Team-based learning

Suggest a geodynamic model for the layered mafic intrusions

The material used in the example:

Lecture 5 of the GEO-2004 course – “Layered Mafic Intrusions” (http://abualam.info/igneous-petrology/).

The learning objectives:

To understand fundamental concepts of the formation of layered mafic intrusions, to get knowledge of geochemistry and geology of the layered mafic intrusions, and to suggest a formation model of the layered mafic intrusions based on field, petrological, and geochemical evidence (i.e., develop skills of problem-solving strategy).

Learning steps:

1) In the first part of the lecture, I present the basic and the new knowledge related to the layered mafic intrusions (e.g., defining different layering types).

2) After that, I describe different examples of the layered mafic intrusions (e.g., Bushveld Complex, Stillwater Complex, and Skaergård Intrusion).

3) Then, I divide the students into groups; each consists of 3 students, and I ask the students to suggest a model that may explain the crystallization history of a layered mafic intrusion.

4) I act as a guest member of each group in order to explain incomprehensible knowledge.

5) After 30 minutes of team discussions, I ask each group to explain their model and discuss it with the other groups.

6) By the end of the lecture, I use the PowerPoint presentation to present the published models for each layered mafic intrusion.

Conclusion:

By the end of the lecture, the students: 1) worked in a team-based environment (i.e.,collaborative environment), 2) got the basic knowledge about the layered mafic intrusions, 3) were able to analyze the relationships between the geology, the geochemistry and the tectonic setting of eachlayered mafic intrusion, 4) were able to compare between the different layered mafic intrusions, 5) got skills to sort the observations and the data in an organized manner, 6) developed a problem-solving strategy by using their observations in order to suggest formation models for the different layered mafic intrusions, 7) got excited about the course subject (i.e., I have observed how the student got confidence when they found that the published models are almost similar to their suggestions).

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