Geology Museum Based Learning in Soil Science Education.

The Bob Campbell Geology Museum in Clemson, SC features an exhibit of minerals and rocks common in the state and its geologic history. We have developed a hands-on laboratory exercise utilizing the exhibit that gives college students an opportunity to visualize regional minerals and rocks from which the regional soil parent materials are derived. Fifty nine Clemson University students from various fields (forestry, wildlife biology, and environmental science) had a field trip and a hands-on experience with the local minerals and rocks during FNR 204: Soil Information Systems course taught in the fall 2008. Students were then asked to fill out a survey providing answers to 15 questions related to their learning experience and helpfulness of the exhibit in their preparation for the class quiz and exam, as well as their overall satisfaction with the exhibits at the Museum. Sixty one percent of the students had never visited a Geology Museum prior to this field trip and 37 percent of the students did not know about the Geology Museum’s existence on campus. Ninety two percent of the students thought that the visit to the Geology Museum would be helpful with preparation for class quizzes and exams, and 88 percent of the students would recommend that their friends visit this museum in their free time. Overall, student responses to the questionnaire about their laboratory experience at the Geology Museum were positive, indicating that incorporating museum-based learning can enhance soil science education.