An Industry-Academic Collaboration to Develop a Geology Field Trip to
Improve Students' Learning Experience
Abstract
Geotechnical engineering and geology faculty at Drexel and Villanova
Universities and a graduate teaching assistant collaborated with an
environmental hydrogeologist from a local civil engineering firm to
develop a field trip for their undergraduate engineering geology
courses. At Villanova, Geology for Engineers is required for all civil
and environmental engineering students. Similarly, at Drexel, Geologic
Principles for Infrastructure & Environmental Engineering is a required
course for all civil, architectural and environmental engineering
students. The learning goal of both courses is to have students
understand how basic topics in geology and geomorphology apply to civil
and environmental engineering practice. The field trip focuses on the
core elements of the courses: the importance of rock type on engineering
properties, the effects of plate tectonics and weathering on rocks, and
the interaction of human activity with the lithosphere and hydrosphere.
The team selected Wissahickon Valley Park as the location for the field
trip because it provides a dynamic stream ecosystem within a
geologically diverse setting that has been highly impacted by urban
development of the surrounding City of Philadelphia. The engineering
aspects bring novelty into an established practice of classical geology
field trips. In addition to examining outcrops and evidence of geologic
processes, the students were required to critically identify engineering
issues associated with the infrastructure in the valley, storm water
management, and the impact of development on the stream valley. From
anonymous surveys disseminated after the first offering of the field
trip, students indicated the trip had enriched their learning
experience, improved their ability to apply basic geology knowledge in a
real-world context, and increased their interest in how rock, soil,
water, and climate play roles in infrastructure engineering. Without
exception, the students agreed that the field trip should be offered
again. This presentation will describe the development of the
collaboration between the educators and practitioners, the resulting
field trip and materials that have been adopted at both universities. We
will also update the surveys’ results from two more trips of the fall of
2018.