Undergraduate introductory course in geoscience

Students should be introduced to glacial processes, such as movement and ablation.

We have used this activity as a homework assignment after the topic is introduced in lecture and reading, but it could also be used in class, in lab, or as group work.

Glacial movement

Understanding and visualizing dynamic processes

This worksheet focuses on how glaciers move downhill, advance and retreat, and move in 3-dimensions. On the first task, students are given a schematic cross-section through a glacier. Students draw arrows to indicate the flow direction and draw profiles for high ablation and low ablation to show how glaciers advance and retreat. On the second task, students are given a 3-D diagram of a glacier. Students place velocity arrows (low, medium, and high) on the diagram to create simple lateral and vertical velocity profiles. The process of drawing and using arrows should help students see and understand how a glacier moves, regardless of whether it is melting or growing.

This worksheet uses the sketch-understanding program with built-in tutor: CogSketch . Therefore, students, instructors, and/or institution computer labs need to download the program from here: http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/software/cogsketch/. At any point during the worksheet, students can click the FEEDBACK button and their sketch is compared to the solution image. The built-in tutor identifies any discrepancies and reports pre-written feedback to help the student correct their sketch until they are done with the activity. Once worksheets are emailed to the instructor, worksheets can be batch graded and easily evaluated. This program allows instructors to assign sketching activities that require very little time commitment. Instead, the built-in tutor provides feedback whenever the student requests, without the presence of the instructor. More information on using the program and the activity is in the Instructor's Notes.

We have developed approximately two dozen introductory geoscience worksheets using this program. Each worksheet has a background image and instructions for a sketching task. You can find additional worksheets by searching for "CogSketch" using the search box at the top of this page. We expect to have uploaded all of them by the end of the summer of 2016.

CogSketch has a gradebook feature that allows instructors to batch grade worksheets using the defined rubric in the worksheet. Once graded, instructors can also open all the sketches and evaluate student work. Instructions are given in the Instructor's Notes.

Download CogSketch: http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/software/cogsketch/