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Earth Sciences @ Liverpool

An important part of the TRIADS dissemination strategy is to increase the chances of other earth science departments adopting the system, by providing exemplar assessments that address their own broad needs. Rather than develop individual assessments for each department, it is more efficient to develop assessments that address generic learning outcomes relevant to many departments. Thus, as part of the TRIADS project, all UK HEI earth science departments were contacted by standard mail using an existing network of contacts established by the TLTP-funded UK Earth Sciences Courseware Consortium (UKESCC). These representatives were provided with some background information, registration of interest forms, and five "Learning Outcomes" survey forms for the subject areas sedimentology, palaeontology, map interpretation, crystallography, and igneous phase diagrams.

The survey forms included sample learning outcomes under headings Knowledge, Skills and Understanding, and provided space for respondents to add other desirable learning outcomes (see Fig. 1 below for a sample survey form). The aim of this exercise was to;

• raise general awareness of the TRIADS project;
• identify whether there are common learning outcomes;
• identify potential collaborators (i.e. those who actually replied with learning outcomes feedback).

Of the 47 departments contacted, 15 ( 20 individuals) have so far responded, 12 (17 individuals) with learning outcomes feedback. Fig. 2 summarises responses to the suggested learning outcomes, and Fig. 3 shows the sort of additional information provided on other desirable learning outcomes for sedimentology. What is apparent from this survey, is that there are common, generic, learning outcomes in earth science subject areas across HEIs. For example, the suggested skill in sedimentology, "Ability to describe sediments & sequences", is generic because it does not state which sediments or sequences should be studied, simply that students should have the ability to describe such things. This skill in sedimentology is demonstrated in this survey as a desirable outcome across HEIs, and thus could be viewed as a benchmark in the terminology of Jackson (1997).

The form below lists some common learning outcomes for a typical introductory level sedimentology course. We would ask you to look through these and check the ones that you agree with and add others that you believe are appropriate but are not listed.

Common Learning Outcomes for Sedimentology
Knowledge
Classification of clastic sediments
Classification of limestones
Depositional processes
Diagenetic processes
Common vertical successions of sedimentary rocks
Mineralogy and textures of sandstones
Skills
Ability to describe sediments and sed. sequences in a concise and scientific way
Ability to analyse sed. structures and fabrics to interpret depositional processes
Ability to analyse petrographic fabrics to interpret diagenetic process and environment
Understanding
The sequence of physical processes active in different depositional environments
The depositional response to successive physical processes at a variety of scales

Please return to Dr. A.P. Boyle, TRIADS, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX. FAX: (0151) 794 5170 email: apboyle@liv.ac.uk

Figure 2. Summary table of responses from up to 14 UK HE institutions to common Learning Outcomes 'suggested' in the survey.

UK HE Institution

Plymouth

Stafford

Edinburgh

Bristol

Exeter

Anglia

Cheltenham

Sheffield

Liverpool JM

Aberystwyth

Aberdeen

Edge Hill

Derby

Liverpool U

%

Palaeontology: 11 institutions

Knowledge: Fossil Classification

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

100

Knowledge: Fossil Morphology

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

100

Knowledge: Fossil Names

y

y

y

-

-

n

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

91

Knowledge: Fossil Age Ranges

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

100

Skills: Accurate drawing of fossils

y

y

y

-

-

n

y

y

y

-

y

y

n

n

73

Understanding: Functional Morphology

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

100

Understanding: Evolution

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

100

Understanding: Use of fossils in correlation

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

100

Understanding: Use for palaeo-environmental analysis

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

y

-

y

y

y

y

100

Map Interpretation: 11 institutions

Knowledge: Representation of orientation data

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Knowledge: Representation of Faults

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Skills: Using Grid References

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Skills: Constructing cross sections

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Skills: Constructing stratum contours

y

y

y

y

y

y

n

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

91

Making accurate measurements from maps

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Understanding: Interpretation of cross-cutting boundaries

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Understanding: Determination of geological sequence from map

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Understanding: Determination of structural history from map

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Determination of igneous history from map

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Sedimentology: 14 institutions

Knowledge: Classification of clastic sediments

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

100

Knowledge: Classification of limestones

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

n

y

y

y

y

y

93

Knowledge: Depositional process

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

100

Knowledge: Diagenetic process

y

y

y

y

n

y

y

y

n

y

y

y

y

y

86

Knowledge: Vertical successions of sedimentary rocks

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

100

Knowledge: Mineralogy and textures of sandstones

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

100

Skills: Ability to describe sediments & sequences

n

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

93

Skills: Ability to analyse structures & fabrics to interpret depositional processes

n

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

93

Skills: Ability to analyse petrogenetic fabrics to interpret diagenetic processes & environments

n

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

93

Understanding: The sequence of physical processes active in depositional environments

y

y

n

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

93

Understanding: The depositional response to successive physical process at a variety of scales

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

y

100

Crystallography: 7 institutions

Knowledge: Symmetry axes and planes

y

y

y

-

-

-

y

y

-

-

-

y

-

y

100

Knowledge: Symmetry classes

y

y

y

-

-

-

n

y

-

-

-

y

-

y

86

Knowledge: Miller Indices

y

y

y

-

-

-

n

y

-

-

-

y

-

y

86

Skills: Ability to draw nice pictures

n

n

y

-

-

-

n

y

-

-

-

n

-

n

29

Skills: Ability to plot crystal orientations on stereographic projections

y

y

y

-

-

-

n

n

-

-

-

y

-

n

57

Understanding: Relationship between crystal lattice structure & form

y

y

y

-

-

-

n

y

-

-

-

y

-

y

86

Understanding: Twin Laws

y

y

y

-

-

-

n

n

-

-

-

y

-

y

71

Phase Diagrams: 9 institutions

Knowledge: The phase rule

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Knowledge: Construction of unary, binary and ternary phase diagrams

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Knowledge: Basic terminology, solidus liquidus, eutectic, peritectic

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Skills: ability to determine crystallization sequences

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100

Understanding: The lever rule

y

y

y

y

-

-

y

y

y

-

-

y

-

y

100