Abstract
This paper introduces an interdisciplinary field research project undertaken by faculty at Missouri Western State University in an effort to improve student learning outcomes and enrich student experience. The project uses a single ecosystem, the nine human-built ponds on the campus, and combines five different faculty members’ areas of research across ecology, microbiology, and geography to immerse students in an interactive applied learning opportunity that not only helps them develop research skills, but also learn to present their research to a variety of audiences. The paper reviews the nature of the project, the conditions that allowed the project to emerge, individual team activities, findings from student assessment, and suggests ways in which others can pursue a similar interdisciplinary fieldwork experience. Overall, we found that both students and faculty experienced some sort of transformation throughout the experience and highly recommend others engage their students in similar applied learning opportunities.
Recommended Citation
Drake, Dawn M.; Elias, Ashley; Ganong, Carissa; Grantham, Michael L.; and Mills, Mark S.
(2022)
"Transforming the Applied Learning Experience Through Interdisciplinary Fieldwork,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 63:
Iss.
2, Article 7.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol63/iss2/7