HR: 1340h
AN: ED13A-1137    [Abstracts]
TI: A Mid-Ocean Ridge Petrology Teaching Suite: Thin Sections and Geochemical Data for use in Undergraduate Instruction
AU: * Smith, M C
EM: msmith@geology.ufl.edu
AF: University of Florida Dept. of Geological Sciences, Box 112120, Gainesville, FL 32611 United States
AU: Cotsonika, L A
EM: lcotsoni@ufl.edu
AF: University of Florida Dept. of Geological Sciences, Box 112120, Gainesville, FL 32611 United States
AU: Perfit, M R
EM: perfit@geology.ufl.edu
AF: University of Florida Dept. of Geological Sciences, Box 112120, Gainesville, FL 32611 United States
AB: An inquiry-driven educational "kit" that integrates a suite of approximately 5 samples of mid-ocean ridge (MOR) eruptives with related tectonic, geologic and geochemical data has been developed for use in undergraduate petrology courses. NSF funding will allow approximately 30 kits to be produced and distributed to interested institutions beginning in the summer of 2006. Additionally, instructional materials and a photo documented "virtual" lab will be disseminated through the DLESE, in conjunction with the ongoing educational efforts of the RODES project. The impetus for this project arose from a recent NSF-sponsored, DLESE/NAGT conference entitled "Teaching Petrology in the 21st Century". A major objective that came out of the conference was to develop sets of rock suites that could be used to facilitate teaching/learning in petrology courses, with mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) suites being ranked at a high priority due, in part, to the limited availability of such samples through traditional commercial means. Thin-sections of 5 lavas from the southern Juan de Fuca Ridge are used in conjunction with photomicrographs, geochemical data, and seafloor maps/images to generate data-rich investigations that use mid-ocean ridge magmatism as a vehicle for student inquiry into both this important plate tectonic environment and magmatic processes that are fundamental to igneous petrology. The suite of related rocks and associated data have been selected from our extensive collection Juan de Fuca Ridge lavas, and include rocks ranging from typical "N-MORB" to rare MOR dacites. Two investigations have been completed and were classroom tested in the spring of 2005. These exercises focus on investigating the petrography of these lavas (both mineralogic and textural interpretations) and fractional crystallization as a petrogenetic process. Students relate observed petrographic differences to relevant phase diagrams and major element chemical data. Liquid line of decent modeling is used to investigate genetic relations between lavas, and students integrate their findings with a broader database retrieved using the PETDB database. A third investigation integrating the modeling of trace element data for these lavas is currently under development along with a general investigation into the nature of different spreading rate MORs and this dynamic environment. Supplemental instructor materials, including photo documentation of relevant petrographic features, are being developed for distribution with the "kits" and dissemination through the DLESE.
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0845 Instructional tools
DE: 1032 Mid-oceanic ridge processes (3614, 8416)
DE: 3610 Geochemical modeling (1009, 8410)
DE: 3625 Petrography, microstructures, and textures
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005