Many Southern professors find creative and innovative ways of incorporating fresh air and hands-on learning into their curricula, and this semester was no exception. Despite the pandemic and shift to online learning, some professors taught outside, incorporating measures such as distancing and face masks to keep students safe.
In earth science, professor Jennifer Cooper Boemmels used the rock garden outside of the science building to teach Structural Geology and Tectonics. Students used the boulders to collect data and measure features of the rocks using compasses.
Earth science professor Dushmantha Jayawickreme took his hydrology students to a small creek near Schwartz Hall where they learned how to locate and measure water sources. Not far from campus, anthropology professor Michael Rogers taught his Methods in Archaeology class near the West Rock Nature Center. His students spent the semester in the woods excavating an archaeological site.
Meanwhile, all the biology 101 and 103 labs met outside to study moss and ferns in the outdoor classroom, roam around campus studying plants, and measure the leaf area of sun versus shade leaves from campus trees.
History Professor Jason Smith walked neighborhoods and parks in his History of New Haven class while discussing local history, the development of planning policies, and the purpose of memorials and monuments in community life.
View a gallery of images from various classes taught in the field this semester.
