General Education Environmental Science: An Interdisciplinary Laboratory Program for the 21st Century

Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw GA

Investigators

Abstract

Interdisciplinary (99) We are developing three technology-enhanced, textbook-independent, multi-week laboratory exercises on environmental topics that fit the goals and needs of a general education audience in Interdisciplinary Science. The laboratory exercises are grouped into modules that examine one environmental topic for 4-6 consecutive weeks, providing in-depth examinations of each topic. Each module synthesizes traditional wet lab exercises with computer simulations of environmental topics, online quizzing/communication, and computerized data laboratory instrumentation. These exercises focus on environmental issues of concern to students and utilize real data as collected by the students themselves (e.g., water quality studies), or gathered from internet-based databases (e.g., levels of air pollutants). This approach avoids the inherent predictability of most traditional laboratory exercises, which simply seek to demonstrate basic scientific principles through time- tested (i.e., predictable) exercises. This combination of original data and local issues makes the laboratory experience complement the course content and greatly improves student interest in the laboratory component of the course. Further, by emphasizing the "personalized" nature of these exercises (analysis of personal impacts, original data, voicing personal opinions on controversial issues in case studies), the laboratory experience is uniquely tailored to each individual student. The modules contain abundant multimedia content that engages student attention with digital video clips in laboratory introductions, takes students on virtual field trips to local sites, enables students to quickly calculate and analyze their personal contributions to regional environmental impacts, and presents compelling case studies with digitized interviews. Further, igitized video clips demonstrating proper laboratory techniques are invaluable in open-scheduled laboratories, where students complete laboratory exercises at a time of their choosing and do not have the benefit of in-class demonstrations by laboratory instructors.