Soil science teaching curriculum and training – Working group
Compilation of publications and reports on soil science teaching at Australian universities
A National Soil Science Curriculum
Field, D., Koppi, T., Jarrett, L., McBratney, A., Abbott, L., Grant, C., Kopittke, P., Menzies, N., and Weatherley, T. (2012) A National Soil Science Curriculum in Response to the Needs of Students, Academic Staff, Industry, and the Wider Community, Australian Government. Link
Teaching principles
Field, D., Koppi, T., Jarrett, L., Abbott, L., Cattle, S.R., Grant, C., McBratney, A., Menzies, N., and Weatherley, T. (2011). Soil Science teaching principles, Geoderma, 167-168: 9-14. Link
The Agriculture Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLOs)
The TLOs describe what a pass-level graduate in agriculture or a related discipline will know, understand and be able to do upon graduation. TLO’s are a national reference point for curriculum design, assessment standards and benchmarking between institutions. The AgLTAS project aims to develop a National Academic Standards Statement for agriculture. Link to the AgLTAS project. Link to the standards. Link to good practice teaching in Agriculture.
Field, D., Koppi, T., Jarrett, L., McBratney, A. (2013). Engaging employers, graduates and students to inform the future curriculum needs of soil science. Proceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Australian National University, Sept 19th to Sept 21st, 2013, pages 130-135, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-2-2. Link
Teaching-research-industry-learning (TRIL)
Damien J. Field, Derek Yates, Anthony J. Koppi, Alex B. McBratney, Lorna Jarrett, Framing a modern context of soil science learning and teaching, Geoderma, Volume 289, 1 March 2017, Pages 117-123, ISSN 0016-7061. Link
Good practice teaching examples
Hartemink, A.E., Balks, M.R., Chen, Z.-S., Drohan P., Field, D.J., Krasilnikov P., Lowe D.J., Rabenhorst M., van Rees K., Schadi, P., Schipper L.A., Sonneveld M., Walter, C. (2014). The joy of teaching soil science. Geoderma, 217-218: 1-9. Link
Industry relevant training
The University of Sydney is undertaking a GRDC funded project looking at developing industry relevant training in soil knowledge, delivered through e-book, module online learning, short courses that compliment short term tertiary study programs, due to be completed by the end of 2017. Here is a summary (2016 project summary PDF) of project activity up to the end of 2016.