GEOSCIENCE LITERACY: USING CRATER LAKE AS A PEDAGOGICAL TOOL TO FOSTER INQUIRY AND CRITICAL THINKING IN THE CONTEXT OF A VIRTUAL SIMULATION

The geologic setting of the Pacific Northwest is ideal for captivating nascent earth science students due to its active margin tectonics, dramatic landscape and cultural diversity. Of particular intrigue is the geology and mystic surrounding Crater Lake National Park and its now dormant volcano Mt. Mazama. Though 5000 to 6000 years have passed since the last major eruption, this composite volcano may become active in the future. This critical thinking student driven project uses the vast repository of information to build a case study based on real world relevance, social, economic and environmental impacts and geologic information. For this highly interdisciplinary problem based learning scenario is a long-term research project where students design and interact with a virtual webpage to improve awareness and understanding of geological hazards within a socio-political context.

With Crater Lake as the backdrop, students simulate the actions of a recently employed USGS geologist. Using this scientific role playing scenario, students are given a budget, choose equipment and make travel and lodging arrangements that will support research into the possible awakening of Mt. Mazama. Throughout the process, students are engaged during class with hand specimens, geologic maps, remote sensing data, analytical analysis of water, soil and gaseous emissions using virtual and live data sources (often data from currently active centers with transferable geochemical characteristics) and explore extremophiles associated with hydrothermal vents. Each of these data sources feed into a web based repository of events. The outcomes of this activity are to: research the geologic and cultural history of Crater Lake; make predictions and conclusions based on “real time” volcanic data; use provided data to determine the involvement of other local, state and federal agencies (FEMA for example); use Google Earth to display geospatial data; write a press release about the volcano’s most recent behavior, including an assessment of whether the area should be evacuated; and design a series of alert levels and hazards zones to protect human health in case of an eruption. Studies of the reflective papers and other written work produced by student’s reveals the tremendous utility of real world case history as an anchor for content.