As the use of online education increases, technologies to improve the quality of learning have been improving alongside it. One method of information dissemination is virtual learning environments (VLE), in which educators can tailor digital lessons according to their subject and the needs of their students. For soil science, and field-based…

California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) received a three-year grant, "Collaborative Capacity Building on Biodegradable Soil Sensors For Sustainable Agriculture," that began in 2023 to lead program development for research, education, and outreach/extension in support of agricultural environment protection. The project is designed…

The general assembly meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015 adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at achieving a better and more sustainable world by 2030. Incorporating sustainable values through a series of pedagogical strategies into university curricula to help…

Concern over the status of soil science education in the United States has led to a number of publications in recent years that track trends in student enrollment and offer suggestions for attracting more students to soil science. However, there is little information about changes in the number of degree programs that prepare students for careers…

A laboratory experiment to study the effect of soil amendments in the bioremediation of polluted soils is described. Students extracted and measured 0.01 M CaCl[subscript 2]-soluble Cd, EDTA-soluble Cd, and DTPA-soluble Cd concentrations in contaminated soils, treated with a liming material (mussel shell), and/or with an organic amendment (pine…

Liberating Structures (LS) provide a user-friendly toolkit to shift group power dynamics and allow all stakeholders to contribute. We explored the novel use of LS in soil health extension to conduct high-engagement events with diverse stakeholders. Our goals were to promote social learning, networking, and to encourage innovation. Soil health…

Beginning abruptly in the second half of the Spring 2020 semester at Purdue University, we modified our teaching approach in Introductory Soil Science and Forest Soils courses (AGRY 255/270) with a combined annual enrollment of [approximately]370 students to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. In that semester, we went to entirely virtual lecture,…

While field trips are an exciting way to engage students in science learning, they may not be feasible. Therefore, the authors decided to create a 5E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluation; Bybee 2014) field experience for a multi-aged primary class where the learners would investigate soil samples in the school yard and compare and…

Introductory soil science courses are an important part of the undergraduate curriculum in agriculture, environmental sciences, and natural resource management and traditionally include an in-person laboratory where students acquire both hands-on learning and practice important skills. This all changed when all classes quickly transitioned to…

Literature circles are student-led, small-group discussions that promote active learning and engagement with literary texts. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of literature circles on student engagement and learning outcomes in a pedology course. For various reading assignments throughout the semester, students either…

The COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented pressure on students and educators around the world, calling for a major shift in the delivery of educational lessons to implement remote learning opportunities in place of in-person classes. The shift to remote learning practices was particularly difficult for courses, such as pedology, that rely heavily…

The recent novel coronavirus pandemic led to global changes in higher education as universities transitioned to online learning to slow the spread of the virus. In the United States, this transition occurred during the spring of 2020, and the compulsory shift to online learning led to frustrations from students and instructors alike. I studied…

Agricultural and environmental scientists collaborated with educational technology researchers to create multimedia learning tools to fill gaps in student understanding of key concepts that undergraduates often struggle with, including sorption, cation exchange capacity, inner and outer sphere bonding, and soil system complexity. These resources…

This paper presents an experimental lab designed for undergraduate students which focuses on soil science and chemistry. Students perform a series of tests to classify soil's phosphate retaining characteristics, texture, pH, organic matter content, and permeability with the addition of a novel soil amendment, Al Mg biochar. This lab has minimal…

Scientists rely heavily on tree-ring records to better understand climate variability of the past millennium. Tree rings can also be utilized to give students a window into paleoclimate research, the methods scientists use, and the importance of scientific findings. Here, we present five online labs that introduce undergraduate students to the…