Virtual field trips utilizing virtual outcrop: construction, delivery and implications for the future

Jessica H. Pugsley; John A. Howell; Adrian Hartley; Simon J. Buckley; Rachel Brackenridge; Nicholas Schofield; Gail Maxwell; Magda Chmielewska; Kari Ringdal; Nicole Naumann; Joris Vanbiervliet

doi:10.5194/gc-5-227-2022

Virtual field trips utilizing virtual outcrop: construction, delivery and implications for the future

Jessica H. Pugsley^* (Corresponding Author), John A. Howell, Adrian Hartley, Simon J. Buckley, Rachel Brackenridge, Nicholas Schofield, Gail Maxwell, Magda Chmielewska, Kari Ringdal, Nicole Naumann, Joris Vanbiervliet

^*Corresponding author for this work

Norwegian Research Centre

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

3 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The advent of photorealistic, 3D computer models of cliff sections (virtual outcrops) has improved the immersive nature of virtual geological field trips. As the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread national and international travel restrictions, virtual field trips (VFTs) became practical and essential substitutes for traditional field trips and accelerated the development of VFTs based on virtual outcrop data. This contribution explores two such VFTs delivered to a masters level Integrated Petroleum Geoscience course at the University of Aberdeen. These VFTs are based on traditional field trips that are normally run to the Spanish Pyrenees and Utah (USA). The paper summarizes the delivery mechanism for VFTs based on virtual outcrops and examines student perception, gauged primarily through questionnaires and learning outcomes. The VFTs were run in LIME, a software specifically designed for the interpretation of 3D models and the delivery of VFTs. Overall, the student perception was very positive and comparable to satisfaction with the conventional trips. Staff feedback and student assessments suggest that the learning outcomes were satisfied and highlight the value of this method of teaching for students who are unable to attend the field trip and as an addition for those who can.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	227-249
Number of pages	23
Journal	Geoscience Communication
Volume	5
Early online date	20 Jul 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-5-227-2022
Publication status	Published - 20 Jul 2022

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all IPG MSc participants for contributing their perceptions and thoughts on the VFTs. The VOG group is acknowledged for their extensive work on virtual outcrops, as is the LIME team for developing the software and providing support through all VFTs. V3Geo is also acknowledged as a useful cloud-based platform to host many of the 3D models used within the VFTs, and the SAFARI consortium (https://safaridb.com/home, last access: 4 September 2021) is thanked for hosting the remaining virtual outcrops and the support. Harry Johnson, a demonstrator on the first Utah 2020 VFT, is thanked for his participation in the course and assistance in questionnaire design. Finally, we thank the editors John Hillier and Steven Whitmeyer and reviewers Glenn Dolphin, David M. Hodgson, Paul Nesbit and Ryan Petterson for their insight.

Data Availability Statement

Data availability. Many virtual outcrop models presented in this
paper are available on V3Geo (https://v3geo.com/, last access:
4 September 2021; V3Geo, 2021), linked within Supplement S2.

Supplement. The supplement related to this article is available
online at: https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-5-227-2022-supplement.

Access to Document

10.5194/gc-5-227-2022Licence: CC BY

Pugsley_etal_GC_Virtual_Field_Trips_VoR
This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Final published version, 9.54 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "The advent of photorealistic, 3D computer models of cliff sections (virtual outcrops) has improved the immersive nature of virtual geological field trips. As the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread national and international travel restrictions, virtual field trips (VFTs) became practical and essential substitutes for traditional field trips and accelerated the development of VFTs based on virtual outcrop data. This contribution explores two such VFTs delivered to a masters level Integrated Petroleum Geoscience course at the University of Aberdeen. These VFTs are based on traditional field trips that are normally run to the Spanish Pyrenees and Utah (USA). The paper summarizes the delivery mechanism for VFTs based on virtual outcrops and examines student perception, gauged primarily through questionnaires and learning outcomes. The VFTs were run in LIME, a software specifically designed for the interpretation of 3D models and the delivery of VFTs. Overall, the student perception was very positive and comparable to satisfaction with the conventional trips. Staff feedback and student assessments suggest that the learning outcomes were satisfied and highlight the value of this method of teaching for students who are unable to attend the field trip and as an addition for those who can.",

author = "Pugsley, {Jessica H.} and Howell, {John A.} and Adrian Hartley and Buckley, {Simon J.} and Rachel Brackenridge and Nicholas Schofield and Gail Maxwell and Magda Chmielewska and Kari Ringdal and Nicole Naumann and Joris Vanbiervliet",

note = "Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank all IPG MSc participants for contributing their perceptions and thoughts on the VFTs. The VOG group is acknowledged for their extensive work on virtual outcrops, as is the LIME team for developing the software and providing support through all VFTs. V3Geo is also acknowledged as a useful cloud-based platform to host many of the 3D models used within the VFTs, and the SAFARI consortium (https://safaridb.com/home, last access: 4 September 2021) is thanked for hosting the remaining virtual outcrops and the support. Harry Johnson, a demonstrator on the first Utah 2020 VFT, is thanked for his participation in the course and assistance in questionnaire design. Finally, we thank the editors John Hillier and Steven Whitmeyer and reviewers Glenn Dolphin, David M. Hodgson, Paul Nesbit and Ryan Petterson for their insight.",

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AU - Howell, John A.

AU - Hartley, Adrian

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AU - Brackenridge, Rachel

AU - Schofield, Nicholas

AU - Maxwell, Gail

AU - Chmielewska, Magda

AU - Ringdal, Kari

AU - Naumann, Nicole

AU - Vanbiervliet, Joris

N1 - Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank all IPG MSc participants for contributing their perceptions and thoughts on the VFTs. The VOG group is acknowledged for their extensive work on virtual outcrops, as is the LIME team for developing the software and providing support through all VFTs. V3Geo is also acknowledged as a useful cloud-based platform to host many of the 3D models used within the VFTs, and the SAFARI consortium (https://safaridb.com/home, last access: 4 September 2021) is thanked for hosting the remaining virtual outcrops and the support. Harry Johnson, a demonstrator on the first Utah 2020 VFT, is thanked for his participation in the course and assistance in questionnaire design. Finally, we thank the editors John Hillier and Steven Whitmeyer and reviewers Glenn Dolphin, David M. Hodgson, Paul Nesbit and Ryan Petterson for their insight.

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N2 - The advent of photorealistic, 3D computer models of cliff sections (virtual outcrops) has improved the immersive nature of virtual geological field trips. As the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread national and international travel restrictions, virtual field trips (VFTs) became practical and essential substitutes for traditional field trips and accelerated the development of VFTs based on virtual outcrop data. This contribution explores two such VFTs delivered to a masters level Integrated Petroleum Geoscience course at the University of Aberdeen. These VFTs are based on traditional field trips that are normally run to the Spanish Pyrenees and Utah (USA). The paper summarizes the delivery mechanism for VFTs based on virtual outcrops and examines student perception, gauged primarily through questionnaires and learning outcomes. The VFTs were run in LIME, a software specifically designed for the interpretation of 3D models and the delivery of VFTs. Overall, the student perception was very positive and comparable to satisfaction with the conventional trips. Staff feedback and student assessments suggest that the learning outcomes were satisfied and highlight the value of this method of teaching for students who are unable to attend the field trip and as an addition for those who can.

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DO - 10.5194/gc-5-227-2022

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JO - Geoscience Communication

JF - Geoscience Communication

ER -

Virtual field trips utilizing virtual outcrop: construction, delivery and implications for the future

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Access to Document

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