Video Games as Physical Geology Labs

Ronald Dorn, Arizona State University
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Summary

This resource includes a series of laboratory activities associated with geovisualizations that look and play like a video game. The student controls the video game camera and the avatar to interact with DEM (topographic) data, as well as geologic and environmental data. The game settings are the Arizona Grand Canyon (Billingsley geologic map overlaid on topography) and Hawai'i (Big Island). The games work on Windows (8&10) and Mac (El Capitan and up) computers.

This link provides one-stop shopping for all resources:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~atrid/111_OnlineGeovisualizationLabs.html

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Context

Audience

Undergraduate introductory physical geology course for non-majors, but the games could also be used (with you developing the lab materials for higher level courses). What's included are the intro materials for Intro Physical Geology (and intro physical geography)

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

None. All skills and concepts are taught in these materials.

How the activity is situated in the course

Stand alone exercise

Activity Length

The lab activities are designed to take the place of 3-4 traditional
weekly (boring) labs. Each lab activity is broken out into stages.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Grand Canyon Game: interpreting a geologic map; learning about geologic time; learning about timescales of change (observation to geologic time)

Hawaii Game: Volcanic landforms; glacial geology; development of drainages (geohydrology)

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Analysis of data, formulation of hypotheses, synthesis of ideas, usefulness of mathematics in science,

Other skills goals for this activity

Description and Teaching Materials

This link provides one stop shopping for all resources:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~atrid/111_OnlineGeovisualizationLabs.html

Technology Needs

Windows 8 or 10 computers with 4 GB Ram
Mac computer (El Capitan or higher) with 4 GB Ram

Teaching Notes and Tips

All teaching resources and notes are found here:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~atrid/111_OnlineGeovisualizationLabs.html

Assessment

The assessment is all done for you in these materials:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~atrid/111_OnlineGeovisualizationLabs.html

If you are interested in obtaining the canvas shells that have all assessments and student feedback built in, please email ronald.dorn@asu.edu

A secure way will be found to give you access to the appropriate canvas shells.

References and Resources

http://www.public.asu.edu/~atrid/111_OnlineGeovisualizationLabs.html

This URL provides you with all the resources you will need to teach the materials developed for these game-based labs.

If you are interested in obtaining the canvas shells that have all assessments and student feedback built in, please email ronald.dorn@asu.edu

A secure way will be found to give you access to the appropriate canvas shells.


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