Abstract - We have modified our introductory geoscience course by adding self-contained problem sets dealing with isostatic rebound, flood recurrence intervals, and geochronology. Students had access to faculty and undergraduate-student TAs, but no class or lab time was devoted to the problems or their solutions. The students produced formal reports, with their responses supported by tables and graphs. We found that the students were generally undaunted by the problem sets, even when they introduced advanced mathematical concepts and required substantial data manipulation. Subsequent exam questions suggested they developed an understanding of the concepts covered by the problem sets.
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