European Geologist Journal 57

Virtual field trips and experiences as a tool to bridge the gap between earth and social sciences

by Daniel Becerra Romero¹ and Ioannis Basdos^2,*

²  National University of Distance Education (UNED)

Contact: ioabasdos@las-palmas.uned.es

Abstract

Although earth sciences have always had an impact on community development, there is a growing disparity between earth and social sciences in educational spheres. Our aim with this article is to present an innovative method for Higher Teacher Education and Training that seeks to bridge the gap between those sciences and disciplines. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of virtual reality software and platforms, enabling the creation of interactive and immersive educational virtual field trips and experiences. We used this technology in two groups of undergraduate students at the Faculty of Teacher Education and Training of ULPGC, aiming to acquaint our students with the natural and cultural heritage of the ‘La Isleta-Peninsula’ in Gran Canaria.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

1. Introduction

Field trips have always been an integral part of the teaching and learning process in the faculties of Education Sciences, encompassing both Social Sciences and Natural Sciences, at various universities worldwide. They facilitate connections for students between the theoretical training received in the classroom and their social and natural context.

These outings can take various forms, such as thematic routes, educational itineraries, information-seeking or exploration activities, and more. The first two consist of a previously designed route to explain and teach concepts dealt with in situ, serving as a methodology to expand and deepen knowledge acquired in the classroom. Clark (1996) [1] suggests that field trips provide students with new ideas, experiences and perspectives different from those acquired in theoretical classes or laboratory practices. Furthermore, they contribute to their social integration, by fostering the construction of group identity, teamwork and good relationships between teachers and students.

Despite their enormous popularity and great acceptance among the international academic community, it is important to note their inherent drawbacks. These include organisational challenges, site inaccessibility or danger, environmental concerns, and remoteness, which may render them unfeasible or even impossible to execute [2].

These challenges have forced many teachers to explore new methods and develop alternative strategies to supplement traditional fieldwork. One such alternative is leveraging Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), initially with geo-browsers, like Google Maps, Street view or Bing Maps and, more recently, through virtual reality and augmented reality applications.

This approach has given rise to the concept of a “virtual field trip”, also known as a “virtual itinerary”, “walk”, “tour” or “virtual tour”. It is important to clarify that in this context virtual refers to an “alternative representation of reality in digital format,” and not as a “virtual reality” application as proposed by Sutherland (1965) [3], where the user is immersed in an artificial world generated by a computer.

On the other hand, a virtual visit enables the student to explore a real place, make the relevant observations, and interact with the virtual environment autonomously, without the need to leave the classroom or home and without the need for permanent assistance from the teacher.

According to Rumsby and Middleton [4], the purpose of virtual visits in the pre-field trip phase, is not to substitute field trips and fieldwork with virtual sessions in the classroom, but rather to supplement them by providing students with all the information necessary to conduct the fieldwork. In addition, a virtual field trip aids in improving the efficiency of the student’s time spent in the field, thereby allowing them more time for specific research tasks.

The creation of a virtual tour requires the use of specific software or a virtual tour platform available on Internet. The rapid and relentless pace of technological advancement to which we are subjected often leaves us with insufficient time to thoroughly comprehend the potential offered by these applications, emerging practically every week for various operating systems and platforms on the market.

On the other hand, we consider it very important to be aware of the volatility of many of these applications. More often than not, when we have barely begun to operate them with ease, understand their importance and set objectives, these tools change their interface, disappear or simply fall out of favour with the public.[1] Hence the importance of carefully selecting and familiarising with tools that despite some risks, may have long-term future projections. The goal is always to achieve a learning strategy where students feel they are participants in their own development. In this regard, limitations in implementing such a strategy, designing the necessary digital infrastructure, and exploring usage possibilities will solely be constrained by imagination.

2. Materials and Methods

From our perspective and experience, the platforms we consider most suitable for the design and creation of educational virtual itineraries are Roundme or Kuula.[2] Both are 360º virtual tour platforms that stand out for their simplicity, flexibility, and intuitive interface. They provide an excellent approach to studying subjects associated with diverse scientific disciplines. On this occasion we wanted to focus on social sciences and earth sciences. When experienced together and focused on the analysis of a territory in an integrated way, these disciplines enhance the understanding of its evolution and of all the elements contributing to its identity. This encompasses aspects such as geomorphology, biodiversity as well as historical and ethnographic values.

