Print

Print
An individual response and question...

Like the past two respondents, we use the AGI-NAGT lab manual, though in the past we've used Judson, Bonini, Rhodes, and Rossbacher.  Of the two I prefer the AGI-NAGT manual because it is more clearly written, visual, and is not entirely paper and pencil activities.  That being said, as someone who originally came from physics education, I am constantly looking for lab curriculum that is has a healthy combination of non-office work (e.g. field activity, modeling, and lab work).  

Suggestions anyone?
Frank G.

Frank D. Granshaw
Earth Science Instructor
Portland Community College
Sylvania Campus
Portland, OR 
503-977-8236

On Apr 27, 2009, at 11:24 AM, Van Norden, Wendy wrote:

Another individual response-  I use the same AGI-NAGT lab manual with my honors geology high school students, As I use less and less of it, with more and more materials being available over the web, I suspect that I will eventually give up on what I think is the best general physical geology lab manual.

Wendy Van Norden

Harvard-Westlake School

 

From: GEOEDUCATION RESEARCH INTEREST GROUP [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Maureen Leshendok
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 10:07 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: question about laboratory manual usage

 

Maggie,
 
This is not a study, but purely my individual response.  I use the Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology from Prentice Hall, edited by Richard M. Busch, associated with NAGT and AGI, for a summer beginning lab course in Geology at the University of Nevada Reno.  While there are many excellent web resources and even an accompanying CD, I teach a summer course that is filled with non-majors, so the lab manual is concise, convenient, and most important, it's in hand when the students come to class.  With only 10 class meetings, I use most but not all of the manual.  I would love to construct a course with web resources, given the right environment.
 
--Maureen Leshendok
 
Maureen Leshendok
Reference Department
Elizabeth Sturm Library
Truckee Meadows Community College
775-674-7602

>>> Maggie Benoit <[log in to unmask]> 4/27/2009 7:52 AM >>>
Hi,

I am trying to get an idea what role the commercially available lab manuals play in driving undergraduate instruction.  I've been poking around on different databases, but I can't find any literature on this.  Some of the information I'm looking for involves: What % of institutions rely on these manuals for their introductory geology course laboratory instruction, and are there any studies regarding the efficacy of these manuals? Does anyone know of any papers that would be helpful? 

  I'm planning on calling publishers and asking them for some statistics (who knows if they are believable or not), but I was hoping there might be some scholarly work on this topic.

  I appreciate any insight that you would have on this...  I'm kind of new to the geoscience education realm.  

   Thank you for any help you can offer,
     Maggie Benoit

-- 
Margaret H. Benoit
Assistant Professor of Physics
The College of New Jersey
Science Complex P-113
Ewing, NJ 08628
609-771-2237