A Unique Approach to Teaching Co-Listed Science Courses: 'Forty Chances' for Improved Graduate Student Education

摘要

The trade book Forty Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry WorldwAS used as a requirement for graduate students enrolled in an undergraduate-graduate co-listed course. Forty Chances describes the complexities of food insecurity with specific linkages to soil health. Students were required to read, reflect, participate in group discussions, and, at the end of the course, answer a feedbackform. The use of andragogy and self-directed learning methods allowed students to connect the factual and theory-basedinformation from the course to a human issue. Although trade books may not be a substitute for studying the sub-disciplines of soil science (chemistry, physics, biology), the first author found that inclusion of a trade book may support the next generation of agricultural scientists to understand how soil health and human health are related.