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Frank, There probably is literature on this topic that would help. However, my anecdotal observations and experiences from my on-line geology course at the University of Montana Western are similar to what you describe. I teach a course targeted at early childhood majors (ironic, given I was awarded the CASE U.S. Professor of the Year for helping to pioneer the use of experiential immersion learning!). My students grapple with many of the problems you have mentioned, and I don't have a lot of insight on how to correct these problems. The most effective way in which I get them engaged beyond cyberworld, is to have them do a field-based rock project on their own (see reference in red below). In short, they collect one of each rock type and write a report that includes (1) descriptive information (maps, rock description, field photos, etc.), (2) a thorough description of the processes that form each rock (gets them back into their book), and (3) a discussion of how the rock fits into the geologic history of the area they are located (helps them with geologic time and regional geology). I once had a student who was in Chicago, and he did this project using building stones (without the collecting part, of course!), so it can work even outside of Montana. I hope this helps. All the best......Rob Thomas, R.C., 2001, Learning geologic time in the field: Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 49, n. 1, p. 18-21. ----------------------------------------------------------- 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/ http://www.umwestern.edu/envirosci/ "I'll know my song well, before I start singin'"...Dylan On Feb 25, 2010, at 9:16 AM, Frank Granshaw wrote: > Hello everyone... > > For the past four years I have been attempting to develop a fully on- > line earth science sequence for non-science majors. In our system > we call it the general science sequence. At the end of this year I > will be "retiring" from teaching distance courses and making the > recommendation that we stay with a hybrid sequence (on-campus lab) > rather than attempt to go fully on-line. As a point of closure I > would be most interested in hearing from some of you that have been > involved in similar efforts. In particular I would appreciate > hearing about how you have dealt with the following issues or if you > know of research dealing with these issues. > > Encouraging inquiry and problem solving in on-line environments - My > experience has been that the on-line experience is a highly scripted > one that doesn't lend itself easily to the kinds of flexibility and > open-endedness that is a hallmark of inquiry-based instruction. > This scriptedness also makes teaching earth science on-line somewhat > problematic, since the earth sciences are a bit "messier" than math, > physics, chemistry, or accounting. > Providing the kind of near instantaneous, social trouble shooting > that is part of an on-campus course - The asynchronous aspect tends > to slow down many activities quite significantly. We have tried > video-conferencing options such as Elluminate, but this adds a level > of technical complication for students who are still struggling with > basic technical tasks such as sending an attachment to an email. > Coping with student expectations about distance courses - I sense > there is a certain amount of scuttlebutt amongst students (and maybe > even advise from college counselors) that if you are looking for an > easy way to fill a requirement take an on-line course. Students > seem to arrive in our courses with the illusion that they will be > spending far less time completing an on-line course than they will > its on-campus equivalent. They also seem to arrive with the > impression that the experience will be a canned, "work-at-your own > pace" experience. > Coping with student frustrations - For much of the past four years, > we've spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out how > to deal with the many frustrations students have expressed on-line. > While many of these frustrations are rooted in the all-to-common > technical difficulties that come with teaching on-line, my own > hypothesis is that many more of these frustrations stem from > students finding on-line science different from their expectations, > trying to work alone without the support of instructors and other > students, and their own discomfort with science (e.g. "Science isn't > my thing"). Add to this the anonymity of email communication and > you often get students expressing themselves in ways that they would > not do in a face-to-face encounter. > > Again, I am quite interested in hearing from any of you who have had > experience with these issues or know of research dealing with them, > especially as I make my recommendations to our DL folks and the > instructors who will inherit these courses. > > Cheers > Frank G. > > Frank D. Granshaw > Earth Science Instructor > Portland Community College > Sylvania Campus > Portland, OR > 503-977-8236 > > > >