TY - JOUR
T1 - Progressing from direct instruction to structured and open inquiry-based teaching in a bachelor of soil sciences program
T2 - Experience at the National University in Oman
AU - Al-Ismaily, Said S.
AU - Kacimov, Anvar R.
AU - Al-Maktoumi, Ali K.
AU - Al-Busaidi, Hamad A.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Sultan Qaboos University for providing financial and logistical support. We appreciate the support of Mr. Said Al-Saqri, the SWAE-Students Society, and the undergraduate students in the Department of Soils, Water, and Agriculture Engineering. The helpful comments and critiques of two anonymous referees are also appreciated.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, © 2018 National Association of Geoscience Teachers.
PY - 2019/1/2
Y1 - 2019/1/2
N2 - Revising standard structured academic programs by incorporating research throughout the curriculum is a modern trend at universities worldwide. There are numerous publications on inquiry-based learning (IBL) in individual courses, but few provide evidence both of success at the program level and of synergy in the teaching–research nexus. Our strategy in inquiry-based teaching (IBT) relies on three intertwined premises: (a) advancing the soil BSc program from direct instruction through structured learning toward IBL, (b) including outreach activities executed by undergraduates, and (c) facilitating students’ initiatives to compete for and fulfill grants from national research agencies. Our evaluation is based on students’ self-reported evaluations in program courses, data obtained from the questionnaires administered at two workshops organized by students, and the progress of elite students who won a research grant. Students reported improved confidence and perception of an increase in teamwork skills.
AB - Revising standard structured academic programs by incorporating research throughout the curriculum is a modern trend at universities worldwide. There are numerous publications on inquiry-based learning (IBL) in individual courses, but few provide evidence both of success at the program level and of synergy in the teaching–research nexus. Our strategy in inquiry-based teaching (IBT) relies on three intertwined premises: (a) advancing the soil BSc program from direct instruction through structured learning toward IBL, (b) including outreach activities executed by undergraduates, and (c) facilitating students’ initiatives to compete for and fulfill grants from national research agencies. Our evaluation is based on students’ self-reported evaluations in program courses, data obtained from the questionnaires administered at two workshops organized by students, and the progress of elite students who won a research grant. Students reported improved confidence and perception of an increase in teamwork skills.
KW - Inquiry-based teaching
KW - outreach activities
KW - scaffolding of courses
KW - soil science undergraduate program
KW - teaching-research nexus
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U2 - 10.1080/10899995.2018.1509571
DO - 10.1080/10899995.2018.1509571
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85063738569
SN - 1089-9995
VL - 67
SP - 3
EP - 19
JO - Journal of Geoscience Education
JF - Journal of Geoscience Education
IS - 1
ER -