A Course in Soil Morphology, Classification, and Survey- Objectives, Methods, and Student Response’ David2 T. Lewis ABSTRACT Methods of writing instructional objectives have Theobjectives for a coursein soil morphology, been proposed by Mager (1962) and Gronlund classification, andsurvey were written in a manner (1970). Those proposed by Mager involve con- that stressedlearning outcomes. The objectives in- siderable detail, and in courses that require the stu- corporatedan overall goal statementfor the course dent to reach the higher levels of the cognitive’do- with specificbehavioral objectives derived from the main (Bloom, 1956), a very large number of in- stepsthrough which the studentmust go in orderto structional objectives are necessary. The technique masterthe coursematerial. Problem-typequizzes described by Gronlund makes use of an overall goal duringthe indoorsessions coupled with a problemin statement for the course. This goal statement is field surveywere used to evaluatethe progressof the oriented toward the future ability of the student studentsin the course.Students responded favorably in the course, in future courses, and in the real to the course,the typeof studentevaluation, and the world. The general behavioral objectives are then writtenobjectives. Additionalindex words: Student goals, Retesting, derived from the goal statement and are clarified by Instructionalobjectives, Cognitive domain, Geomor- listing the specific behavior required to meet each phology. objective. The general behavioral (instructional) objectives then become goals toward which the stu- SOIL morphology, classification, and survey dent works rather then steps to be learned one by are topics of interest and use to all agronomists. one. Therefore, many students of agronomy include a course on these topics in their undergraduate or METHODS graduate programs. Agronomy 477-877, entitled Soil Morphology, Classification, and Survey, has been taught for many years at the University of The objectives around which Agronomy 477- Nebraska to meet this need. In 1970 this course 877, Soil Morphology, Classification, and Survey, was reorganized around certain specific behavioral is organized are written according to the technique proposed by Gronlund (1970). At the beginning objectives. It is the purpose of this article to de- scribe these objectives, present the course outline each term, students are given a handout which and teaching methods to illustrate how the objec- shows the major course goal, the general instruc- tional objectives derived from ideas of the steps tives apply to them, and to present the student re- necessary to attain his goal, and the course outline sponse to the course. with quiz times indicated. The goal statement indi- Instructional objectives that place emphasis on cates that "it is the objective of this course to help the student and the goals he is to attain have found the student attain a satisfactory level of proficiency increasing use in college courses during the past 10 in the use and understanding of methods that must years (Elson, 1972). Courses in the College of Agri- be used to initiate and carry out a soil survey in the culture at the University of Nebraska have followed field. The following are goals toward which the this trend, and it has been required that all courses student is guided in order that he can meet the be revised to show the behavioral objectives that a objective." course sets forth. Arnold (1972) described a course in Food Science and Technology at Nebraska writ- 1. To describe a soil profile using the presently ac- ten according to these specifications. cepted soil horizon nomenclature 1.1 The student will recognize and describe differ- IContribution of the Dept. of Agronomy, Univ. of ences in soil texture, structure, color; consist- Nebraska, Lincoln. Published with the approval of the ence, horizon boundaries, and mineralogythat Director as Paper 3573, Journal Series, Nebraska Agr. are pertinent to the delineation and descrip- Exp.Sta. tion of soil horizons. 2Assistant Professor of Agronomy,University of Ne- 1.2 Thestudent will assign to the various horizons braska, Lincoln. he separates on the basis of the above proper- 80 JOURNAL OF AGRONOMIC EDUCATION, VOL. 2, NOVEMBER 1973 81 ties, the accepted nomenclature used to de- The listed objectives enable the student to see scribe soil profiles. what will be expected of him in the course and in- 2. To classify the soils the student describes and directly infer how an evaluation of him will be others described for him according to the classifica- tion system presently in use made. They divide the course nicely for testing 2.1 The student will recognize the name the purposes and establish for the instructor the ma- diagnostic horizons and other differentiating terials he can include in any tests to determine the criteria used to place a soil in its proper proficiency of each student in any phase of the category in the classification system. course. The following outline of the course is used 2.2 The student will use the diagnostic criteria he recognizes and names to place the soil with to help the student develop the necessary back- which he is working in its proper category. ground as they work toward the major course ob- 3. To recognize the physiographic positions on the jective. landscape and interpret soil patterns on them in terms of soil properties and processes that formed 1. The relationship of soil morphology, classifica- and are forming the soils and landscape tion, and survey to other soil sciences and to sci- 3.1 The student will construct block diagrams that ence in general show and name the physiographic positions, 2. Details of soil morphology the soils on them, and the geologic materials in 2.1 Soil horizon nomenclature; its use and con- which the soils formed. cepts of soil genesis put forth by it 3.2 The student will describe the effect of position 2.2 Soil texture; concepts behind textural class on soil development and the geomorphic pro- delineations; effect of soil texture on other cesses that formed the landscape. soil properties and interpretation of soil for 4. To recognize the various geologic materials in various uses which soils have formed and are forming, to de- 2.3 Soil structure, color, consistence, coarse scribe how these materials were deposited, and to fragments date these materials according to the most recent- 3. Writing the soil profile description ly published Pleistocene nomenclature 4. Soil Classification 4.1 The student will use the physical properties 4.1 Review of the 1938 system of soil classifica- and physiographic position of the soils in the tion and its relationship to the new system field to judge in what geologic materials the 4.2 The most recent system of soil classification soils formed. 4.2 The student will describe the geomorphic pro- (Soil Classificati6n Taxonomy) cesses that led to the exposure of once-buried 4.21 Nomenclature and diagnostic horizons geologic materials at the surface so that soils 4.22 Categories in the system formed in them. 4.3 Relationship of soil classification to soil 4.3 The student will place approximate dates in mapping; relationship of the pedon, poly- terms of Pleistocene nomenclature on the pedon, taxonomic unit, and mapping unit events that led to the deposition of the geo- 5. Effect of the Pleistocene on environments and logic materials and the erosion cycles that ex- soil morphology; polygenesis of soils humed those that were buried. 6. Relationship of soils to geomorphic surfaces; ef- 5. To interpret data from soil survey reports of vari- fects of landscape forming processes on soil ous soil provinces in terms of soil genesis, classifi- morphology cation, and land use 7. Soil drainage; nomenclature and classes 5.1 The student will describe how each of the fac- 7.1 Soil permeability tors of soil formation led to the formation of 7.2 Surface runoff and infiltration rate soils that have properties ch’aracteristic of 7.3 Interpretation of soil drainage classes in terms those in each major soil province. of agricultural and nonagricultural uses 5.2 The student will devise soil suitability charts 8. Effect of parent material on soil morphology and that include the soils of these regions and the soil use interpretation of their properties in terms of 8.1 Soil minerals agricultural and nonagricultural uses. 8.2 Effect of mineral weathering on various 6. To initiate ~nd carry out a soil survey on a given aspects of soil morphology 320-acre tract of land and write a soil survey re- Effects of climate, vegetation, and time on soil port of his study of the soils on that land morphology 6.1 The student will include in his report his soil Services provided to the soil survey by laboratory map, soil series and mapping unit descriptions, facilities (Tour of Regional Soil Conservation soil-landscape relationships, and the major Service lab, Lincoln, Nebraska) chemical and physical properties of the soil 11. Preparation for mapping assigned tracts of land series he has mapped. 11.1 Landscape control of soils in Lancaster Co., 6.2 The student will also include interpretations .of Nebraska (area where student mapping is his .mapping units in terms of uses related to done) agriculture and urban land development. 11.2 Major soils in Lancaster County, Nebraska 82 LEWIS: COURSE IN SOILS 11.3 Use of aerial photographs as base maps, use (Bloom, 1956) can be judged and appropriate credit of the stereoscope, map symbols, match given. If it is evident that a student has failed to lines, inking. grasp the material covered by a quiz, he is allowed 12. Soil interpretations for various uses to take a similar quiz and drop the grade on the 12.1 Soil features that influence the degree of limitation a soil may have for urban uses first. This is done to makecertain that every stu- 12.2 Conservation farm planning; basis for as- dent can cope with as many of the problems that signment of soils to various capability units will confront him in the field as possible.