EFFECTIVENESS OF TIME-LAPSE VIDEOS AS A METHOD TO TEACH RATES OF SURFACE GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES

With the increase in the availability of long duration (years to decades) time-lapse data sets (such as those seen in Chasing Ice), time-lapse videos are making their way into the geology classroom with increasing frequency. While anecdotal evidence suggests that student enjoy viewing time-lapse videos, no studies to date have quantified the effectiveness of such videos on student understanding of the time-scales on which the geological processes depicted in the videos operate. To test the effectiveness of time-lapse videos on student knowledge of geologic rates, we developed a quasi-experimental study utilizing existing time-lapse data sets depicting glacial, fluvial, volcanic, and mass wasting processes in the Pacific Northwest. Pre- and post-assessments were administered to approximately 120 students enrolled in introductory geology classes at Western Washington University during Winter quarter 2014. Assessment questions were both qualitative and quantitative and designed to probe student comprehension of the rates at which surficial geologic processes occur. Many questions referenced documented student misconceptions about geologic rates while others asked students to estimate rates using time-lapse photos and videos. The pre-assessment introduced students to the landscapes in the time-lapse videos and asked them to make predictions about how the landscapes would change through time. Treatment consisted of students completing an online activity containing either a series of static before and after images comparable with a drag-able slider or a series of pre-made time-lapse videos. A third treatment group created and viewed custom time-lapse videos using an interactive webpage. Following treatment, students revisited their predictions in light of their interactions with the time-lapse photos and videos. Student performance on the post-assessments, statistically adjusted for GPA, previous exposure to geologic concepts, and several other potential co-variables, will be discussed.