IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY AND STUDENT UNDERSTANDING OF GEOLOGIC CONCEPTS USING 3D-MODELED FOSSILS

The use of 3D models and prints in the classroom alongside traditional lectures to increase students’ understanding of processes and concepts is well-documented in various STEM fields. Nonetheless, they remain an underutilized resource in the geosciences, despite their benefits — namely, decreasing our reliance on physical collections that are costly to procure and maintain, as well as making geoscience education more accessible to primary and secondary educational institutions. Additionally, open-source databases that host 3D models enable researchers to more easily collaborate across long distances and share their research with a wider audience. In this study, I compare the effectiveness of photogrammetrically modeled dental and cranial fossils — one carnivore, one herbivore, and one omnivore, from three different geologic periods in the Cenozoic — and interactive activities versus traditional lecture-based classes in teaching concepts such as evolution, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, and deep time. The activities target students from middle school to early college, and can be tailored to specific curricula by educators: for example, the activities could be modified to focus mainly on paleoenvironment for an Environmental Studies class, or evolution for a Biology class. To test the models and activities, I will pilot them in an introductory-level Environmental Geology class at Pomona College with anonymous MANOVA surveys that employ Likert-type statements and focus on students’ feelings of self-efficacy in the topic. T-tests and correlations will then be performed on the collected data to determine the difference in effectiveness between groups (e.g. those who self-identify as confident science learners versus those who feel intimidated by science). I believe my findings will echo those of previous studies, showing that 3D models increase students’ comprehension of paleontological topics — especially when they have less experience in the area of study or are less confident in their abilities as science learners. This type of project has a multitude of potential applications, from supplementing existing curricula in underfunded or non-specialized schools to use in homeschool curricula, and can even reduce cost associated with STEM teaching in novel programs.