Soils From Pedon to Landscape: A Course at Philadelphia University.

This is a basic, interactive, lecture/laboratory course. It includes soil formation factors, a discussion of physical, chemical, ecological, and morphological properties that affect soil characteristics in managed and natural landscapes, and how important soil classification variables are influenced by these properties and processes.  It is complemented by field trips and service/learning projects (street tree planting) with emphasis on soils from pedon-to-landscapes as resources for environmental protection. Students give a 50-minute, professional presentation on a soils-related topic of their choice relevant to their major. A discussion follows and their classmates participate.  Work on exams and laboratory reports are used to evaluate student’s integration of information. Our hands-on approach to a soils course using instruction inside and outside the classroom has proven to be highly successful at Philadelphia University, a liberal arts institution of higher education.