Connecting the Geology of Africa with the Prehistoric, Historical, Political, and Economic Evolution of the Continent as a Strategy for Teaching Introductory Geology and Attracting Minority Students to Geology

Abstract

An innovative introductory geology course entitled The Geology and Development of Modern Africa was developed and offered at Hamilton College for the first time during 1994–95. The aims of the course are three-fold: 1) to attract African American students to take geology, 2) to help students draw connections between geology and non-science topics with which they are more familiar, and 3) to teach students rigorous geology in a setting that minimizes lecture and emphasizes hands-on investigative activities, self and group learning, and peer teaching. The course is structured around a series of geologic topics that have direct relevance to particular prehistoric, historical, political, or economic issues in Africa. The course emphasizes how an understanding of the geologic context allows a deeper understanding of the reasons for the prehistoric, historical, political, and economic evolution of Africa. In this course, students delve deeply into a limited number of topics: past and present fluvial processes o...