J. Hillier, Katharine E. Welsh, M. Stiller-Reeve, Rebecca K. Priestley, H. Roop, T. Lanza, S. Illingworth
{"title":"Editorial: Geoscience communication – Planning to make it publishable ","authors":"J. Hillier, Katharine E. Welsh, M. Stiller-Reeve, Rebecca K. Priestley, H. Roop, T. Lanza, S. Illingworth","doi":"10.5194/GC-2021-13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/GC-2021-13","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. If you are a geoscientist doing work to achieve impact outside academia or engaging different audiences with the geosciences, are you planning to make this publishable? If so, then plan. Such investigations into how people (academics, practitioners, other publics) behave can use pragmatic, simple research methodologies accessible to the non-specialist, or be more complex. To employ a medical analogy, first aid is useful and the best option in some scenarios but calling a medic (i.e. a collaborator with experience of geoscience communication or relevant research methods) provides the contextual knowledge to identify a condition and opens up a diverse, more powerful range of treatment options. Here, we expand upon the brief advice in the first editorial of Geoscience Communication (Illingworth et al., 2018), illustrating what constitutes robust and publishable work in this context, elucidating its key elements. Our aim is to help geoscience communicators plan a route to publication, and to illustrate how good engagement work that is already being done might be developed into publishable research.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88507721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E. Rader, Renée L. Love, D. Reano, Tonia A. Dousay, Natasha Wingerter
{"title":"Pandemic Minecrafting: An Analysis of the Perceptions of and Lessons Learned from a Gamified Virtual Geology Field Camp","authors":"E. Rader, Renée L. Love, D. Reano, Tonia A. Dousay, Natasha Wingerter","doi":"10.5194/GC-4-475-2021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/GC-4-475-2021","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. To mimic the 3-D geospatial components of geologic mapping usually spotlighted by field camp, we developed a virtual course based in the sandbox videogame Minecraft. Paired with audio/video conferencing and real data, students practiced measuring strike and dip, orienteering with a compass, matching landscape features with topographic maps, and tracing geologic contacts within the team structure typically employed in field camp. Open-source programs and tutorials freely available online assisted with constructing the Minecraft worlds. Assignments were aligned to the nine learning outcomes established for geology field camps by the National Association of Geology Teachers (NAGT). A pre- and post-survey quantified students’ learning of the subject matter as well as perceptions towards Minecraft and online learning. We also held feedback sessions and conducted in-class, live observations to classify students’ reactions and experiences during virtual activities. Overwhelmingly, students indicated they would have preferred an in-person field camp, yet considered the Minecraft assignments exciting, important, interesting, and valuable. Regardless of perceived barriers, scores on subject matter questions increased from the pre- to the post-survey. Finally, observations illustrated how students’ experience in a virtual field camp recreated comparable components that students experience during an in-person field camp (e.g., students discussing career pathways, geological skills, and fostering interpersonal relationships). Because this virtual course achieved the curricular goals as well as the non-curricular goals and was relatively easy to construct, we recommend the usage of Minecraft for virtual geology courses in the future.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83414482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Supplementary material to \"Virtual mapping and analytical data integration: A teaching module using Precambrian crystalline basement in Colorado's Front Range (USA)\"","authors":"K. Mahan, M. Frothingham, E. Alexander","doi":"10.5194/GC-4-421-2021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/GC-4-421-2021","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. The COVID-19 pandemic hindered the ability to conduct field geology courses in a hands-on and boots-on traditional manner. In response, we designed a multi-part virtual field module that encompasses many of the basic requirements of an advanced field exercise, including designing a mapping strategy, collecting and processing field observations, synthesizing data from field-based and laboratory analyses, and communicating the results to a broad audience. For the mapping exercise, which is set in deformed Proterozoic crystalline basement exposed in the Front Range of Colorado (USA), student groups make daily navigational decisions and choose stations based on topographic maps, Google Earth satellite imagery, and iterative geological reasoning. For each station, students receive outcrop descriptions, measurements, and photographs from which they input field data and create geologic maps using StraboSpot. Building on the mapping exercise, student groups then choose from six supplements, including advanced field structure, microstructure, metamorphic petrology, and several geochronological datasets. Because scientific projects rarely end when the mapping is complete, the students are challenged to see how samples and analytical data may commonly be collected and integrated with field observations to produce a more holistic understanding of the geological history of the field area. While a virtual course cannot replace the actual field experience, modules like the one shared here can successfully address, or even improve on, some of the key learning objectives that are common to field-based capstone experiences, while also fostering a more accessible and inclusive learning environment for all students.