A Comprehensive Plan to Improve Mineral Science Instruction Using Project-Based Learning and XRD Analysis

Geology (42) Effective delivery of science education utilizes hands-on research, field studies, or laboratory work in which the student is the primary investigator (e.g., Kern and Carpenter, 1986, NSF, 1977, NRC, 1999). The Department of Geology and Geography embraces this concept in both introductory and upper-level courses and is restructuring the teaching and learning of mineral science by integrating project-based learning that uses XRD analysis. The purchase of a Rigaku Miniflex XRD system is permitting students to investigate industrial mineral applications and evaluate mineral hazards and construction of minerals. Students enrolled in Environmental Geology, Mineralogy, Petrography and Petrology, Economic Mineralogy, and Stratigraphy and Sedimentation are using the XRD. The XRD is also serving students carrying out research projects that investigate soils, clays, fine-grained rocks, and synthetic materials. Activities and laboratory exercises are being adapted from several NSF projects including DUE-0087052 (San Diego State University), DUE-9950262 (University of Massachusetts), DUE-9751006 (Albion College), DUE-9952667 (Montclair State University), DUE-9950820 (Middle Tennessee State University) and DUE-9952345 (University of Tennessee, Chattanooga). Results of this project are being disseminated at GSA meetings and student research projects are being presented at the Georgia Academy of Sciences and regional and national GSA meetings. An Environmental Geology laboratory manual published in-house is being updated to include new exercises using XRD.