GigaPan Virtual Field Trip

Content/concepts goals
By the post-assessment completion students should be able to demonstrate: 1) the ability to make observations; 2) the difference between observation and interpretation; 3) the ability to make scientific and geological interpretations; and 4) awareness of the inter-connectedness of physical processes active on the Earth.
This activity is also intended as a formative and summative assessment tool for the instructor.

Higher order thinking skills goals
This activity requires students to analyze a real location that has been shaped by multiple Earth processes both occurring currently and in the past and synthesize ideas learned throughout the course.

Other skills goals
Students practice writing scientific explanations for observations made in a geologically complex area and can be done either as an individual assignment or by working in groups.

Type and level of course
This activity is used in an undergraduate introductory geology course (physical geology) required for geology, Earth science education, and civil engineer majors.

Skills and concepts students should have mastered
This is a two-part (pre- and post- assessment) activity: students complete the activity at the start of the course and repeat the same activity as a final assignment at the end of the course. For the pre-assessment completion, no skills or concepts are required prior to doing the activity. The post-assessment completion should occur at the end of the course when students have had ample experience observing and making geology-related interpretations based on their observations.

How the activity is situated in the course
This is a two-part (pre- and post-assessment) activity: students complete the activity it at the start of the course and repeat the same activity as a final assignment at the end of the course.

Students are required to list any/all geological observations and provide interpretations using their interpretations as evidence on the following GigaPan image: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/159347 (Peyto Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada) in a document. They submit the document with their observations and interpretations for feedback.

Students may be afraid of providing 'wrong' answers during the first completion of the activity. Instructors may want to encourage students by reiterating that they are not looking for a wrong or right answer for the first completion. Instead the students should focus on practicing observation and interpretations to the best of their ability. Instructors may also need to guide students in understanding the difference between an observation and an interpretation.

For the pre-assessment portion of the activity, students are graded based on completion of the assignment. For the post-assessment, students are graded on completion as well as overall accuracy of interpretations, including the ability to back up their interpretations with their observations.

http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/159347: The GigaPan image of Peyto Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. This image was chosen because it contained examples of multiple Earth processes, past and present.