contextualize their field observations and experiences, and we can address lingering questions and provide clarifications.

The course provides excellent opportunities for students to form a lasting cohort with their peers and also to get to know their professors under less formal circumstances than is often afforded to them in traditional classroom and laboratory settings. And they are starting their exploration of geosciences with experiential learning in the field!

— Professor Christopher J. Bell, Lecturer Mary F. Poteet, Professor David Mohrig, and Lecturer Adam Papendieck