Teaching Deeper Thinking through Controversy: A Case Study from a Graduate Ore Deposits Course

How do we develop rote learners into independent thinkers who can use geological concepts to solve open-ended problems in Earth Science? The pedagogical goal of this graduate ore deposits course was to stimulate student engagement and deeper thinking by focusing the entire course on a current scientific controversy. The course has been delivered three times using the same basic format, centered on the controversial origin of gold in Nevada's ore deposits. The course commences with three weeks of introductory lecture on the existing genetic models. Students develop a reading list as a class and lead seminar discussions in teams. The class takes a nine-day field trip to Nevada to examine the diverse geological signatures of the ore deposits. Finally, students integrate their own observations into genetic models for the gold's origin. The effectiveness of this approach was measured by comparing student evaluations with those from a traditionally formatted graduate course on ore deposits. In quantitative evaluations from two years, the average student rating for total effectiveness of the course was 99%, compared to 90% for the traditional course. Qualitatively, the levels of student engagement and scientific discourse were much higher, and comments included "Really one of the best courses I've taken here. I felt like the teaching style was different but effective. At the graduate level this is the way courses should be taught. It was less about knowing this or that and more about being an effective scientist;" and "This was honestly one of my favorite classes of the semester. While I certainly find other classes and topics intriguing, this was one of the first times that I have ever been genuinely excited, you might even say giddy, about learning the material. The course helped develop my critical thinking skills and made me finally feel like a graduate student."