HR: 11:35h
AN: ED42A-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Introducing real-world hydrology case studies into an undergraduate engineering curriculum
AU: * Wagener, T
EM: thorsten@engr.psu.edu
AF: Pennsylvania State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sackett Building, University Park, PA 16802, United States
AU: Zappe, S
EM: szappe@engr.psu.edu
AF: Pennsylvania State University, College of Engineering, Hammond Building, University Park, PA 16802, United States
AB: Hydrology, the study of the movement and storage of water in the environment, originated as an engineering discipline mainly concerned with the estimation of floods and droughts. Since then, hydrology has evolved into one of the earth sciences dealing with water related issues in complex environmental systems at scales ranging from local to global. Current and future water issues require inter-disciplinary scientific approaches, often including significant social components. Climate and land use change, and a growing population continuously increase the stress on available water resources, particularly in less developed countries. An introduction to hydrology remains an important part of the general civil and environmental engineering curriculum. However, the changes in the science of hydrology have not yet fully propagated into a changed approach to teaching this important subject. We present the results of a three-semester long study in which we introduced real world case studies into a large (70-90 students) civil engineering undergraduate class to achieve this change. Evidence of the impact of the curricular changes on student learning will be presented.
DE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
DE: 1800 HYDROLOGY
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting