[Nfb-science] Environmental Science Course Revisited

[Tina Hansen]

A few days ago, I posted to this list a request for advice on how to deal with the Environmental Science course I'll be taking at my local community college. Last week, I had an opportunity to have a meeting with the instructor to discuss various aspects of the course.

During the meeting, we discussed the nature of some of the lab work. We concluded that I am likely to be facing several challenges, for which I could use some suggestions.

1. Field work: There will be at least one lab session where we'll be working in the field and collecting data. If you've participated in labs like this,
what have you done to ensure that you're not on the sidelines, but fully involved in the activities?

2. Microscope work: I've learned that at least one of the labs will involve using a microscope. How have you handled this challenge?

3. Graphs: Graphs, both creating and interpreting them, have never been one of my strengths. If you've either created or interpreted graphs, how have you
done it? What tools have worked, and what didn't?

Just to illustrate, this first lab is going to focus on the Edge Effect. In the first segment, students will design an experiment. The following week will be the field work, where we'll be using a variety of lab instruments to collect data, and the final week is when everyone will be evaluating the data as we get ready to write up the experiment.

I'm interested in hearing about both low and high tech solutions to the concerns I've voiced.

By the way, I'm doing this to finish a General Studies degree, and don't plan to go on to a university. Yet, I'm open to any suggestions on what I might
do to fully take advantage of this course. Thanks.