MAKING GEOLOGY MOVIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

Use of digital video can transform the classroom by illustrating geologic concepts and principles, showing depositional environments, and providing short, virtual field trips. These videos can be produced to demonstrate current research in a particular field, show a wide variety of features in rock, and may help provoke classroom discussion. They may also be used to promote department events and activities, advertising to potential high school students the science and research conducted at your school, and may highlight successful students and alum.

To produce geology movies one must have a video camera, preferably digital, software for nonlinear editing, and a computer with abundant memory storage. In addition to these, it helps to use a condensing microphone with preamp for narration, a computer scanner for adding still images and slides, and digital camera mounted on microscope to illustrate features in thin section. Digital movies and a digital library take up enormous memory; external hard drives and DVD discs help store and backup movie clips. Most new computers may also allow you to burn DVD’s for sharing movies with colleagues and the public.

Digital video can become a useful communication tool if it is made and used properly. Students are a vital resource in production of movies. They should evaluate what they see and help articulate that which requires editing. Combined with a reading assignment and questions for consideration, homemade digital videos can transform the classroom. The introduction of this technology form should invite the right kind of cognitive action instead of passive forms.