Contents:
Introduction
The class
Discussion
Discussion sections
Curriculum downloads
Student feedback
Contact us
What is the class and how do we teach it?
Class format Earth Hazards (GEOL 007) is a large introductory course offered through
the Geology Department at the University of Vermont. In 1999 and 2001, course
enrollment was approximately 230 students. In 2002, enrollment was cut to
140 to accomodate the use of discussion sections. The class meets in a large
lecture hall twice a week for 90 minutes each. We move fast, covering a
different topic each week. Class subject and goals The course covers natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes. hurricanes, nor'easters, land/mudslides, floods, avalanches, tsunamis, and asteroids, as well as more anthropogenic hazards such as climate change and nuclear energy. Our goal in offering this class is to expose non-science students to some of the more significant natural processes that affect humans and help them understand how these processes can affect theirs and others' lives. Our hope is that students will keep these concepts in mind as they move on in life, whether by considering a proper location for a home, voting on government policies, evaluating real estate for development, or other common activities that can be affected by natural processes. Teaching the class While the size of the class limits us to a large lecture hall, we use teaching methods that are fun, interactive, and meet student needs for learning. We introduce each topic (a new one each week) with a video, such as National Geographic or Discovery Channel. Students are given a set of questions to consider while watching the video, which we review afterwards. Lectures are used to present new information and reinforce what was seen in the video(s). We break up lectures by pausing regularly and posing reflective questions to the students, allowing them time to think about what has been said. Each class includes at least one small group activity in which students are expected to work with one or more partners to discuss a question related to the day's lecture. We encourage student involvement in the class by creating an open classroom where students are expected to call out questions or comments. We elicit student involvement in the class as often as possible, whether through asking questions, providing group activities, or using student volunteers for demonstrations. Physical demonstrations are a good way to raise student interest and understanding, and we attempt to use at least one exciting, fun, and effective demonstration for each subject. We want students to be active participants in their learning, rather than simply passive receptacles for raw information, and our classroom environment helps achieve that. Assessment Quizzes (36%) - Each week begins with a brief short-answer quiz that covers the previous week's class and the reading assigned for the upcoming week. We drop the lowest grade. Discussion Sections (33%) - Discussion section grades are based on attendance and participation, rather than a graded product. This offers a balance to the factual knowledge assessed by quizzes. Attendance (12%) - We take in-class attendance through quizzes and other written exercises. Movies (9%) - We show several Hollywood movies outside of class so students can compare their depictions of natural disasters to reality. This grade is based on attendance to the films. Final paper (10%) - Rather than a final exam, we assign a short research paper. This two-page assignment gives students another chance to earn a grade that is not based on raw factual learning, and is comparable to a final exam in terms of required time for both students and faculty (i.e. grading). |