USING COMMON TECHNOLOGIES TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVITY IN A FIELD GEOLOGY MAPPING COURSE

For many students, field classes that emphasize geologic mapping pull together many aspects of their undergraduate careers, integrating stratigraphy and structure with mineralogy, petrology, and geomorphology. The addition of hiking, map reading, and problem-solving to the equation makes the experience especially formative. This experience continues to be valuable even though the science of geology has changed to include many more aspects of the Earth Sciences. Today, the subject attracts students with different interests, backgrounds, and physical abilities. However, many geologic mapping courses pose sufficient challenges that can discourage students from taking the course or even majoring in the subject. Simply put, students can’t feel included in the activity if they can’t complete it.

At the University of Oregon, we maintain field mapping as an important but shortened part of field camp. The mapping takes place in a rugged landscape of SW Montana that can easily deter some students. To make the course accessible to a greater range of students, we integrate Google Earth, geo-located field photographs, and various phone apps with the mapping so that all students in the course can complete the map area as equals. This method differs from many other courses in that it gives every student the same advantages and so doesn’t single anyone out by giving them an easier task. It also gives students an introduction to some of the modern tools available for mapping in general.

All students still go to the field every day and push themselves to cover as much of the area as they can, but they now can make their own decisions as to their personal abilities and safety. We see that students incorporate their previous coursework in resolving confusing field dilemmas just as much as before thereby gaining the same benefits from the course. We also see excellent morale, and that students share their experiences with friends after returning home, helping to positively shape the perception of the course for future students.