When working with virtual field trip platforms, the primary objective is to go far beyond the dimensions that can be found in other similar resources such as Google Earth or Google Maps, aiming to create immersive, interactive, and scalable learning experiences.

In this case, it is the user or teacher who must capture and upload their own photos to showcase the scenery or landscape they consider appropriate. A journey can be immersive in nature, as we will have the opportunity to examine. A virtual journey can be prepared by the teacher, as a step immediately prior to the physical experience itself, which they will then share with the students in a field trip. Alternatively, if time does not permit, students can use the virtual journey to see and get to know the environments discussed during the classroom explanations.

In fact, the application, which presents the information in boxes on the screen, is designed so that anyone can insert additional information points into the image, in the form of pop-up balloons, to complement the scenario. Data representing an added layer includes static images, audio-visual materials, downloadable files and web links. Furthermore, the platform allows the uploading of audio files enabling users to listen to the teacher’s recorded explanations as the image rotates in an immersive way.

Figure 1: On the right, the map depicts a segment of the aerial view of the established route. In the central area, clicking on the information point, a photograph pops up displaying information on the environments’ geomorphology.

Another advantage provided by the platform is its ability to create projects that encompass various environments. Similarly, through a simple search, teachers can find useful scenarios for their daily teaching activities. Moreover, the main screen features a small compass that can be integrated with the popular Google Earth and Google Maps services. Upon clicking, the screen splits to provide access to these services, enhancing orientation and spatial awareness within the territory.

In the case of students, they can generate their own projects, routes and itineraries, within the environment of their city, a village, a ravine or a forest area. They can then link these elements by means of nodes through the photographs and for example, then create interactive routes that can be shared. This functionality also makes it easier to generate spaces for the study and critical analysis of the selected environment, its social actors and the elements that make it up, creating cards, graphs and links.

Years of teaching experience have shown that, contrary to purely theoretical teaching, practical exercises have consistently emerged as one of the best ways to learning. The opportunity to visualise it in VR with simple cardboard-type glasses on a smartphone, without having to resort to a high-end one, is an ideal qualitative leap, especially today when the mobile phone is an essential tool for students. The selection of options is done by looking at the application’s pointer guide, which allows the user to move from one screen to the next.

To this end, in 2017 we began to study, design and develop the itinerary we wanted to take our students on, together with its contents, which focused on the environmental, geological, historical, archaeological and ethnographic values of the peninsula of La Isleta, in the north-east of Gran Canaria. Prior to this, we had confirmed that the Google Maps and Bing Maps tools did not adequately represent all the aspects we wanted to analyse.

The characteristics of this protected natural landscape, formed by volcanic activity, provided an enclosed space encompassing all the elements we wanted to explore. Its proximity to a city, whose inhabitants in many cases are almost completely unaware of this site, rendered it ideal for our objective. Naturally, when designing the route, conducting a preliminary tour of the area was necessary. This allowed for a more accurate focus on the study area, key points, landmarks, and stops that would define the route.

In our case, we first decided to focus on the bay of Confital with the intention of later extending to other parts of La Isleta, to the greatest extent possible. It is important to note that there is a military base in close proximity, resulting in certain areas being off-limits.

After the initial visit, we carefully evaluated potential scenarios and decided to choose spring to commence the project. We specifically chose the months of May and June, as this period witnesses the greatest number of plant species flourishing, enhancing the landscape’s environmental richness. With the locations already selected, our second step consisted of walking the route, with the aim of photographing and recording the points of interest for classification. To accomplish this task, we selected the lnsta360 one camera model. Subsequently, we organised the route itself together with the geolocation of the scenarios. We then curated and inserted the 360º photographs into the application, following a sequence of predetermined stops, established during route planning, along with their corresponding data.

Following the collection of material such as photographs, videos, links, etc. we proceeded to locate various points of interest that justify and define the significance of each chosen enclave and to enrich them with the necessary information.

