USING ARCGIS PRO TO PROVIDE GEOSPATIAL DATA TO STUDENTS IN A CAPSTONE COURSE

In March 2020 James Madison University transitioned to online classes due to the world-wide spread of COVID-19. With cancellation of all study-abroad experiences, the international JMU field course had to be converted to an online format. Although this would drastically change the student experience, the instructors concluded that fundamental learning objectives (increasing competency in integrating geologic data from multiple sources, geologic interpretation, spatial reasoning, peer collaboration, independent thinking) could still be addressed and thus prepare students to solve future professional or graduate school research projects in geosciences.

Review of the geologic tools available in an online environment resulted in reliance on ArcGIS Pro to provide students with an interface to analyze and display the geologic data. The choice to use one software program was intentional in order to minimize technical issues and allow students to focus on their geologic interpretations. An initial 1-week GIS “bootcamp” helped students prepare for the subsequent projects. The first week included two tracks - one for novice students with no GIS experience and one for students who had already completed at least one semester of GIS. The weeklong tutorial “bootcamp“ experience was especially important for the novice students, and upon completion the students were prepared to tackle the various geologic analyses using ArcGIS Pro.

Capstone projects completed in the class included bedrock mapping of deformed rocks, geomorphologic analysis, and an engineering geology project. Developing these projects required the instructors to work collaboratively to convert analogue data into a digital format. Decisions about the level of processing completed before the students received the data were made intentionally to encourage independent thinking by the students. Additional data, not available in the original field projects, such as LiDAR data and multiple aerial photos, added complexity to the projects, and allowed students to work with data sources now being widely used in many geologic projects.