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STUDENT UNDERSTANDING of SOIL CLASSIFICATION USING the SIMPLIFIED GUIDE to SOIL TAXONOMY by KIM KERSCHEN B.S., Kansas State Univ

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STUDENT UNDERSTANDING OF SOIL CLASSIFICATION USING THE SIMPLIFIED GUIDE TO SOIL TAXONOMY by KIM KERSCHEN B.S., Kansas State University, 2012 A THESIS submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Agronomy College of Agriculture KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2014 Approved by: Major Professor Michel D. Ransom Copyright KIM JANAY KERSCHEN 2014 Abstract Soil Taxonomy is the official soil classification system used in the United States and many other countries. Any soil in the world can be classified from the order to the family level using a set of classification keys that are currently in an eleventh edition. The classification system is quite complex and can be too complicated for beginning soil science students to understand and use. Thus, a national advisory working group of the National Cooperative Soil Survey developed an abbreviated guide called the Simplified Guide to Soil Taxonomy. The goal of the simplified guide is to help reduce the complexity of soil taxonomy and aid in the classification of soils from the order to the great group level. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the simplified guided when used by students in soil science courses to classify soils as compared to traditional methods using the more detailed keys. Classes at Kansas State University were used in the study and included the laboratory sections of AGRON 305 (Soils) and AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification). Student learning was evaluated using pre and post-test scores, assignments, and evaluation surveys. Results from the fall and spring semesters of AGRON 305 vary based on pre and post test scores and the assignment. Written evaluations indicated that both methods were easy to understand, especially as the lab progressed, but students responded more favorably to the abbreviated descriptions of taxa, pictures, and hyperlinks associated with the simplified guide. The Simplified Guide to Soil Taxonomy can be used in introductory soils courses. However, it is more suited for mid to upper level soil science courses, such as AGRON 515, where students responded favorably to the shorter and more comprehensible descriptions of taxa at the order, suborder, and great group level. Table of Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ ix Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 Study Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 2 Chapter 2 - Literature Review ......................................................................................................... 3 Background on Soil Classification ............................................................................................. 3 Why Classify Soils? ................................................................................................................ 5 Background on Student Learning ............................................................................................... 6 Figures ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Chapter 3 - Teaching with the Simplified Guide to Soil Taxonomy .............................................. 11 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 11 Materials and Methods .............................................................................................................. 11 Background on AGRON 305 (Soils) .................................................................................... 11 Background on AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) .......................................... 12 Description of the Research Process for AGRON 305 (Soils) ............................................. 12 Procedure for AGRON 305 (Soils) ....................................................................................... 14 Description of the Research Process for AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) ... 15 Procedure for AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) ............................................. 16 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 17 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................. 17 Results from AGRON 305 (Soils) ........................................................................................ 17 Results from AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) .............................................. 22 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 23 AGRON 305 (Soils) .............................................................................................................. 23 AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) .................................................................... 25 Limitations of the Study ........................................................................................................ 26 iv Recommendation for Further Research ................................................................................ 27 Final Thoughts ...................................................................................................................... 27 References ................................................................................................................................. 28 Figures and Tables .................................................................................................................... 31 Appendix A - Pre- and Post-test for AGRON 305 (Soils) ............................................................ 49 Appendix B - Example Pedon Data for AGRON 305 (Soils) ...................................................... 50 Appendix C - Soil Classification Assignment for AGRON 305 (Soils) ....................................... 52 Appendix D - Simplified Key in Textbook used in AGRON 305 (Soils) .................................... 54 Appendix E - Evaluation Survey for AGRON 305 (Soils) ........................................................... 55 Appendix F - Example Pedon Data for AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) ............. 58 Appendix G - Homework 1 Assignment for AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) ..... 85 Appendix H - Homework 2 Assignment for AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) ..... 86 Appendix I - Homework 3 Assignment for AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification)....... 87 Appendix J - Evaluation Survey for AGRON 515 (Soil Genesis and Classification) .................. 89 Appendix K - Supplemental Horizon Nomenclature Handout from Textbook for AGRON 305 (Soils) ..................................................................................................................................... 91 Appendix L - Example Flow Chart, Maps, and Picture from the Simplified Guide to Soil Taxonomy ............................................................................................................................... 92 v List of Figures Figure 2.1 The Information Processing Model explains how the brain processes information from the environment (Sousa, 2011, pg. 43). .................................................................................. 9 Figure 2.2 The probability of an individual to store new information varies depending on the presence of sense and/or meaning (Sousa, 2011, pg. 53). .................................................... 10 Figure 3.1 Self-reported prior knowledge of soil classification by student in AGRON 305 (Soils). ............................................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 3.2 Breakdown of “No” responses in AGRON 305 (Soils) to the question “I was able to determine the diagnostic subsurface horizons of the given pedons.” The majority of students responding “No” did not have a supplemental horizon nomenclature handout to help with classification. ........................................................................................................................ 32 vi List of Tables Table 3.1 Distribution of teachers, methods, and total number of students for AGRON 305 (Soils) laboratory sections ..................................................................................................... 33 Table 3.2 Learning outcomes for AGRON 305 (Soils) developed based on Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy as described by Sousa (2011) ............................................................................. 34 Table 3.3 Change in pre- and post-test scores for AGRON 305 (Soils) ......................................
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