The project is developing, implementing, and assessing new interactive field-based learning materials, in the form of virtual field trips, for teaching undergraduate sedimentary geology and introductory geology. The virtual field trips are being developed for advanced courses and for introductory courses and are based on actual field trips for an upper-level sedimentary geology course. Professional videographers are assisting with the filming, editing, and production of the virtual field trips. The PIs are collaboratively developing and testing the materials at the University of South Florida and at Hillsborough Community College. The inquiry-based teaching strategy that is being implemented is focusing on stimulating the interest of students and enhancing their ability to apply classroom knowledge, make scientific observations, and solve problems in a virtual field setting.
A key issue associated with traditional field trips has been their limited ability to reach a large and diverse student population due to the substantial time, cost, and liability involved. Consequently, this project is integrating rapidly evolving web and visualization technologies to eliminate some of the obstacles to student participation, and the resultant virtual field trips are attempting to capture the essence of actual field trips with similar learning goals, exercises, and assignments. Strong formative and summative evaluation strategies are assessing both the project activities and the educational effectiveness of the virtual field trips, and include both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of student learning as a function of the virtual field experiences. As they are tested and refined, the virtual field trips are being disseminated through broadly used web portals utilized by geoscientists, and faculty training workshops at regional and national meetings are actively training others how to utilize the virtual field trips in geoscience courses across the United States.
