Kim Senger, Ivar Nordmo
Geology is a study of spatial and temporal evolution of a wide range of processes through studying the geological record. By definition, geological studies thus inherently involve the use of sub-optimal and incomplete data sets, and thus geologically meaningful intra- and extrapolation is required between the exposed outcrops within a 3D spatial framework. In this experiment, we hypothesize that digital field notebooks can improve students’ learning in the context of field education onshore the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. The digital notebooks comprise a ruggedized iPad with relevant applications, notably the FieldMove app, and were handed out to each student group prior to the fieldwork. We conducted a study of three geological field campaigns organized by UNIS to gain qualitative and quantitative data on students’ experiences of using the digital notebooks. Our primary objective was to test whether the iPad/FieldMove solution facilitates the student’s spatial thinking.
The BSc-level AG-209 course was taken by 24 students, and the 6-day long snow-scooter based excursion focused on observing geological features along a regional 400 km long transect across Spitsbergen in March 2017. The majority of the students indicate that battery life and frozen fingers made using the tool impractical, likely linked to the relatively cold temperatures (-20°C) during the excursion. In contrast, the majority of students also considered the overall usability and the rapid recording of geological measurements as very useful.
The MSc/PhD-level AG-336 course was taken by 18 students, with the 8-day field campaign in September 2017 divided into a 3 days as a whole group excursion and the rest fieldwork in smaller groups of 3 students. Transport was mostly by foot with some small boat transport, and centered around a relatively compact geological feature, the Billefjorden Trough. The majority of students found the iPads very useful and no major practical issues were encountered.
In addition to the questionnaires we also analyzed the FieldMove projects from the students to gain an insight into what the students used it for. Electronic and geo-referenced note- and photo-taking was by far dominant. In addition, some groups collected significant structural data using the built-in sensors. The ability to store student observations in the correct spatial location, and the detailed observations from each locality, can assist to develop a more comprehensive spatial understanding. Furthermore, we are currently working on implementing virtual field trips to assist both in fieldwork preparation and further post-fieldwork analyses.