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85731126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A role for virtual outcrop models in blended learning – improved 3D thinking and positive perceptions of learning","authors":"C. Bond, A. Cawood","doi":"10.5194/GC-4-233-2021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/GC-4-233-2021","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Virtual outcrop models are increasingly used in geoscience education to\u0000supplement field-based learning but their efficacy for teaching key 3D\u0000spatial thinking skills has been little tested. With the rapid increase in\u0000online digital learning resources and blended learning, most recently\u0000because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the role of virtual\u0000field environments in supporting and developing skills conventionally taught through field-based teaching has never been more critical. Here we show the efficacy of virtual outcrop models in improving 3D spatial thinking and provide evidence for positive perceptions amongst participants using virtual outcrops in teaching and learning. Our results show that, in a simple,\u0000multiple-choice scenario, participants were more likely to choose the 3D\u0000block diagram that best represents the structure when using a virtual\u0000outcrop (59 %) compared to more traditional representations, such as a geological\u0000map (50 %) or field photograph (40 %). We add depth to these results by\u0000capturing the perceptions of a cohort of students, within our full\u0000participant set, on the use of virtual outcrops for teaching and learning,\u0000after accessing a virtual field site and outcrops which they had\u0000previously visited during a day's field teaching. We also asked all participants if and how virtual outcrops could be used effectively for teaching and training, recording 87 % of positive responses. However, only 2 % of participants felt that virtual outcrops could potentially replace in-field teaching. We note that these positive findings signal significant potential\u0000for the effective use of virtual outcrops in a blended learning environment and\u0000for breaking barriers to increase the equality, diversity and inclusivity of geoscience field skills and teaching.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"223 1","pages":"233-244"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76714338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Senger, P. Betlem, S. Grundvåg, Rafael Kenji Horota, S. Buckley, A. Smyrak‐Sikora, M. Jochmann, T. Birchall, Julian Janocha, K. Ogata, Lilith Kuckero, Rakul Maria Johannessen, I. Lecomte, S. Cohen, S. Olaussen
{"title":"Teaching with digital geology in the high Arctic: opportunities and challenges","authors":"K. Senger, P. Betlem, S. Grundvåg, Rafael Kenji Horota, S. Buckley, A. Smyrak‐Sikora, M. Jochmann, T. Birchall, Julian Janocha, K. Ogata, Lilith Kuckero, Rakul Maria Johannessen, I. Lecomte, S. Cohen, S. Olaussen","doi":"10.5194/GC-4-399-2021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/GC-4-399-2021","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. The Covid-19 pandemic occurred at a time of major revolution in the geosciences – the era of digital geology. Digital outcrop models (DOMs) acquired from consumer drones, processed using user-friendly photogrammetric software and shared with the wider audience through online platforms are a cornerstone of this digital geological revolution. Integration of DOMs with other geoscientific data, such as geological maps, satellite imagery, terrain models, geophysical data and field observations strengthens their application in both research and education. Teaching geology with digital tools advances students’ learning experience by providing access to spectacular outcrops, enhancing visualization of 3D geological structures and improving data integration. Similarly, active use of DOMs to integrate new field observations will facilitate more effective fieldwork and quantitative research. From a student’s perspective, geo-referenced and scaled DOMs allow an improved appreciation of scale and of 3D architecture, a major threshold concept in geoscientific education.In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, DOMs allow to bring geoscientists to the outcrops digitally. At the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), located at 78° N in Longyearbyen in Arctic Norway, DOMs are actively used even in non-pandemic years, as the summer field season is short and not overlapping with the Bachelor “Arctic Geology” course package held from January to June each year. In 2017, we at UNIS developed a new course (‘AG222: Integrated Geological Methods: from outcrop to geomodel’) to encourage the use of emerging techniques like DOMs and data integration to solve authentic geoscientific challenges. In parallel, we have established the open access Svalbox geoscientific portal, which forms the backbone of the AG222 course activities and provides easy access to a growing number of DOMs, 360° imagery, subsurface data and published geoscientific data from Svalbard. Considering the rapid onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Svalbox portal and the pre-Covid work on digital techniques in AG222 allowed us to rapidly adapt and fulfill at least some of the students’ learning objectives during the pandemic. In this contribution, we provide an overview of the course development and share experiences from running the AG222 course and the Svalbox platform, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. \u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81004623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. V. van Loon, Imogen Lester-Moseley, M. Rohse, Phil I. Jones, Rosie Day
