Background: Science education should encompass enculturation in science which implies performing scientific practices such as use of data and modelling, in authentic contexts like the field. Purpose: This work aims to determine how preservice elementary teachers (PETs) use data obtained in the field, and how these data contribute to the process of…

Field-based education is an integral component of undergraduate geoscience curricula and provides educational and social benefits associated with enhanced learning. But field excursions can too often end up as simple show-and-tell events and fall short of implementing effective teaching practices and achieving desired student learning gains.…

Geological skills such as interpreting outcrops are often taught during fieldwork. However, recent advancements in digital technologies and the demand for more inclusive and accessible learning has provided an opportunity to teach these skills in virtual field trips (VFT). The Iceland VFT was developed to teach students about volcanic features and…

This study contributes to the literature by shedding light on students' learning by examining and comparing students' gestures in two educational contexts: geological field trips and classroom-based modeling activities. This study engaged 10 middle-school students in two different geological field trips and two classroom-based modeling activities…

The purpose of this study is to propose a "modified novelty space" model for learning in virtual geological field trips. To do so, three field sites in Busan National Geopark were selected to explore geological characteristics. VR-based virtual field trips (VFTs) were developed for participation. These VFTs consisted of basic, plus, and…

Spatial skills are embedded in all aspects of the geosciences. The teaching and learning of spatial skills has been a challenging, but vital, endeavor. To support student learning of spatial skills in undergraduate courses, we designed scaffolds for spatially dependent content in a mid-level geoscience course using playdough to allow students to…

The purpose of this study was to examine middle school students' gestures during a geological field trip. Previous research on gestures has focused on understanding human development and exploring students' gestures can be helpful in improving understanding of students' communication in learning environments. In this study, middle school students…

We present a quantitative study of responses to voluntary and anonymous surveys of undergraduate geology students enrolled at an English-medium, research university in South Africa. This research captured student interest in geology, their perceived level of understanding of key geological concepts, and the extent to which in-class and in-field…

In-person field education through exploration is fundamental in geoscience, but equal access is limited by time, cost, safety, distance, physical ability, and instructor variability. Technology advances allow students to explore pedagogically rich but inaccessible places through virtual field trips (VFTs). Studies show that VFTs result in…

Our 4th grade year has become known as "the field trip year", with over 10 trips carefully aligned with learning units across the year. This article describes the first trip of the year, which in many ways sets the stage for students' effective use of field trips as engaging extensions and applications of classroom learning. The Pike's…

Citizens show misunderstandigs about groundwater that hinder making informed decisions about problems like the deterioration of aquifers. Science education should address this, including modelling practices about the aquifer model. Physical models (PM) have been extensively used in geology teaching, but students rarely construct, evaluate or…

Field education is a critical and enriching component of the undergraduate geoscience curriculum and is enhanced when combined with a study abroad program. The affective domain -- defined in geoscience as emotion, motivation, and connection to Earth -- is an integral part of the field experience. Using questionnaire data collected at the start of…

Field learning is considered an essential part of geoscience education, yet there are many practical challenges that limit broad and equitable access to field learning. Virtual field experiences can now help to broaden access to field learning. This work details the learning design and technical components of immersive, interactive virtual field…

This study compares the field experience and development of sense of place (in this case, human attributed meanings and attachments to the field area) in geoscience students on three separate course sections of a six-day introductory geological mapping field trip. Students stayed in a small farm station within their 4 km[superscript 2] field area,…

Recent literature has demonstrated the importance of fieldwork in geology. However, as resources become scarce, field experiences are often targeted for cuts. This was the case at the University of Calgary when massive enrollments placed a tremendous burden on resources. In courses throughout, field trips and other excursions were eliminated,…