Proposal 1.0
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proudtinashekProposal 1.0
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proudtinashekFIELD WORK
PROPOSAL
INTRODUCTION
The economy of Zimbabwe depends heavily on agriculture, mining and tourism. The mining
industry has proved to be the cornerstone with a current contribution of about 40%, of all foreign
currency earnings. To retain and expand this income from mining, exploration and exploitation
for new mineral resources is a major issue for the 21st century. In this regard, the department of
Geology at the University of Zimbabwe has proposed to run field based courses as part of the
new curriculum. This proposal seeks to help students develop critical thinking skills as inscribed
in education 5.0.
Geology as a practical subject based on observation and interpretation requires that students go
out into the field where they observe rocks in their natural setting. This aspect is linked to all the
lecture room courses that students learn. It is therefore imperative that every course be
complemented with field visits.
These field visits should vary in time spent in the field depending on the level of study. Short
and localised visits should be done by Level 1 students for appreciation of the introductory
courses and longer more extensive field work should be done by Level 2 and 4 students to
consolidate the knowledge acquired in class.
PROPOSED PLAN
The department has proposed to carry out field trips in conjunction with industrial attachment
split into two sessions. Students should be attached after attaining some level of field experience.
Level 2 students should therefore be prepared for their attachment by having gone on these field
trips. It has been observed that after industrial attachment our students struggle to link the
industrial experience with the lectures. This gap should be filled with field experience.
To enhance the knowledge of our students, the department wishes to introduce the following
field courses:
Field trip to (Geology) the Great Dyke.
Field trip to (Geology) the Magondi Belt.
Field trip (Geology)the Belingwe Greenstone Belt.
LEARNING GOALS/ EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Students should be able to appreciate the economic mineral resources of the country
Students will appreciate the stratigraphy and geological history of Zimbabwe and relate it to
other parts of the world.
Students should be able to (re)discover for themselves the fundamental principles and
concepts of Earth science
Students should be able to transfer basic content knowledge from the classroom to the field
setting.
Students should be able to undertake tasks such as describing, identifying, listing, and
recognizing phenomena in the field
Students should develop observational skills; descriptive skills (e.g., rocks, structures etc);
procedural skills (locating oneself on a map or navigating point to point, note taking,
annotating sketches or photos); measurement skills (e.g., measuring a strike and dip with a
Brunton compass)