{"title":"Creative practice as a tool to build resilience to natural hazards in the Global South","authors":"A. V. van Loon, Imogen Lester-Moseley, M. Rohse, Phil I. Jones, Rosie Day","doi":"10.5194/gc-3-453-2020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-3-453-2020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Global South communities are increasingly exposed and vulnerable to natural hazards such as floods and droughts. Preparing for future hazards requires developing an idea of an uncertain future, thinking out of the box for possible solutions, enhancing communication between diverse groups, and instigating organisational and behavioural change. In this study, we explore whether art and creativity could support this process by presenting the results of a literature-mapping exercise and a case study. Our search for journal articles, focusing on Global South communities and topics like environmental issues, hazards, and health, yielded 267 papers published between 2000 and 2018. These used a diversity of art forms, including photography and other forms of visual art, music and song, and drama and storytelling. We found that papers on the topic of climate change generally had lower co-creation (62 % medium to high) than those on health (90 % medium to high).\u0000A subset of seven papers focusing on drought and flooding fell into the following two categories: those aiming to raise the general public's awareness of these hazards and those aiming to instigate adaptation action by the participants. In our case study, we explored the middle ground between these categories. In a pilot project in South Africa, we designed storytelling workshops in which community members explored scientific data on future droughts, exchanged ideas between groups, and developed narratives about the impacts of and preparedness for future drought. These narratives were filmed and edited and shared both with the community and with governance actors. We found that this approach allowed participants to imagine future droughts, opened up conversations about potential adaptation measures, encouraged intergenerational exchange, and increased awareness of local issues for policy makers. Both in the wider literature and in our case study, the long-term effects of creative interventions are rarely evaluated. Feedback from participants, however, indicates a number of short-term benefits, which shows the potential of combining creative practice approaches and more conventional approaches into a more holistic preparation for future natural hazards.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90525966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Berenguer, J. Balestra, Fabrice Jouffray, Fabrice Mourau, F. Courboulex, J. Virieux
{"title":"Celebrating 25 years of seismology at schools in France","authors":"J. Berenguer, J. Balestra, Fabrice Jouffray, Fabrice Mourau, F. Courboulex, J. Virieux","doi":"10.5194/gc-3-475-2020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-3-475-2020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. An educational program focusing on seismological activities for school and\u0000university students that trains in observational sciences and raises\u0000citizen awareness of natural hazards has been active in France since 1995.\u0000Over this quarter century, different generations of students have learned\u0000various lessons concerning instrument installation, data recording, and\u0000analysis. These actions have led them into the field of scientific\u0000interrogation and interpretation, making them better prepared for our modern technological societies. We describe these student commitments that have been motivated by the installation of the first educational broadband seismometer in southern France. Analysis of regional earthquakes has generated a greater awareness of the seismic hazards where students live, while records of strong earthquakes all around the world have led to interaction between students, especially after the deployment of additional seismometers in schools. The natural extension of such an educational seismic network, first at the national level in France in 2006 and later in many countries through various collaborations, has enriched the pedagogical practices of teachers, increasing their skills in seismology and natural sciences among various other disciplines and complementing standard educational resources. We describe the necessary and sustainable relations between teachers and researchers over time. Combining students' motivation, teachers' experience and researchers' expertise has led to different hosting structures over the years. We conclude by presenting the feedback from a survey carried out in 2019 among all the teachers involved, highlighting the strong and weak points of such a long-term adventure. Recent integration into the official syllabus of the new Geosciences high school curricula in France illustrates the impact of such an exceptional experience.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88607705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Rossi, G. Böhm, A. Saraò, D. Cotterle, L. Facchin, Paolo Giurco, R. Lucchi, M. Musco, F. Petrera, S. Picotti, S. Salon
{"title":"Focus on glaciers: a geo-photo exposition of vanishing beauty","authors":"G. Rossi, G. Böhm, A. Saraò, D. Cotterle, L. Facchin, Paolo Giurco, R. Lucchi, M. Musco, F. Petrera, S. Picotti, S. Salon","doi":"10.5194/gc-3-381-2020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-3-381-2020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Scientific research, respect for the environment, and passion for photography merged into an exceptional heritage of images collected by the researchers and technicians of the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS). The images were taken during past scientific\u0000expeditions conducted all over the world to widen scientific knowledge in\u0000the fields of Earth and ocean sciences, to raise awareness on the environment and conservation of natural resources, and to mitigate natural risks. In this paper, we describe a photographic exhibition organized using some of the OGS images to draw public attention to the striking effects of global warming. In the artistic images displayed, the glaciers were the\u0000protagonists. Their infinite greyish blue shades and impossible shapes were\u0000worthy of a great sculptor, and the boundaries with rocks or with the sea\u0000were sometimes sharp and dramatic and sometimes so nuanced that they looked\u0000like watercolours. The beauty of the images attracted the attention of the public to unknown\u0000realities, allowing us to document the dramatic retreat of the Alpine\u0000glaciers and to show the majesty of the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes,\u0000which are fated to vanish under the present climate warming trend. The choice of the exhibition location allowed us to reach a broad public of\u0000working-age adults, who are difficult to involve in outreach events. The\u0000creators of the images were present during the exhibition to respond to\u0000visitors' curiosity about research targets, the emotional and environmental\u0000context, and the technical details or aesthetic choices of the photographs.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78324644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Mohadjer, S. Mutz, M. Kemp, Sophie J. Gill, A. Ischuk, T. Ehlers
