Geomorphic Landscape Analysis Project

Cathy Baker

Arkansas Tech University

This activity has been reviewed by 2 review processes (view details)

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.
This activity has benefited from input from faculty educators beyond the author through a review and suggestion process. This review took place as a part of a faculty professional development workshop where groups of faculty reviewed each others' activities and offered feedback and ideas for improvements. To learn more about the process On the Cutting Edge uses for activity review, see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.

Initial Publication Date: May 2, 2008 | Reviewed: November 3, 2013 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

Geomorphic Landscape analysis Project is a field-based capstone project in Geol 3044: Geomorphology at Arkansas Tech University and incorporates all aspects of topics covered during the course.

Fluvial, Hillslopes, Mass Movement, Landscape Evolution, Tectonic ...(more) | College Upper (15-16)

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Context

Audience

This is a capstone project for a junior/3000 level geomorphology course for geology majors.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

- have a thorough understanding of geomorphic processes and features produced by those processes
-proficient at topographic and geological map reading and interpretation
- proficient at landfrom feature pattern recognition from maps
- proficient at imagery reading and landform feature recognition
- well versed in soil county survey use
- skilled in field note-taking
- skilled in use of GPS equipment

How the activity is situated in the course

culminating project

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

The goal of this project is to provide students with experience in site analysis using all techniques acquired in geomorphology and in previous prerequisite course work.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

pattern recognition
analysis of data
formulation of hypotheses
synthesis of ideas
critical evaluation

Other skills goals for this activity

Description of the activity/assignment

Students chose a roughly one-quarter of one-half square mile area to analysize for geomorphic processes. Students must receive instructor approval of the site before proceeding with the project. Students gather information about the site through literature, previous maps, previous reports, previous surveys, and actual field site reconnaissance. Finding are synthesized into a report.
Designed for a geomorphology course
Uses geomorphology to solve problems in other fields

Determining whether students have met the goals

Examine the reports and assess whether students have demonstrated recognition of processes, adequate documentation of the processes, and written clearly about their findings.

More information about assessment tools and techniques.