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Skills
Skills Preparing for the Future
McMaster’s SGES is committed to incorporating a wide variety of learning experiences into its undergraduate program in order to give students a solid foundation for many of the life and workplace skills that will prove integral for a successful future. These skills are introduced at a basic level in first year courses and are gradually built upon as students advance through the curriculum. These skills have been broken into four sections. Follow the links to learn more about each skill set.
| Research Skills |
| Teamwork Skills |
| Technical Skills |
| Communication Skills |
| Life Skills |
RESEARCH SKILLS
a) Critical Thinking: Students will begin to develop
critical thinking skills by summarizing and critically assessing
ideas within adocument based on course material and prior knowledge.
By fourth year courses, such as Geo 4RO6, students will be able
to identify a question, locate resources and evaluate the accuracy
of data as well as the methods applied to analysis of the data.
b) Problem Solving Skills: Problem based learning
is incorporated into every SGES course at McMaster. Highly advanced
problem solving skills will be developed throughout the undergraduate
program culminating in students’ ability to understand the
wide range of issues involved in a particular problem and to solve
the problem using a variety of methods and approaches.
c) Inquiry: Inquiry based learning is introduced
in first year courses by allowing students to design and communicate
an answer to a question through self directed learning. Highly advanced
inquiry skills developed in fourth year allow students to formulate
complex inquiry questions, locate necessary resources to answer
those questions and perform self-assessment.
d) Use of Library Resources: Students are introduced
to the basic functions, advantages and disadvantages of library
catalogues and journal indexes. By fourth year, students will be
able to efficiently use bibliographies, thesis indexes and other
resources to locate valuable research materials.
e) Use of Internet Resources: SGES undergrads will
be exposed to internet research by being asked to answer questions
with single internet sources. At an advanced level, students will
use a variety of internet sources, critically assess the reliability
of the sources and the information contained therein.
TEAMWORK SKILLS
a) Team Work: In first year SGES courses, students
are allowed to collaborate with one or more partners on selected
group assignments. Throughout the course of the undergraduate program,
students will build their team work skills and by fourth year, students
will be able to work in teams of two or more for senior research
projects. Senior research projects are conducted over oneor more
terms and involved both peer and instructor evaluation of individual
team members.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
a) Computer: In first year, students are asked
to complete all labs and assignments by word processing their responses.
By fourth year, students will have gained the necessary experience
to use a variety of technical application programs including S+,
SPSS, SAS and spreadsheets.
b) GIS: Fluency in Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) will prove to be an extremely valuable professional tool for
SGES graduates. Students will develop GIS skills through their program
and at an advanced level, will be able to develop their own questions
to be answered using GIS as well as explore multiple approaches
to answering a research question with GIS. ArcView, ArcGIS and ESRI
software pacakges will be used.
c) Mapping: In first year, students are instructed
in the basics of map production including feature location, organization
and interpretation as well as sketch mapping and the creation of
simple cross sectional maps. By fourth year, students will be able
to create maps from original data that they have collected. Skills
in remote sensing, false colour composite manipulation and identification
and satellite imagery interpretation are also developed.
d) Lab: First year students will be aided by teaching
assistants in the completion of recipe driven experiments. By fourth
year, undergrads in SGES programs will have developed the skills
necessary to create and execute independent lab experiments for
theses and other senior research projects.
e) Field: As an introduction to field work, students
will record information directly related by the instructor through
field trips to various sites of geologic and environmental significance
around the Hamilton Area. Field skills will be developed through
through field trips conducted in individual courses in the undergraduate
program and by fourth year, students will be able to design and
implement field programs for research in a major project or thesis.
SGES students gain valuable fieldwork experience in the Geo 3FE3
Field Camp which spends approximately one week at Whitefish Falls,
Ontario
f) Numeracy: In first year, students will be introduced
to, and guided through, assignments involving numeric caluclations.
Numeracy skills will be improved upon throughout the undergraduate
program and by fourth year, students will be able to solve assignments
by locating problems and using the necessary equations and mathematical
tools.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
a) Written: First year students will practice skills
required to effectively communicate answers to short and long questions
on labs, tests and assignments. By fourth year, SGES undergrads
will have developed the skills to write formal papers and reports
that include original work and to write critical reviews of existing
literature in a major thesis or project.
b) Verbal: As an introduction to verbal communication
skills, first year students will be given the chance to discuss
ideas with partners or team members and to present information in
an informal, small group setting. Through continued skill development,
fourth year students will be able to complete formal individual
or team presentations to peers and colleagues and to defend the
information that they have presented through a rigorous question
period.
c) Visual: In first year, students will begin to
learn the skills necessary for visual presentation of concepts and
data in an informal setting. As skill development continues, students
will learn how to create and present in visual form (formal poster
or illustrated talk) and colleagues, demonstrating sequential development
of ideas, creative use of graphics and appropriate presentation
techniques.
LIFE SKILLS
a) Leadership: At an introductory level, students
will be given the opportunity to provide input and express ideas
in class or group discussions. With continued skill development,
students will learn to resolve conflicts within groups and will
be responsible for the motivation and direction of their peers.
b) Public relations: First year students will be
equipped with skills to present themselves to their peers, professors
and the general public in a respectful and appropriate manner. Advanced
public relations skills will be developed through undergraduate
programs and in fourth year, students will be able to speak formally
to members of the public as well as to class members and other small
groups in the university such as teams, societies and committees..
c) Time management: In first year, students are
supplied with deadlines and timelines that must be met for full
credit. Throughout their undergraduate program, students will develop
time management skills and by fourth year will be able to undertake
a major thesis project where they will be independantly responsible
for timely completion of the entire project.