Regional Geology Field Trip

Benjamin F Dattilo
,
dattilob@ipfw.edu

Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne
a
Public four-year institution, primarily undergraduate
.

Summary

Field investigation of selected regions of North America for study of mineralogic, lithologic, stratigraphic, structural, paleontologic, geomorphological, or other geological relationships. Six to fifteen days in the field.
The course is free form, and is different every time it is offered. This syllabus highlights a trip into the Great Basin with an emphasis on paleontology in the field, presented largely by paleontologists and other geologists reporting on their own research.

Course URL:
Course Size:

less than 15

Course Context:

This is a field course that can be taken by non-majors, majors, and graduate students. Many majors take advantage of these trips

Course Goals:

Students should be able to measure and describe stratigraphic sections.
Students should be able to utilize a stratigraphic section and identify in outcrop the stratigraphic units in those sections.
Students should be able to identify members of the major fossil phyla as found in the field.
Students should be able to describe the current research activities of 5 different field geologists.


How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

Student performance will be evaluated by the instructors in the field.
Students will collect and identify fossils in the field
Students will be directed in measuring a stratigraphic section then perform under close supervision
Students will be asked to identify formations in the field based on stratigraphic sections.
Students will be exposed to presentations by geologists working in the field, and take notes on this research. The students will also be questioned orally about the research of these scientists.

Skills Goals

Writing
Peer teaching
oral communication
working in groups


How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

Students will write field notes
More experienced students will assist less experienced students in various field skills
Students will be asked to communicate what they learn orally orally
Students will work cooperatively to accomplish tasks in the field

Attitudinal Goals

enabling students to apply what they have already learned in real situations
broadening students concept of what fieldwork and research really entails


How course activities and course structure help students achieve these goals:

It is a field course.

Assessment

student learning is assessed through oral questioning
student learning is assessed through direct evaluation of tasks performed in the field

Syllabus:

Syllabus for Regional Field Geology (Acrobat (PDF) 79kB Jun19 09)