O'MY IOWA GEOLOGY – LOVING OUTDOOR LEARNING

There is a critical need for well-educated/employable geoscience teachers and geologists. There is also an increasing need for public awareness in Iowa regarding: global climate change, environmental sustainability, natural resource management, energy production/conservation, environmental national security, and the important role geoscientists play in addressing these issues. OMIG-LOL is a collaborative effort between the Universities of Northern Iowa, Iowa, and the Iowa Limestone Producers Association seeks to address the growing need for well-educated geoscientists and geoscience teachers. This venture provides field-based opportunities for Iowa’s teachers and their students that seek to develop observational skills and foster the production of new geologic field experiences. These field opportunities are being accompanied by technology kits containing up to ten Trimble Juno SB handheld GIS computers, a video IPOD, and instructions. Iowa’s students and teachers are now using new state-of-the-art data loggers to develop new mapping projects near or on their respective campuses.

These project data may now be stored and accessed on the newly developed Iowa-Geologic-Education-Information-Network (IGEIN). This interactive website is being constructed to facilitate data (geologic/GIS) access for all learners to existing sources (e.g. Iowa DNR GIS database). K-16 projects are being posted as they are developed. These will serve as staging points for Iowa’s teachers to construct comparative projects using data from across the state. The site contains many interactive components including podcasts (audio & video) detailing the geology of Iowa. Individuals or entire classes may use these podcasts as time permits and to support their own scientific investigations. With their wide distribution, ready access, and preserved geology and natural landscapes, state parks and other public lands are likely targets for both virtual and real field investigations. This venture utilizes authentic geologic and environmental field experiences in Iowa and Colorado for Iowa’s teachers and students to facilitate personal connections to the natural world, instill a passion for lifelong scientific inquiry, and inspire teachers to share their field experiences with each other and their students.