TOPOTASTIC: UTILIZING HUMOROUS VIDEOS TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT AND TOPOGRAPHIC MAP READING SKILLS IN INTRODUCTORY COURSES

Student learning outcomes for physical geology labs at a public, regional university include extracting spatial data from topographic maps, interpreting landforms and processes, and constructing topographic maps. Traditional lectures for an hour lab class introduced concepts and rules of topographic maps, which were then applied to various maps and activities for half of a semester. The majority of students in these courses are not majoring in earth and environmental science, and regardless of major, often struggle with spatial reasoning. In particular, students become frustrated and disengaged with the challenges of relating a two-dimensional map to the three-dimensional environment. In order to improve engagement and increase topographic map learning outcomes, the traditional lecture day was flipped and replaced with six short videos totaling approximately 30 minutes in duration. These videos, created as news and talk shows on the fictitious Topo TV station, incorporated humor, and example problems to improve engagement. Students were expected to watch the videos before the first lab day of topographic maps, followed by a short quiz at the start of the lab session. During the lab, students worked on mapping exercises applying the concepts presented in the videos. Course data were collected for three academic years, beginning in the fall of 2019, and include exam scores, quiz scores, learning management system access and use, and demographics. Analyses are challenging due to multiple instructors and course modalities, including in-person, hybrid, and online. However, anecdotal evidence and preliminary analysis indicate engagement and outcomes improved with the instructional change.