Spreadsheet Exercises in Geological-Mathematical Problem Solving

University Of South Florida, Tampa FL

Investigators

Abstract

Geology (42) The purpose of this project is to design and test 12-15 laboratory-style exercise modules for publication in a geology laboratory manual or uploading to the Internet. The purpose of the exercises is to teach mathematical material to geology students in geologic context. Each exercise includes one or more spreadsheet models designed to address a geological-mathematical problem (i.e., a geology problem with mathematical content). The exercises are being designed with the expectation that the students can figure out the cell formulas from the mathematics provided in the written material; that is, the spreadsheets show the layout of the algorithms but not the formulas themselves. The written material of the exercises also guide the students to explore, through the repetitive calculations made possible with spreadsheets, both the mathematics applied in the problems and the geology of the problems themselves. The mathematics covered include algebra, trigonometry, analytical geometry, probability/data analysis, calculus, and problem-solving heuristics. The exercises are hands-on, interactive, student-friendly version of much of the material covered in the PI's column, "Computational Geology," in the Journal of Geoscience Education. The exercises are being piloted in the PI's geological-mathematical problem-solving course, and at several other institutions.