Natalie Bursztyn
Geology
James Madison University
I have been teaching post-secondary geoscience since 2001 when I had my first TA experience. After completing my masters degree, I went on to teach at Bakersfield College in California before earning my PhD. My research has spanned mineral resources, geomorphology, and geoscience education - the latter with an emphasis on the use of gaming, augmented and virtual reality technologies in (and outside of) the classroom. I am an advocate for, and actively seeking strategies that, transform the diversity, equity, and inclusion of all learners within the field of Earth sciences.
Website Content Contributions
Course Modules (19)
Unit 2: Got that big, big, energy part of TIDeS:TIDeS Teaching Materials:Physical Science
Summary: Unit 2 introduces students to waves, energy, power, heat, heat engines, and the first and second laws of thermodynamics. All materials have relevance to a central motivating question about a massive ...
Activities (3)
Virtual Reality Strike and Dip Tool part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2021:Program:Teaching Demonstrations
The strike and dip tool is currently a web/desktop based virtual reality teaching instrument designed to practice taking strike and dip measurements and using those measurements to compile a geologic map. We have 5 ...
Google Street View Virtual Field Trip part of Teaching with Augmented and Virtual Reality:Teaching Activities:Activities
This activity is an example of how one can use Google Street View imagery as a field trip proxy. As a free and relatively accessible tool with an extensive and good quality image library viewable with a smartphone, ...
AR Sandbox part of Teaching with Augmented and Virtual Reality:Teaching Activities:Activities
This is a short introduction and some ideas for how to utilize an AR sandbox in your classroom/lab. This is not information about how to make your own AR sandbox! These activities aim to link topographic map ...
Courses (3)
Introductory Earth System Science Lab part of Teach the Earth:Courses
Earth Systems Science lab is designed to accompany Earth Systems Science lecture (ERTH 101) to provide hands-on opportunities for students to practice geoscientific inquiry. Students will examine Earth materials ...
The Water Planet part of Teach the Earth:Courses
This is a lower division majors course that introduces Earth surface processes with an emphasis on hydrology and geomorphology. The course is a 4 credit class that meets twice a week in 2-hour class periods. ...
Physical Science part of TIDeS:TIDeS Teaching Materials:Physical Science
In this physical sciences course for future teachers, students explore typical concepts of energy, power, heat engines, pressure, density, buoyancy, fluids, motion, and Newton's laws of motion. This is an ...
Conference Presentation (1)
Virtual strike and dip – advancing inclusive and accessible field geology part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2022:Program:Oral Sessions:Thursday Oral Session A
Accessibility and inclusivity in field geology have become increasingly important issues to address in geoscience education and have long been set aside due to the tradition of field geology and the laborious task ...
Other Contributions (9)
The Kern River, California: A Story of Uplift, Incision, and Flood Control part of Vignettes:Vignette Collection
Within Kern County, the present day Kern River is an example of two distinct river environments. In the Sierra Nevada, the Kern River is in a classic V-shaped canyon (Fig. 1) as it erodes towards base level. In ...
Communities
Far Western Section, Geoscience Education Research Division
July 2024 Earth Educators Rendezvous 2023
July 2023 Earth Educators Rendezvous 2022
July 2022 Earth Educators Rendezvous 2021
July 2021 Earth Educators Rendezvous 2020
July 2020 Earth Educators Rendezvous 2017
July 2017 Integrate/GETSI 2023 Survey
NAGT All
Teach the Earth
TIDeS Materials Development
TIDeS Physical Science
Systems Thinking Interest Group
Teaching with Augmented and Virtual Reality Interest
Workshop Leader (5 workshops)
July 2026EER 2020 Implementing Virtual and Augmented Reality in the Classroom
July 2020EER 2023 - Gaming in the Classroom Mini-Workshop Participants
Workshop Participant (38 workshops)
July 2026 Flipping your Classroom
July 2017 Developing or Modifying an Introductory Geoscience Course Using InTeGrate Modules
July 2017








