Revisions of Physical Geology Laboratory Courses to Increase the Level of Inquiry: Implications for Teaching and Learning

Autor/inn/en	Grissom, April N.; Czajka, C. Douglas; McConnell, David A.
Titel	Revisions of Physical Geology Laboratory Courses to Increase the Level of Inquiry: Implications for Teaching and Learning
Quelle	In: Journal of Geoscience Education, 63 (2015) 4, S.285-296 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1089-9995
DOI	10.5408/14-050.1
Schlagwörter	Inquiry; Geology; Science Instruction; Science Laboratories; Thinking Skills; Instructional Effectiveness; Control Groups; Experimental Groups; Comparative Analysis; Mineralogy; College Students; College Faculty; Science Achievement; North Carolina + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Historische Geologie; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Denkfähigkeit; Unterrichtserfolg; Mineralogie; Collegestudent; Fakultät
Abstract	The introductory physical geology laboratory courses taught at North Carolina State University aims to promote scientific thinking and learning through the use of scientific inquiry-based activities. A rubric describing five possible levels of inquiry was applied to characterize the laboratory activities in the course. Two rock and mineral laboratory classes and a geologic time laboratory class were found to contain a greater proportion of low-level inquiry activities than the other laboratory classes. Student exercises within these classes were modified by increasing the degree of student independence, exploration, and prediction required for several activities. Such modifications included students categorizing rock samples before instruction on rock types and predicting the placement of fossils along a geologic time line. Learning gains were measured and compared between students in the traditional lower-inquiry (control) and the revised higher-inquiry laboratory classes (treatment). In all three classes, the increase in inquiry level was found to positively influence student academic performance on postlaboratory assessments and related exam questions. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Carleton College W-SERC, One North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057. Tel: 540-568-6675; Fax: 540-568-8058; e-mail: jge@jmu.edu; Website: http://nagt-jge.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01