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Teaching Field Methods in Hydrogeology

Teaching Field Methods in Hydrogeology. Todd Halihan Shemin Ge F. Ed Harvey (adapted from 2007 GSA Short Course). A Course is Born. Summer of 2005 On the Cutting Edge – Professional Development for Geoscience Faculty Workshop: Teaching Hydrogeology in the 21 st Century

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Teaching Field Methods in Hydrogeology

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  1. Teaching Field Methods in Hydrogeology Todd Halihan Shemin Ge F. Ed Harvey (adapted from 2007 GSA Short Course)

  2. A Course is Born • Summer of 2005 • On the Cutting Edge – Professional Development for Geoscience Faculty Workshop: Teaching Hydrogeology in the 21st Century • Need for people teaching hydrogeology to learn field tools and techniques

  3. Instructors

  4. Teaching Issues The Good, The Bad, and the Impermeable Layer

  5. 5 Components • To think • To be professional • To communicate • To be fearless (does not include stupid) • To achieve the Zen of fieldwork

  6. The Zen of Fieldwork • Rarely see fist fights in class, not true in field courses • Discuss this with class • Instead of fights, people will actively monitor their distance from Zen (generally walk around repeating “Must be Zen” when equipment or students not cooperating)

  7. Your background • Math phobic? • 5 senses – data input • Sight • Hearing • Taste • Touch • Smell • None of these work for well for ground water problems – need INSTINCTS

  8. Project Course Sites • http://www.basecamphq.com/ • Project management websites • Hard to keep people using them • May be useful for some courses/situations, but students generally just meet somewhere

  9. Round Robin System • 3 “companies” conducting projects (Encourage company names) • 1 project manager for each company • For three weeks, three projects will be conducted by the three companies • Each project will be written into a letter report detailing results (provide examples)

  10. Importance of Project Manager • Removes your responsibility for project fuzz – little details that the students can take care of if someone feels responsible • Gives contact for several students in class to communicate info • They understand the different issues that occur as manager instead of just student • Reports are better

  11. Example Round Robin 1 • Project 1: Basin Assessment • Project 2: Well Rehabilitation • Project 3: Long term monitoring • Setup of field site and researching background can be initial projects • Similar to a Tier 1 investigation

  12. Project 1: Basin Assessment Always clearly delineate objectives Project Objectives: • Delineate basin for Perkins Agricultural Research Station (PARS) • Area owned by OSU • Surface water controlled area • GW regional area • Evaluate existing Literature • Publications • Theses • State/Federal Databases • Create Map of Basins

  13. Project 2: Well Rehabilitation Project Objectives: • Rehabilitate piezometers • Sand removal • Any other items removal • Improve piezometer completion • Document location of wells • GPS x,y • Survey z • Create well label with details

  14. Project 3: Long term monitoring Project Objectives: • Establish piezometric monitoring • Install transducers • Provide bovine protection • Establish weather station • Take baseline vertical profile data • Other?

  15. Simple Round Robin (3 skills in 3 exercises, but exposed 3 times) • Week 1: • Team 1: Basin Assessment • Team 2: Well Rehabilitation • Team 3: Long term monitoring • Week 2: • Team 2: Basin Assessment • Team 3: Well Rehabilitation • Team 1: Long term monitoring • Week 3: • Team 3: Basin Assessment • Team 1: Well Rehabilitation • Team 2: Long term monitoring

  16. Responsibilities • Grad Students/Seniors • 1st project managers • Training managers • Equipment prep and cleaning • KISS method • Course Logistics • Departure time • Departure method

  17. Supplies • Textbook • Bound Field Notebook • Clothing • Snacks • Boots – steel toe? Other safety gear? • Raingear/Snowgear?

  18. Project Notebooks • Field forms often useful • Collect data needed for analysis • Forget fewer data needed for analysis • Write-in-the-rain paper if possible • Should grade notes as well as reports

  19. Beware • Single disgruntled student can wreck project • Need to manage as quickly as possible • Set expectations early • Single biggest problem in field classes • Cultivate cheerleaders

  20. Include peer evaluation • Student perform better when the group evaluates their own performance • Key metrics • % of contribution (to field and to reporting) • Ranking of contribution • Easily see who the group felt performed and who sat back

  21. Provide examples • Give example reports • Give example field situation practice • Zen of Fieldwork • Angry landowner

  22. Include/Prioritize Safety • Signed tailgate meeting form • Order of field operations • Safety • Equipment • Data Quality (Student must understand each component and not change their order!)

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