Skill puzzles
Summary
These are short exercises that allow students practice with concepts in Structural Geology, Tectonics, or Geophysics. (Many of them were designed with Eric Horsman.) The basic idea is to give students opportunities for frequent practice with difficult concepts, many of which require spatial visualization skills. These activities nearly always fit on a half-sheet of paper, and include a visual and verbal component. Instructors may use them for formative assessment or as group activities in class.
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Context
Audience
I use these types of activities in all my courses, but they tend to work best in upper level courses like Structural Geology, Tectonics, and Geophysics.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
I use the activities following introduction of some concept - e.g. structure contours - to allow students the chance to practice the ideas.
How the activity is situated in the course
Often, I use these to break up lecture or as a starting exercise to get students going.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
These activities are meant to provide practice interpreting maps, cross-sections, block diagrams, etc.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
These activities do not fall in the realm of higher order thinking skills.
Other skills goals for this activity
Description and Teaching Materials
Teaching Notes and Tips
Most of the activities have a layer in Illustrator that contains the key.
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Assessment
I don't always use these materials for assessment, but they can be collected to see which students are struggling with particular concepts. Also, many of my exam questions are modeled off of these types of puzzles.