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Donald G. McGahan

Donald G. McGahan

GitHub is a place to put bits and items to be worked on, and perhaps links to completed items.

About Me

University instruction in the United States of America increasingly demands technology.

Is the technology a tool? Is it becoming grafted into our pedagogy such that we are bionic? Are we becoming Borg? As a University Professor I think about the tools I use for delivery of content, and I think about how they are used.

I often wish the tools were better, or easier to use. My impression is that today many learners cannot understand why University instructors don’t deliver more flash, wow, pop, bang, and glitz.

The learner of today is surrounded and bombarded by very polished and often sophisticated sales pitches but at Universities we generally are using technologies from 200 to 400 years ago.

A good story told in person is powerful. We learn much by discourse. Personally, I believe that the great technology of the Gutenberg press is still important, but can it be augmented? I use technology. Technology bits and bytes are tools. I get a little wrapped up in what they can do. Am I becoming Professor Borg? Is resistance to technology futile?

Academic Interests

I am an environmental scientist with a strong foundation in soil morphology, soil characterization, and soil mineralogy. I am interested in identifying systematic variation in soil morphology using relationships with climate, vegetation, geomorphology, and geology. By studying the evolution of soils (a very slowly renewable resource), relationships vital to addressing landscape scale issues are better understood. Soil in the environment and of the environment. Thinking about and studying soil in these two ways allows us to apply knowledge to site-specific soil management including land use(s) for agricultural, and land use(s) for non-agricultural soil(s). In addition, understanding soil is also vital to to the conservation of many other natural resources.

Tenure

I am a Retired Professor of Soil Science from Tarleton State University in Texas USA. A Member of the Texas A&M System.