T229 Beyond the Road-Cut: Virtual, Local, and Nontraditional Field Teaching and Learning Experiences

Wednesday, 7 November 2018
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room 234

EXTENDING STUDENT LEARNING GAINS THROUGH VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS WITHIN TRADITIONAL FIELD COURSES

Paper number: T229-10
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

Authors

  • Youngwoo Cho Presenting Author
    Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS
  • Renee Clary
    Mississippi State UniversityGeosciences, Mississippi State, MS

Abstract

Although geologists rally around the slogan that “geology is best taught in the field,” students are often unable to closely examine all interesting geologic features because of accessibility, and/or because of physical limitations. In summer 2018, Mississippi State University and University of Southern Mississippi collaboratively offered a traditional 24-day geology field course through the southwest US with prolonged investigations in Gunnison and Saguache Counties in Colorado. During the first 10 days of the field excursion, the researchers investigated ways to improve students’ field learning experience with virtual techniques. Since not all areas visited on the field course are easily accessible to the students (e.g., cliff scarps), the researchers photographed outcrops and utilized an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to create 360-degree panoramas to provide bird’s-eye views. The researchers also photographed rock samples and fossil specimens from the area, most of which were collected by the students themselves. From the panoramas and digitized samples, we created 3D models and Gigapixel images for the geologic outcrops, rocks, and fossils. Approximately 2.5 months after the field camp concluded, we e-mailed these digital materials to student participants and sought feedback through surveys and interviews on how the virtual field trips (VFTs) from the field course helped students recall their field experiences and construct their geologic assessment of the outcrops. Analysis of student feedback provided a better understanding of the role of virtual technologies for students enrolled in field courses. Our results will help instructors extend student learning in traditional field courses, and potentially provide alternative field course investigations for physically impaired students.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 50, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2018AM-318670

© Copyright 2018 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.