BRINGING THE FIELD INTO THE CLASSROOM: USING DYNAMIC DIGITAL MAPS TO ENGAGE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN PETROLOGY RESEARCH

We utilize Dynamic Digital Maps (DDMs) in our undergraduate petrology courses to bring inaccessible and exciting volcanic field areas to the students in the classroom and to engage the students in authentic research experiences. A DDM is a stand-alone "presentation manager" computer program that contains interactive maps, analytical data, digital images and movies. They are essentially complete "geologic maps on disk" (CD-ROM and Web-based). Because of their digital format, the programs contain much more data than found on analog maps. The digital maps offer several advantages over hard-copy maps in that they simplify finding samples (or units), make information on map features and associated analytical data and images instantly available via a click on the feature label or icon.

Initial student use begins with an automated six minute tour built-into the DDM, followed by an exercise containing detailed instructions that continue to familiarize students with the program, during which they are asked to fill in answers about the geology of the area. We have developed two different exercises which use DDMs to provide field-based context. Students using the DDM of the Tatara-San Pedro volcanic complex of the Andes Mountains of central Chile are asked to develop a poster on some aspect of the volcano to present to the class, modeled after what would be presented at a regional GSA meeting. While centered around the DDM.TSP, any resource available may be included, and the students are guided in their development of the project with an eye toward focusing their topic and designing a poster aimed at an appropriate audience. Students using the DDM of the Springerville volcanic field are asked to write a small research paper in which they develop a petrogenetic model linking two of the 400 lava flows. To accomplish this they follow an instruction sheet in which an example parent-daughter pair is chosen, based both the geologic reasoning and information in the DDM.SVF (e.g. are both flows of similar age and in close proximity, are whole-rock and mineral chemistry permissive, etc.). It then coaches them step-by-step with using the chosen data in a modeling program, and asks them do the same with their own pair. Most students engaged in these two projects expressed increased confidence and interest in research projects as a result of these exercises.