TEACHING SOIL – LANDSCAPE INTERACTIONS USING
RUGGED TABLET PCs IN THE FIELD

Darrell G. Schulze, Purdue University, dschulze@purdue.edu
Raymond R. Struthers, Purdue University
Phillip R. Owens, Purdue University
George E. Van Scoyo, Purdue University

Soils occur in the field in predictable, repeating patterns, the result of five major soil forming factors that can vary over length scales ranging from a few meters to tens or hundreds of kilometers. Teaching students how to recognize spatial differences in soils and landscapes, and how to draw inferences from them, is a significant instructional challenge. The right visual (a particular map or sequence of maps), presented at the right time (while students are in the field) makes complex relationships clear and easy to remember. Paper maps have major limitations in our field-based Soil Classification, Genesis, and Survey course. Instead, we use rugged Tablet PCs that are equipped with Geographic Information System (GIS) software, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, and digital maps of our study areas, making it easy to jump between different maps quickly. Students have responded enthusiastically and said that the Tablet PCs were useful learning tools that allowed them to better see the relationships between soils and landforms. The Tablet PCs have also had a significant impact on the quality and effectiveness of our teaching. We have learned new things that were not apparent before, and we are now able to teach these subtle and complex relationships more effectively.