Finally, we would like to highlight that we have had the opportunity to put the experience into practice, observe, analyse and discuss its potential and the possibilities it offers. This was not only with the students of the Degree in Primary Education at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the ULPGC, in 2017 and 2018, but also with other teachers and researchers during the X Jornadas de Investigación en Innovación Docente (Research Conferences on Teaching Innovation) of the UNED in 2018. Particularly noteworthy is the collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Analytical Sciences of the UNED.

The integration of geology with social sciences transcends educational boundaries, offering interdisciplinary research opportunities. By leveraging virtual reality field trips, researchers from diverse fields can collaborate and gain comprehensive insights into geological landscapes, as well as their social, cultural, and historical contexts. This collaboration paves the way for innovative studies that explore the interconnected relationships between humans and geological environments.

Figure 2: The lower strip displays a portion of the toponymy of the surroundings. In the central image, a pop-up window provides access to a downloadable file containing the characteristics of the ethnographic property.

3. Conclusions

The integration of geology with social sciences enables students to explore heritage sites in an entirely new light. By directly experiencing the interplay between geology and the cultural phenomena associated with these heritage sites, users can gain a deeper understanding of their mutual influence. For instance, exploring a volcanic landscape through a virtual journey can offer insights into how such landscapes have shaped cultural practices and beliefs.

As a result of the learning process, we have continued to explore opportunities for action in the field and expand the content of the platform. Our goal remains to provide a transformative tool that facilitates learning. Moreover, as we delve deeper into this work, new opportunities have opened for enrichment. This leads us to consider new collaborations with other disciplines, which we anticipate will yield fruitful outcomes in the future. As mentioned earlier, the ever-evolving landscape of technological innovations constantly presents us with the possibility to incorporate new applications, that enhance the inclusive experience, both within and outside the classroom. This is particularly beneficial for students who may face challenges in the physical environment, as it offers them an accessible alternative and potentially a less daunting educational experience.

Funding: This research received no external fundings.

Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

[1] A good example could be Niantic’s Pokemon Go, an app that combines entertainment, geolocation and augmented reality, with great potential as a teachin gtool. Having become a social phenomenon among young people in the summer of 2016, it could be considered as the first mass application. Since then its impact and novelty has been diminishing in favour of new applications. This is not to say that it has not been used or can not be used for teaching purposes. In this regard, see for example the works of Colley et al. (2017) [5], Gong, Hassiilk and Maus (2017) [6], Mozelius, Bergström-Eriksson and Jaldemark (2017) [7] and Davis (2019) [8], among others.

[2] Like most digital applications, both platforms offer a free version, which is the one we have used and which any student or teacher can use. A paid version has more options available.

References

1. Clark, D. The changing national context of fieldwork in geography”, Journal of Geography in Higher Education (1996), 20 (3), 385-391.
2. Becerra, D. & Basdos L. “Discovering El Confital. A virtual journey through the natural, ethnographic and historical heritage”. X Jornadas de Investigación en Innovación Docente de la UNED: Educational innovation in the digital era (2018), University Institute of Distance Education, 315-318.
3. Sutherland, L. E. “Ultimate Display”. Proceedings of the IFIP Congress (1965), pp. 506-508.
4. Rumsby, B. and Middleton, R. “Using C & IT to support fieldwork on Tenerife”. Planet (2003), 9 (1), 4-6.
5. Colley, A. et al. “The geography of Pokémon GO: beneficial and problematic effects on places and movement”. In: Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1179-1192, ACM.
6. Gong, H., Hassink, R. and Maus, G. “What des Pokémon Go teach us about geography?”. Geographica Helvetica (2017), 72 (2), 227-230.
7. Mozelius, P., Bergström-Eriksson, S. and Jaldemark, J. “Learning by walking Pokémon Go and mobile technology in formal education”. Proceedings of 10th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation. 16th-18th November 2017, IATED Academy, Seville, 1172- 1179.
8. Davis, M.A. “Learning Geography Through Mobile Gaming”. In: Brunn S., Kehrein R. (eds) Handbook of the Changing World Language Map. Springer, Cham, (2019).

This article has been published in European Geologist Journal 57 – Geology at the interdisciplinary nexus: Why does collaboration matter

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