Ghastly Groundwater: Integrating Career-Relevant Technical and Soft-Skill Development Through an Active Learning Activity

Abstract:

Ghastly Groundwater is an innovative activity that develops career-relevant skills for students intending to enter the environmental consulting industry. Despite the projected 6% rise in geoscience careers by 2028 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), recent graduates who meet academic requirements often find themselves unqualified for entry-level positions that are requiring career-relevant experience. To meet industry demand and adequately prepare our students to enter their professions, undergraduate institutions must adapt their curriculum to develop the skills desired in entry-level positions. Ghastly Groundwater aims to develop both technical and soft-skills utilized in environmental consulting firms specializing in groundwater contamination. Students will practice contouring groundwater elevation and contamination plumes, determine groundwater flow direction, assess risk at nearby properties, and propose additional monitoring well locations. To develop the soft-skills necessary in the industry, students will perform peer reviews, work in teams, and verbalize results through active learning techniques such as Think-Pair-Share and Diagram Dialogue. Students will also have the opportunity to explore the California State Water Resources Control Board contamination database, GeoTracker. Ghastly Groundwater can be easily performed in a laboratory class or integrated into lecture as an active learning or flipped classroom exercise.