tHE Scheme Presentation tHE Scheme Presentation

Teaching developments

in EA22120 Laboratory Techniques

Stephen Tooth, IGES

Structure of the presentation 

1) Background to the physical analysis of sediments

2) The context for EA22120

3) Objectives of the teaching development

4) How did I attempt to achieve the objectives?

5) How did I judge whether the objectives were achieved?

6) How successful was the teaching development?

7) Teaching cycles & reflection

8) The future?

particle size particle shape of individual particles

range of particle sizes (sorting)particle packing

mean/median/modal particle size arrangement of sediments (architecture)

particle density

physical properties of sediments

important in reconstructing past environmentse.g. ice sheet dynamics

importance in prediction / resource exploitation e.g. hydrocarbon reservoir potential

For the physical analysis of sediments, need to have:• rapid field methods• more detailed laboratory methods

Both field & laboratory methods need to be:

• objective

• consistently applied

In other words, methods must be ‘routine’

e.g. particle size classification(Udden-Wentworth scale)

e.g. description of sediment mixtures

The main problem:

How do you teach ‘routine’ methods to students

in an interesting way so that they integrate them

into their approach to study in other modules

or professional contexts?

In particular, good field practice is based upon

careful observation & clear, unambiguous description

observation → description → measurement → analysis & interpretation

• 2nd year, 20 credit module

• core module in the EES degree scheme

• runs in Semester 2 with ~25 students

• aims ‘to provide training in the range of field & laboratory

techniques used to determine the chemical & physical

properties of natural materials’

• team taught

The context for EA22120

1st practical slot in the ‘physical analysis of sediments’ section

• links with previous chemical analysis practicals

• gives an introduction to the importance of physical analysis

• provides the background for some of the mechanical methods

used in later practicals

• introduce a more 'hands-on‘ aspect to the teaching of methods

for the physical analysis of sediment

• reintroduce, or introduce for the 1st time, ‘good practice’ in

physical analysis of sediment

• enable students to understand the purposes of measurements

e.g. what are they measuring & why?

Objectives of the teaching development

• practical design

short lecture slots with note taking

‘question-&-answer’ sessions

short practical exercises

mid-practical break

• supporting handouts

• formal assessment

3 practical exercises in small groups

• description of sediments

• measurement of particle shape

• grain size distribution curves

How did I attempt to achieve the objectives ?

description of sediments

measurement of particle shape

• feedback on exercises provided informally in class

• exercise 1 assessed formally by submission of a table of results

• student engagement with the exercises

• quality of student questions & answers

• quality of assessed work

e.g. by comparison with their in-class answers

• observers’ comments

• observations of students practices in other (later) modules

How did I judge whether the objectives

were achieved?

How successful was the teaching development ?

Student engagement with the exercises

quality of student questions & answers

• some good questions

e.g. how do you measure ‘average size’?

what does ‘textural class’ mean?

what is the point of measuring shape?

• some students inclined to guess or not answer questions

rather than ask for clarification or help

• observations & descriptions often not clear or ambiguous

• loose, or non-technical, terms like ‘dirt’ or ‘mud’ used

• some missed out observation & description & worked back

from interpretation

quality of assessed work

student no. 1‘before’

Student no. 1 ‘after’

Student no. 2‘before’

Student no. 2‘after’

observers’ comments

• lecture well prepared & delivered• links made to previous & forthcoming practicals• practical sessions enabled ‘hands-on’ use of lecture material• handouts distributed immediately before topics were discussed

rather than at beginning of lecture• good Q-&-A technique to ascertain students’ prior knowledge• students appeared attentive in lecture slots• students responded well to exercises set• informal atmosphere made it easier for students to ask

questions• help & advice given in a relaxed manner during exercises

student practices in other (later) modules

The main challenge:how to improve

the descriptions?

• teaching development was successful overall

• minor tweaking in subsequent years

- providing more information before the 1st exercise

- making more explicit the information that is directly

relevant to the exercises

Teaching cycles & reflection

• module redesign

• essence of my part of module will remain

• some contextual modification of supporting lecture material

needed 

go through in detail with the students the full description

of one of the sediments in order to illustrate the level of

detail required for the assessed work?

The future ?

Questions?