Isee Facilitates Learning in the Field.

Many of the global problems such as climate change, water scarcity and food production all have links to soils. Taking maps to the field has always been a tool for better understanding linkages between soils and landscapes. Currently, through the Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences project (Isee; “I see”) thematic maps are loaded on I-Pads and allow multiple maps on one device that can be viewed at multiple scales. In the Isee project we have created thematic maps of soil properties that support the way we teach soil science using the factors of soil formation: climate, organisms, relief, parent material, and time. These soil property maps are combined with a digital elevation model that shows the relief, resulting in information-rich maps that are attractive as well. Students study the maps while they are in the field, and we give them exercises to guide their learning. For example, they may be asked to find the end moraine, determine what soil series occurs at a particular spot, or to explain how soil drainage class relates to soil parent materials in a particular area. The maps are engaging since they can be changed quickly and zoomed in and out to see both the overview and the details. This presentation will provide examples of teaching with maps in the classroom and the field.