The%20Amazing%20GeoRace

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The Amazing GeoRace

• Session Designing Effective Assignments and
  Activities I
• (Field Activities)

GEO
Simon A. Kattenhorn University of Idaho Dept. of
Geological Sciences
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Activity Context
Course Geology 101 Physical Geology
Demographic Non-majors course. Mostly Freshmen,
but includes through Seniors.
Enrollment Typically around 280 but as much as
320.
Timing Extra-credit optional exercise near end
of semester.
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Activity Context

• Rock identification / societal use of geologic
  materials

Why? Students can observe how different types
of rocks are used on campus.

• Extra credit opportunity

Why? Grade in class is based solely on 4
multiple-choice (Scantron) exams.

• Optional exercise

Why? Capitalizes on student level of enthusiasm
and concern about grade.
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Activity Goals

• Application of material learned in classroom
  setting

How? Students must apply rock and mineral
identification skills learned in lectures and
labs at a number of sites around campus.

• Material review

How? Students attempt exercise near end of
semester but the skills were learned at the
start of the semester.

• Novel approach to encourage student interest /
  enthusiasm

How? Students must solve a number of obscure
clues to navigate between geologic stops,
encouraging students to complete all sites (may
take up to a few hours). Students enjoy the
challenge of clue-solving.
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Activity Guidelines

• Clues are provided on a website that is only
  enabled at the start of the allotted time frame
  during which the exercise is available.

http//www.webpages.uidaho.edu/simkat/geol101_fil
es/theraceison/amazing.georace.html

• Students must print out the set of navigational
  clues, photos of each geologic stop, and a set
  of questions that must be answered.

• Students may work in small groups to encourage
  discussion.

• All students must sign in at the start of the
  exercise to ensure that only those participating
  are awarded bonus points on the final exam.

• Problem set answers must be emailed to
  instructor before a set deadline. Number of
  bonus points is dependent on number of sites
  visited.

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Activity Content
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Activity Content
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Activity Content
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Activity Content
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Activity Content

• Caveats
• problems with cheating.
• attention to detail in rock identification is
  sometimes lacking.
• is this effective at all???

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