Assessing Water Literacy: Undergraduate Student Conceptions of Groundwater and Surface Water Flow

Given the importance of fresh water, we investigated undergraduate students’ understanding water flow and its consequences. We probed introductory geology pre-instruction knowledge using a classroom management system at two large research-intensive universities. Open-ended clicker questions, where students click directly on diagrams their smart device (e.g., cell phone, tablet) to respond, predictions about: (1) groundwater movement (2) velocity erosion in river channel. Approximately one-third correctly identified as having lateral vertical components; however, same number only components despite diagram depicting enough topographic gradient for flow. For rivers depicted straight channel, zones high velocity. However, curved channels, incorrectly inside bend location greatest highest Systematic errors suggest that have mental models are not consistent with fluid dynamics. The use open-ended clicks reveal common provided an efficient tool identify conceptual challenges associated complex spatial temporal processes govern Earth system.