IN THE PLAYGROUND OF GIANTS; A GEOEDUCATIONAL WEBSITE FOR ANY AUDIENCE

As a teaching professional, I maintain a geologically-themed website, In the Playground of Giants (www.intheplaygroundofgiants.com); an ongoing effort to connect and direct my geological knowledge and research, and my creative and leisure time interests toward a practical end. The website encapsulates my desire to provide an online educational resource for outdoor recreationists and natural history enthusiasts by offering a wealth of basic geological information, and specific details on regional geological “learning laboratories”. It benefits laypersons, students, teachers, and scientists from multiple disciplines, backgrounds, and motivations, providing a teaching tool suitable for the vacation-goer seeking the basics, to the more academic visitor wanting a comprehensive educational experience. The primary intent of my website is two-fold: 1) summarize in a single location the available information on specific areas of outstanding geological significance; and 2) provide accurate descriptions of how to reach classical geological settings and features found there, by car, bike, or foot. The website is a work in progress; currently subdivided into five sections. Geology Basics explores general physical geology and includes a glossary of geologic terms. Geology of Central Oregon details the volcanology and alpine glacial geology of the central Oregon Cascade Range. Field Guides to Central Oregon’s Geology describes road logs and hiking trails for field trips in the Oregon Cascades. The Geology of the Grand Canyon Region and Field Guides to the Grand Canyon’s Geology repeat the previous two sections in format, but describe and interpret the Grand Canyon’s amazing array of exposed rocks and structures. Development of my website offers a place where my teaching and research interests can serve a nonprofessional audience, it serves as an outlet for my glacial geological research in the Oregon Cascades, and it improves my knowledge of fascinating locales like the Cascade Range and the Grand Canyon so that I may in turn improve my own teaching. It has inspired the teaching of a field-based physical geology course at Hanover College that travels to the Grand Canyon; and it provides collaborative opportunities for my students to gain geological field experience and sharpen scientific research and writing skills.