{"title":"Using paired teaching for earthquake education in schools","authors":"S. Mohadjer, S. Mutz, M. Kemp, Sophie J. Gill, A. Ischuk, T. Ehlers","doi":"10.5194/gc-2020-43","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2020-43","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. In this study, we have created 10 geoscience video lessons that follow the\u0000paired-teaching pedagogical approach. This method is used to supplement the\u0000standard school curriculum with video lessons, instructed by geoscientists\u0000from around the world, coupled with activities carried out under the guidance\u0000of classroom teachers. The video lessons introduce students to the\u0000scientific concepts behind earthquakes (e.g. the Earth's interior, plate\u0000tectonics, faulting, and seismic energy), earthquake hazards, and mitigation\u0000measures (e.g. liquefaction, structural, and non-structural earthquake\u0000hazards). These concepts are taught through hands-on learning, where students\u0000use everyday materials to build models to visualize basic Earth processes\u0000that produce earthquakes and explore the effects of different hazards. To\u0000evaluate the effectiveness of these virtual lessons, we tested our videos\u0000in school classrooms in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and London (United Kingdom).\u0000Before and after the video implementations, students completed questionnaires\u0000that probed their knowledge on topics covered by each video, including the\u0000Earth's interior, tectonic plate boundaries, and non-structural hazards. Our assessment results indicate that, while the paired-teaching video lessons\u0000appear to enhance student knowledge and understanding of some concepts\u0000(e.g. Earth's interior, earthquake location forecasting, and non-structural\u0000hazards), they bring little change to their views on the causes of earthquakes\u0000and their relation to plate boundaries. In general, the difference between\u0000UK and Tajik students' level of knowledge prior to and after video testing\u0000is more significant than the difference between pre- and post-knowledge for\u0000each group. This could be due to several factors affecting curriculum\u0000testing (e.g. level of teachers' participation and classroom culture) and\u0000students' learning of content (e.g. pre-existing hazards knowledge and\u0000experience). To maximize the impact of school-based risk\u0000reduction education, curriculum developers must move beyond innovative\u0000content and pedagogical approaches, take classroom culture into\u0000consideration, and instil skills needed for participatory learning and\u0000discovery.\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"15 1","pages":"281-295"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82017059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Jeffery, S. L. Rogers, Kelly L. A. Jeffery, Luke Hobson
{"title":"A flexible, open, and interactive digital platform to support online and blended experiential learning environments: Thinglink and thin sections","authors":"A. Jeffery, S. L. Rogers, Kelly L. A. Jeffery, Luke Hobson","doi":"10.5194/gc-2020-45","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2020-45","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. This study investigates the potential value of, and provides a method for, the\u0000creation of flexible, digital, and asynchronous platforms to create\u0000student-centred materials for use in an online and/or blended learning\u0000environment. We made use of Thinglink to create a “virtual microscope” resource\u0000for geology and associated courses in higher education. This is achieved\u0000through the dissemination of a simple learning resource comprising interactive\u0000imagery and audio. The visual analysis of rocks under the microscope, termed thin-section\u0000petrography, is a fundamental component in geology programmes in higher\u0000education, with key skills which are transferable with other fields such as\u0000material science, biology, and forensic science. However, learning environments\u0000and activities in this field are often dictated by the requirement for access\u0000to microscope facilities and supplementary resources which are highly\u0000variable in their academic level, availability, design, and scale, ranging\u0000from traditional textbooks to online resources. A resource was created which allows individuals to experience some of the\u0000aspects of petrographic microscopy in a digital manner. In particular,\u0000specific features of the materials observed and how microscopes work were\u0000included. The resource was disseminated to a population of learners and\u0000educators, who provided responses to a questionnaire. Responses were\u0000overwhelmingly positive and indicate considerable interest from learner and\u0000teacher alike. Critical areas for improvement include the need for clarity in\u0000the user interface and the inclusion of a recorded human voice rather than\u0000automated text narration. This study highlights the need for, and benefits of,\u0000interactive online learning resources in petrology and associated fields. This\u0000type of resource has positive implications for the flexibility, inclusivity, and accessibility of teaching materials. Such resources may prove particularly\u0000valuable when distance learning is unavoidable (e.g. the COVID-19 crisis)\u0000and/or hybrid, blended learning environments are being deployed. The method\u0000and platform used in this study are highly transferable to other subject areas\u0000(or other areas of the geosciences).\u0000","PeriodicalId":52877,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Communication","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81245861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}