Course Goal & Objectives

The goal of this course is to study the characteristics, origin and development of landforms. We will use topographic maps, air photos, remotely sensed data, field and laboratory experiments to interpret various landscapes and associated processes and landforms.

The objectives of this course are:

1. to gain an in-depth understanding of various processes that create the physical landscape and to learn about the landforms that result from these processes. As this objective is to cover these processes and associated landforms in-depth, we will not be able to cover all landforms or processes. We will focus on water related processes (fluvial, karst and glacial), gravity driven processes (mass wasting) and soil processes.
   
   
2. to learn the technical skills required for the study of geomorphology. These include skills at reading and interpreting topographic maps and air photos, both of which are key to the study of landforms. It also includes skills using various field and laboratory instruments. And last, it includes math and some very basic statistics using Excel, skills required for analyzing and interpreting data. Statistics and experience with Excel are not prerequisites for this course; we will cover the basics that you need to know in class.
   
   
3. to learn how the scientific method is applied in geomorphology and to experience this through field and laboratory work. We will engage in a detailed field and laboratory project related to fluvial geomorphology. This is a group project that will take about half of the semester to complete. You will be required to collect field and laboratory data, share the data with your peers, use the data to test several hypotheses, and write a report covering your expectations and findings. We will engage in several other smaller, individual or paired activities that will also allow us to practice applying the scientific method in geomorphology.
   
   
4. to encourage critical thinking skills. Simply knowing facts isn't enough - why are they true? how do we know that they are true (how did scientists figure that out)? how do those facts relate to other facts? have the "facts" ever changed? why? You will be required not only to think critically about the topics under discussion, but to write clearly about them. Which brings up the next objective:
   
   
5. to improve our writing skills. You will be required to write some laboratory reports, as well as answer questions in more traditional lab exercises. Exams will be primarily short answer essay type questions. In all of these, your writing skills count - grammar, organization, spelling and clarity. Writing is not only an important form of communication, it is also a means of clarifying and organizing your own thoughts - an important part of critical thinking.
   
   
6. to learn how to work in groups. Learning is not an asocial activity. We learn from everyone we work with, including our peers, not just our "teachers". Our peers can be our teachers. Working in groups provides us with an opportunity to learn from our peers, as well as to teach our peers. This is an opportunity for you to find out how well you can communicate what you know with others (communication, teaching and learning are not one-way paths).