Didactic Strategy for the Teaching of Isotope Mixing Models for Stable Isotopes Relevant to Biogeochemistry Based on the Analogy with Color Composition

Type Article
Date 2022-07
Language English
Author(s) Barreira JoãoORCID1, Ferreira Araujo Daniel2, Soares RicardoORCID1, 3, 4, Sanders Christian J.5, Weiss Dominik Jakob6, Machado Wilson1
Affiliation(s) 1 : UFF − Fluminense Federal University, Chemistry Institute, Geochemistry Department, CEP 24020-141 Niterói-RJ, Brazil
2 : Ifremer, CCEM-Contamination Chimique des Écosystèmes Marins, F-44000 Nantes, France
3 : INEA - State Environment Institute, Saúde, CEP 20081-312 Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
4 : Veiga de Almeida University, Tijuca Campus, 20271-020 Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
5 : National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
6 : Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
Source Journal Of Chemical Education (0021-9584) (American Chemical Society (ACS)), 2022-07 , Vol. 99 , N. 7 , P. 2610-2619
DOI 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00253
Keyword(s) Upper-Division Undergraduate, Graduate Education/Research, Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary, Analogies/Transfer, Distance Learning/Self Instruction, Isotopes
Abstract

The continuous advances in mass spectrometry techniques have pushed forward the frontiers of all branches of the isotope biogeochemistry field. In environmental studies, different isotope ratios as determined in different reservoirs offer the opportunity, for example, to identify pollution sources and to trace metal fluxes within the trophic web and in dietary studies. Despite its relevance, trace metal isotope biogeochemistry is infrequently taught in undergraduate courses because it demands a rather high level of complexity of teaching strategies and abstraction capacity from students. Additionally, available didactic material for introducing mixing source modeling with stable isotopes relevant to biogeochemistry is scarce. In this context, the present study applies a visually appealing didactic strategy based on the analogy between colors (analog domain) and isotopic compositions (target domain), in order to encourage and assist the teaching–learning processes of this new subject in environmental science and chemistry classes. We demonstrate how familiar and simple concepts can be applied for introducing challenging subjects. In a setting that restricts in-person academic activities such as during a pandemic, the development of appealing visual approaches is imperative to engage students during online classes. The didactic strategy proposed herein was put to the test during remotely taught classes on the topic of “Environmental Impact Assessment Methodology” (winter 2021, 18 students) and “Environmental Contamination” (summer 2020, 18 students, and winter 2021, 20 students) of the Postgraduate Program in Geochemistry at the Fluminense Federal University (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Students’ feedback was very positive; they found our approach stimulating, and it helped them to better visualize, understand, and interpret the targeted learning outcomes.

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Barreira João, Ferreira Araujo Daniel, Soares Ricardo, Sanders Christian J., Weiss Dominik Jakob, Machado Wilson (2022). Didactic Strategy for the Teaching of Isotope Mixing Models for Stable Isotopes Relevant to Biogeochemistry Based on the Analogy with Color Composition. Journal Of Chemical Education, 99(7), 2610-2619. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00253 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00779/89083/