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Skill to do comes of doing - Ralph Waldo Emerson Frank, I didn't want to broadcast to the group, but I did want to mention that UMW in Dillon, Montana, is on the block system (one class at a time). I teach all classes (except GEOL 101) in the field. The geoscience faculty (three strong) puts students in the field to collect data, but more importantly, we have them use those data to solve geological and geotechnical problems. There will be a paper describing this system in a GSA Special Paper volume that is slated to appear at the Portland GSA meeting in the fall. As an example, in structure I have them map in extensional and compressional tectonic environments. They then use the data to (in the case of the extensional environment) deal with subdivision lots that are placed on an active fault, landslides, soil creep, liquefaction potential areas, etc. I have them place a house, well and septic on each lot and discuss the hazards in a report that is typical of the geotechnical reports that I used to write when I was in the industry. For the compressional exercise, they write a EA (we map on BLM property) describing extractive resource potential and the rules and regulations that must be followed for development. An interdisciplinary Field Studies class has been doing an analysis of stream restoration to help restore the endangered Arctic Grayling in the Big Hole River. We are in the field in that class for 2.5 weeks solid, followed by 1 week of data analysis and report writing. They produced a 150 page report assessing stream function, riparian vegetation, macroinvertebrates and stream habitat in 18 days! So, I don't have a quote, but I know from experience that if undergraduate students are given challenging tasks in the field, treated like professionals and challenged with high expectations to produce good work, they deliver and walk away with portfolios that show more about what they can do than what they have memorized. Do you have a field-based program at Portland CC? I am always interested in arranging 2+2 programs with campuses with students interested in a field and immersion-based approach. There are only a few other schools that do this, and they are private and expensive (e.g., Colorado College). In any case, best of luck in finding a quote.......Rob ----------------------------------------------------------- Robert C. Thomas, Ph.D. Department of Environmental Sciences The University of Montana Western Dillon, MT 59725 (406) 683-7615 [log in to unmask] http://www.umwestern.edu/envirosci/ "I'll know my song well, before I start singin'"...Dylan On Apr 30, 2009, at 4:38 AM, Frank Granshaw wrote: > Hello all... > > I am looking for three items of information that I am hoping some of > you may be able to help me with. The first of these is your > favorite quote regarding the importance of fieldwork in constructing > geoscience knowledge. One that I've found thus far comes from Rob > Butler's "Teaching Geoscience through Fieldwork" > > It is quite possible to acquire a considerable knowledge of Geology > by the mere intelligent perusal of text-books. Without having > engaged in practical work, one may even learn to read a geological > map, and come to understand in a general way the structure of the > region it portrays. Knowledge obtained in this fashion, however, is > necessarily superficial, and can never supply the place of personal > observation or study in the field. > James Geikie (1912) > > While this one does a pretty good job explaining the importance of > fieldwork to geology education, it misses the mark in terms of the > importance of fieldwork in constructing the body of knowledge. The > other two items I'm looking for are references regarding the nature > and frequency of fieldwork in K-16 classrooms and in teacher > education in geoscience. Most of what I'm finding here seems to be > for the UK, which is interesting, but not very useful when talking > to folks here in the states. > > Thanks for whatever info you might be able to send in my direction > Cheers > Frank G. > > Frank D. Granshaw > Earth Science Instructor > Portland Community College > Sylvania Campus > Portland, OR > 503-977-8236 > > > >