Location
Research Meeting Room
Event Website
http://uenr.warnercnr.colostate.edu
Start Date
3-23-2012 4:15 PM
End Date
3-23-2012 4:45 PM
Description
Hydrologic field stations installed in the Cache La Poudre River basin will provide authentic field-based learning opportunities for non-majors and majors at Colorado State University to prepare a water literate citizenry and water resource professionals. Previous experience from a campus well field has demonstrated the effectiveness of local field-based instruction in water resources. Results from three semesters of perception surveys and pre- and post-knowledge tests show increased student satisfaction and knowledge gain in fundamental water concepts through the groundwater field exercise. The new hydrologic stations are designed to build upon these results to further improve undergraduate teaching and learning of water concepts in Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) using the Poudre watershed as the focus. Given the numerous relevant scientific and societal issues related to our hometown watershed, now is the time to develop high-impact watershed-based learning tools for undergraduates. The hydrologic field stations will span a gradient along the Poudre River and its tributaries from the mountains at CSU’s Pingree Park campus to the plains, providing a full spectrum of geologic, climatic, biologic, and land use characteristics in the watershed. The mid-canyon site at Gateway Natural Area will be the first location accessed either in the field, virtually, or both, by 1300 students in twelve courses in WCNR. Students will collect and analyze the water quantity and quality data that are relevant to the future use of the Cache La Poudre River watershed, and all student-collected data will be made available on the FLOW (Fostering Learning of Water) website. Key learning goals include mastering surface and groundwater flow measurement, flow calculation and interpretation, hydrologic and geomorphic mapping and spatial analysis, assessing physical-biotic interactions along riparian corridors, evaluating human impacts to river networks, assessing alluvial aquifer properties, and computer modeling, thus giving students the broad knowledge and scientific skills necessary to participate as water literate citizens, enter the environmental science workforce, or pursue graduate research.
Field-based Learning in Surface and Groundwater Processes: Preparing Water Literate Citizens and Water Resource Professionals
Research Meeting Room
Hydrologic field stations installed in the Cache La Poudre River basin will provide authentic field-based learning opportunities for non-majors and majors at Colorado State University to prepare a water literate citizenry and water resource professionals. Previous experience from a campus well field has demonstrated the effectiveness of local field-based instruction in water resources. Results from three semesters of perception surveys and pre- and post-knowledge tests show increased student satisfaction and knowledge gain in fundamental water concepts through the groundwater field exercise. The new hydrologic stations are designed to build upon these results to further improve undergraduate teaching and learning of water concepts in Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) using the Poudre watershed as the focus. Given the numerous relevant scientific and societal issues related to our hometown watershed, now is the time to develop high-impact watershed-based learning tools for undergraduates. The hydrologic field stations will span a gradient along the Poudre River and its tributaries from the mountains at CSU’s Pingree Park campus to the plains, providing a full spectrum of geologic, climatic, biologic, and land use characteristics in the watershed. The mid-canyon site at Gateway Natural Area will be the first location accessed either in the field, virtually, or both, by 1300 students in twelve courses in WCNR. Students will collect and analyze the water quantity and quality data that are relevant to the future use of the Cache La Poudre River watershed, and all student-collected data will be made available on the FLOW (Fostering Learning of Water) website. Key learning goals include mastering surface and groundwater flow measurement, flow calculation and interpretation, hydrologic and geomorphic mapping and spatial analysis, assessing physical-biotic interactions along riparian corridors, evaluating human impacts to river networks, assessing alluvial aquifer properties, and computer modeling, thus giving students the broad knowledge and scientific skills necessary to participate as water literate citizens, enter the environmental science workforce, or pursue graduate research.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cuenr/9thBiennial/Sessions/27
Comments
Citation: Rathburn, SL et al. 2012. Field-based Learning in Surface and Groundwater Processes: Preparing Water Literate Citizens and Water Resource Professionals. UENR 9th Biennial Conference. http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cuenr/9thBiennial/Sessions/27/