Earth Systems Science (40) The establishment of a new Environmental Science Major at Otterbein College and a recent Departmental Review caused us to rethink our science curriculum. The Department requires senior research projects of all students and yet we are often disappointed by how poorly even seniors understand scientific methodologies. This project seeks to develop critical thinking skills in our students through the incorporation of inquiry-based courses into the Environmental Science curriculum. This project is adapting the Stressed Stream Analysis pedagogical model developed by James Haynes and others at SUNY-Brockport (currently being disseminated through a CCLI-ND award to Haynes). The three core Environmental Science courses being targeted in this project are ESC 205 Environmental Geology, LSC 204 Environmental Biology and ESC 315 Ecological Landuse Planning and field exercises are being added in two core-curriculum courses for non-science students. In Stressed Stream Analysis, student learning proceeds through inquiry-based teaching towards a relevant social goal. Students work in small groups to frame questions, collect multidisciplinary environmental data for a potentially or actually impacted local stream, and eventually compile an Environmental Impact Statement. The approach combines inquiry based learning with sufficient structure and guidance to make it a widely successful and adaptable educational approach. We are adapting this framework to studies of Alum Creek which flows adjacent to campus and provides the town with its drinking water as well as receives wastewater discharge. This project is impacting freshman and sophomore environmental science students, upper level non-science majors, upper level science students, and local elementary and middle school teachers.
