Thus far, I have taken the lead on lab development for the course. At the present time, there are no lab manuals commercially available that present a program of active labs, such as are needed for effective education. In fact, there is only one commercially available lab manual . An instructional mini-grant has funded the initial instrumentation of the demonstration site. Through the labs, students conduct a study of the system at the field site in stages over the course of the semester.
Students collaborate to produce a significant summary report which integrates their knowledge.
An example student report is provided in the Appendix. Additionally, the labs are designed to develop communication and team work skills. Technological tools, including computing and analytical equipment, are used where appropriate and available. I feel that graduate courses should emphasize the recent literature as the primary source of information. Both interpretation and critical evaluation of the literature is encouraged through problem-solving assignments and guided class discussions.