The Undergraduate “Consulting Classroom”: Field, Research, and Practicum Experiences

The use of field, research, and practicum experiences in the atmospheric and related sciences within higher education's under-graduate curriculum is not new. However, how such experiences are employed and integrated according to pedagogical principles and methods while providing authentic research experiences to the students beyond the capstone are more critical questions. The framework of the “Meteorological Instrumentation” course offered at Kean University in the context of the environmental sciences demonstrates the integration of the theoretical principles of atmospheric and environmental sciences with application in the classroom through field, research, and practicum settings. The course is topically focused on an overarching research project posed as a current issue or problem to be resolved, and choreographed through creation and management of a “consulting classroom” that provides a professional setting for cross-training. This simulation of a consulting environment during the semester requires ...