Student-Selected Soil Fertility Case Studies.

Students learn more and retain more when they are actively engaged in learning processes.  Each student in a senior-level soil fertility course selected two experimental units for which soil fertility factors would be compared.  Samples were collected from Texas and Mexico.  Experimental units included such pairs as topsoil and subsoil, early sampling and late sampling, or different cropping histories.  Students performed lab tests on their samples; and the samples were analyzed by a commercial soil-testing lab.  The class discussed the results of each student's study.  Students submitted written reports of their results and the conclusions drawn from their comparative studies.  In addition ANOVA and correlation analyses were performed on the pooled data from the entire class to explore generalized characteristics of soils from the region.  Students found these learning experiences to be highly relevant to their intended careers.