INTRODUCTORY VIDEO PROJECT: FRESHENING THE SYLLABUS SINCE EARLY 2017

Students love all things video thus to enhance introductory geology at Eastern Washington University (EWU) a 45-60 second group video project was added to the Winter and Spring 2017 curriculum in Geology 100. The results were impressive as students engaged with regional landscapes, parks, points of interest and the science behind those sites. The exercise objectives included: linking classroom learning to physical places in Cheney, Spokane, Washington State and beyond; incentivizing self-discovery field experiences which large format lectures do not condone, tackling video editing challenges to enhance scientific and geologic explanations, and completing a finished media project in a timely fashion. Submissions included videos detailing the geology of EWU campus landmarks, region parks (Palouse Falls, Mount Spokane and Riverside State Park), northwest rivers (Hangman Creek, Spokane and Columbia Rivers), national parks, regional catastrophic events (landslides and floods) and even earthquakes in California and New Zealand.

EWU student smart phone ownership is >95% and drone and gopro ownership is also common thus the entry to videography has already been hurdled. While editing will always have a steep learning curve, youtube “how to videos” have reduced dramatically the demand on instructional time. Based on self-evaluations, students enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity of making educational science videos, learning from fellow student’s geologic findings (film festival) and gaining a sense of place in their geologic home of Eastern Washington. The video catalog has grown to include ~130 videos, the cream has risen and will be available for presentation.