Using SCUBA Diving as a Medium to Teach Basic Physical Sciences to Environmental Science Students

Many Environmental Science students are reluctant to study basic biological and physical sciences as part of their degree programmes. In common with most environmental courses students on Environmental Science programmes at Coventry have sufficient free choice to allow them to opt out of what they see as “hard science”. A mechanism is required to attract students to the physical sciences and inspire their continued interest. This poster reports on a new module which has been successful in achieving this. The module 117ENV was initially designed to put the students onto the road to become qualified scientific divers but was also quickly seen as a means by which a considerable amount of basic science can be introduced to students who, in the past have avoided these subjects , particularly the physical sciences. Despite the fact that the physical science was taught at a relatively high level, including a considerable mathematical input the consensus from questionnaire answers was that the level was right for these students who, in the main, were equipped with only a basic level of mathematics. The most compelling evidence in favour of this approach is the subsequent performance of students in related level 2 module. This module “The Eco-physiology of Diving Vertebrates” builds upon 117ENV and utilises much of the science introduced in this module.