1. Illinois Valley Community College
4/25/2017
The Environmental Geology of Your Home: A Capstone Project in an Environmental Geology Course for Non-Majors
Michael Phillips
Geology Professor
Illinois Valley Community College
Oglesby, Illinois
Good Morning, my name is Mike Phillips. I am the Geology Instructor and the Director of The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment at Illinois Valley Community College.
In my pre-teaching career, I worked for eight years as an environmental geologist in both the public and private sector.
I have taught undergraduate geology as a TA, a part-time instructor, and now as a full-time instructor.
One of the first difficulties I encountered as an instructor was show students the relevance of the material I was trying to teach. This talk is about one possible method of dealing with this problem.

2. Environmental Geology: Goals
4/25/2017
Environmental Geology: Goals
Introduction to the science of geology
Focus on applied aspects of geology
Appeal to students’ current interests
Deliver information that the students can use long after completion of the course
My first response was to create an open-enrollment course in environmental geology.
It introduces students to the science of geology and covers all of the basics, however:
The focus is on applied aspects: how geology effects the student’s life and the community.
A discussion of topics of current interest are used to enhance lectures by having the students submit and present items from the news that relate to the course.
Finally, my primary goal is to show students that geology is something they can use to enhance their lives. In service to this goal, I developed a term project.

3. Term Project Goals Apply concepts covered in class and lab
4/25/2017
Term Project Goals
Apply concepts covered in class and lab
project sections align with lab and text
Work throughout the semester
project work is integrated with lab exercises
Examine an area familiar to the student
area around their home (loosely defined)
Acquaint students with resources
students use public information resources
This term project is designed to provide students with skills that they can use no matter what their chosen field might be.
The outline of the report is based on both the material covered in the course and the material commonly covered in an environmental assessment.
The project is designed so that students work on the material as it is cover in class. The data collection is integrated with the lab work.
The students work on the area around their home. The see their study area every day: this project encourages them to take a closer look.
Students are already familiar with some of the topics through personal experience (the gas station next door, the quarry down the street, bad-tasting well-water, flooded basements.)
They are also unfamiliar with others (is the gas station really a hazard?, why is there a quarry down the street?, where do they get their water?)
The project also acquaints students with resources and techniques they can use in the future, when they select a home, site a business, or make decisions as voters or politicians.

4. Project Resources Overview PowerPoint Project guidelines
Web-based resources
Project samples
Grading rubric

5. Presentation of Project
4/25/2017
Presentation of Project
Research Paper
Content (not page) requirement
Must be referenced
Oral Presentation
Briefly present key findings
Still working the bugs out
The project is submitted to me a a referenced research paper.
The findings are shared with the class in a twenty-minute presentation. (This is currently the weakest portion of the project. The students tend to take too long, as they describe everything they put in their paper.)

6. Project Grade Rubrik distributed to students Basis required elements
4/25/2017
Project Grade
Rubrik distributed to students
Basis
required elements
depth of research
insight and interpretation
The grading is completed using a rubric that is distributed to the students at the beginning of the semester.
Items are graded on a sliding scale based depth and insight.

7. Disadvantages Compiling resources Tracking progress
4/25/2017
Disadvantages
Compiling resources
Tracking progress
Grading projects at semester’s end
I couldn’t think of any serious disadvantages, time is probably the biggest factor for most of us.

8. Advantages Students have a meaningful report
4/25/2017
Advantages
Students have a meaningful report
Semester-long schedule reduces last-minute efforts
Capstone project reflects students’ understanding of course material
Very interesting reading for the instructor
The biggest advantage is probably an increased student interest in course material.

9. Project Outline Introduction
4/25/2017
Project Outline
Introduction
Location of study area - county, township, range, and section
Description of study area - past and present land use, overall topography, etc.
General overview of findings - a summary of the report findings
Students locate their homes on a topographic map using the PLSS, lon-lat, and UTM.
They describe the history of the area with information from the local library, family, and friends.

10. Project Outline Natural Resources
4/25/2017
Project Outline
Natural Resources
topics: soils, surface water, groundwater, mineral resources
discuss: availability, past and current use
resources: USDA soil surverys, state water resource records, geologic publications
contact: local government (ie. municiple water supplier)
The describe the natural resources present and how and why those resources are and are not used.
They examine geologic maps and soil survey reports.
They contact local government agencies to collect additional information.

11. Project Outline Natural Hazards
4/25/2017
Project Outline
Natural Hazards
topics: flooding, landslides, earthquakes, wetlands, radon gas, etc.
discuss: hazardous areas, historic events, past and current responses
resources: FEMA (web site), state and local agency documents and reports
contact: local ESDA office
The students look into the natural hazards of the area.
They interpret the landscape and look for evidence of hazards.
They use published references and contact local officials.
One of the more useful resources is the FEMA/ESRI Project Impact web site. This site allows students to call up flood and other hazard maps.

12. Project Outline Human-Induced Hazards
4/25/2017
Project Outline
Human-Induced Hazards
topics: polluted areas, pollution sources, human effects on natural hazards, mine subsidence
discuss: hazardous areas, historic events, past and current responses
resources: USEPA (web site), state and local agencies (including database lists and FIOA requests)
contact: state EPA, local fire department
The students look at human impact on the area.
They look for evidence of hazards.
The examine database lists of USTs, LUSTs, and hazardous waste sites.
They may contact state and local officials for more information. I like to make a FOIA request of at least one site; although time can be a barrier.
One of the more useful resources is the USEPA Envirofacts web site. This site allows students to look at a map of their area with some of the human-created hazards highlighted. Students can query points of interest.

13. Project Outline Plans for Future Use
4/25/2017
Project Outline
Plans for Future Use
topics: past and current land-use plans
discuss: adequacy of current plans, suggestions for change
resources: local planning agency
They research local plans for the area and suggest plans of their own based on what has been learned in class.

14. Project Outline Conclusions:summarize the most important findings
4/25/2017
Project Outline
Conclusions:summarize the most important findings
References: all sources
Figures: maps, diagrams, photographs
The final pages include a reference list of all sources (an area that usually needs work.)
The students also include maps and diagrams to illustrate their findings. Photos of specific areas of concern are often included.

15. Illinois Valley Community College
4/25/2017
Thank You
Michael Phillips
Illinois Valley Community College
The slides from this presentation may be found on my web site.
Thank you for your time.