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Times on the Hiawatha National Forest: From Geocorps Participant to Academic
No full textThe GeoCorps program run by the Geological Society of America (GSA) in conjunction with the US Forest Service is a program that offers great returns beyond the initial appointment for science and society over the long term. In summer 2010, the Hiawatha National Forest, located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, hosted a GeoCorps participant (Larson) to map the extensive surficial karst of the region. One of the results of this effort was the realization that the location of karst features in the region could be predicted based on elevation and that this elevation matched to the shorelines of Glacial Lakes Algonquin and Nipissing; this work was presented at the 2010 Annual GSA meeting. During summer 2011, the HNF hosted Larson again as a Guest Scientist to continue the mapping of the karst features in the area and he was able to refine and more thoroughly test the karst-paleoshoreline relationship; this work was presented at the 2011 Annual GSA meeting.
Starting in summer 2015 Larson and colleagues brought undergraduate students to the HNF to continue the work started during the GeoCorps program and to begin new projects. These projects have: identified paleoshoreline features; identified and located numerous karst features; investigated karst forming processes, and; begun to define the Silurian stratigraphy of the area. These projects have been conducted by 16 undergraduate students so far, and have resulted in 26 presentations at regional or national GSA meetings, most by students. All products of this work are shared with the Forest Ranger and are used to add to their understanding of the area.
Current and future efforts led by Larson and his research group plan to focus on: dye tracing to delineate groundwater flow-paths; further investigations into the stratigraphy, sedimentology, and paleontology; investigations into the intersection of plant communities related to lithology and paleoshorelines, and; ultimately in the creation of geologic maps for the topographic quadrangles that make up the field region. For the investment of two summers of GeoCorps work on the HNF, the US Forest Service and the geology discipline have benefited greatly and many geology students have been positively impacted
Generation of Watershed Basins for Prominent Sinking Streams in the Michigan Upper-Peninsula
No full textThe Hiawatha National Forest in the Michigan Upper-Peninsula is a karst-rich landscape that has many sinkholes, sinking streams, and springs. Pleistocene glaciations flattened the region, initiating a deranged drainage pattern that drives the dissolution of Silurian carbonates. The focus of this project is to generate watershed basins for prominent sinking streams in the region. Three watershed basins were generated in ArcGIS: Petey’s sink, Pontchartrain Shores sink, and a sink on FS 3114. The understanding of hydrologic behavior on the Michigan Upper-Peninsula is important as it assists us in better understanding how groundwater interacts with surface water in a karstic landscape
Effects of Inquiry when Teaching Stoichiometry in a High School Chemistry Course
No full textThis research analyzed the effects of using inquiry-based methods when teaching stoichiometry in an introductory college-preparatory high school chemistry course at an economically disadvantaged school in southern Ohio. The researcher used a guided inquiry activity, Stoichiometry of S’mores, developed by specialists in the field of chemistry education. Students from three available chemistry courses were divided into two groups. Group one first learned the topic of stoichiometry through direct instruction and then with the guided inquiry activity. Group two first learned through the guided inquiry activity, followed by direct instruction. Through a mixed-methods approach, summative and formative assessments were used to help the researcher determine student success based on what order the material was presented
March 13, 2020 Executive Committee Minutes
Get PDFMinutes of the May 13, 2020 Executive Committee meeting, Board of Trustees
Effects of Online Homework on Algebra I Test Scores
Get PDFTechnology in education continues to change and evolve. More and more classrooms are integrating a variety of technology into everyday lessons but is it beneficial to student outcomes? This study looks at assigning online homework versus traditional paper-and-pencil homework. To determine the effects, a control group (n = 40) was assigned traditional homework while an experimental group (n = 29) was given online homework throughout a high school Algebra I course. Using their eighth grade End-of-Course exam to determine prior knowledge, the mean differences of each group’s semester exam and final exams were analyzed. A model to predict a student’s final exam score was also determined using homework type, gender, eighth grade EOC score, and semester exam score. Results showed online homework to be just as effective if not more beneficial than traditional homework. Due to a number of limitations, further research would be needed to generalize the results to a broader population
ACT Score and College Success: A Predictive Study
Get PDFThis study analyzed the effectiveness of certain academic and personal factors such as: ACT score, College Credit Plus status, declaration of a STEM major, and the reception of scholarships to predict a student’s academic success in college. Academic success was measured as receiving a passing grade (A – C) in an entry level statistics class. The hypotheses were the higher a students’ ACT score the more likely they would be to succeed and College Credit Plus and STEM students would also be more likely to succeed than those students not enrolled in the programs. After an analysis including 1349 students, the results of the study indicate that not only are students with high ACT scores more likely to succeed, so are those who are enrolled in College Credit Plus and those in a STEM major. Other factors like age and gender also proved to be statistically significant in these analyses. Colleges and Universities could use this information to further provide necessary support and allocate resources to those students identified to be less likely to succeed