Isiorho's paper Presented GSA May 19, 2005 Universities involvement of undergraduates in surface and groundwater research projects Universities involvement of undergraduates in surface and groundwater research projects Isiorho, S. A. (PhD) (Professor of Geosciences) Indiana University – Purdue University Ft. Wayne (IPFW) Fort Wayne, IN USA Presented at the Int. Conference on Infrastructure Development and the Environment (ICIDEN-ABUJA 2006) Sept , 2006

Talk Outline Introduction Teaching levels Approach Incentives & Requirement Student projects Highlighted Projects Summary & Conclusions

Teaching Levels (TLs) in ascending order Samuelowicz & Bain (1992). * Impart information…teacher centered. **Transmit knowledge…develop competence…skills and conceptual abilities. ***Facilitate understanding … to understand subject matter … apply. ****Change students’ conceptions … reality … different knowledge … develop conceptual framework …same level, and. *****Support student learning…student centered…more at graduate level TLs can be used to gauge faculty effectiveness in engaging undergraduates…most faculties are at the first two levels ( Akerson et al, 2005). Getting faculty to be at or near the upper level would require that faculty review and change their teaching methods, injecting some research based or service learning into the curriculum.

How do we get there? Service learning is common in the social sciences but rare in the sciences, particularly in the geosciences (Liu et al., 2004). The aim is to foster student interest in earth sciences, enhance university/college outreach, students’ ability to learn and encourage student-centered and team work learning (Liu et. al., 2004). Service learning usually involves students, the community, linking field and laboratory studies...

Approach Undergraduates…more than grad students Geosciences courses…. Hydrogeology, Environmental Geology, Wetlands, Environmental Conservation… usually upper level courses Modify upper level courses to include some research project component

Incentives & Requirement *Required in all upper level courses (30-50% course grade) Flexibility of topic…selected by students …subject to instructor’s approval Students are required to present their findings to their peers (using Power Point) “Optional” students presentation in local, regional or national meetings (if project is deemed appropriate). Travel fund for outside campus presentation

Some Students’ Projects Time Series Analysis Effect of Bag type & Size on seepage* Anthropogenic effect on nearby wetland Use of Wetland for removal of pollutants Wetland a topic for interdisciplinary discussions Pesticides pollution within St. Joseph Watershed Monitoring and implication for water related problem Effects of quarry operations on landfill hydrogeology Relationship between Bowman lake and groundwater Relationship between Lake Chad and underlying aquifers* Heavy metal analysis of the LN ditch, Allen County, IN

Highlighted Projects Relationship between Lake Chad and the underlying aquifers Effect of Bag type & Size on seepage

Lake Chad Project Resistivity sounding & profiling Depth to groundwater measurement Water chemistry Remote sensing Interaction with Earthwatch volunteers Published in Ground Water 1996 Vol. 34 No. 4, p Cited in Bulletin of the Geological Society of America Bulletin, Biogeochemistry, and J. of Environmental Management.

Effect of Bag type and Size on Seepage Lab experimentation using different seepage meter sizes and bag types No significance between bag types Would recommend using large seepage meters to minimize variations Published in Ground Water vol. 37(3) p ,1999 –Cited by 7 authors in 4 Int. journals…J. Hydrology, Groundwater, Water resources & Limnology & Oceanography

Benefits Students Learn methods, use of instruments, develop ideas, design, collect, analyze, report, & get published… Uni-Maid students…network Faculty gets rewarded Support student learning...the highest TL

Summary & Conclusions Make research project a part of upper level courses… leads to support of student learning Involving undergraduates in research projects introduces them to scientific methods, real world learning, provides teaching materials for instructors, and getting published too. Undergraduates can help to solve environmental problems when given the opportunity It’s a win-win situation for students, instructors, and society