Digital fieldwork with Fieldmove - how do digital tools influence geoscience students’ learning experience in the field?

Abstract

Third year geoscience students were introduced to digital tools for fieldwork, Fieldmove on iPads, in a capstone field mapping course at Oslo University, Norway. Despite little prior experience with digital tools for fieldwork, they became independent Fieldmove users in a few hours. They self-report positive cognitive impacts, including positive effects on quality of fieldwork, maps and reports. However, submitted course material suggest students achieved similar levels of understanding with and without digital tools. We hypothesize that students' confidence in their work increases when supported by digital tools, however, they may also overrate their proficiency due to the ease of collecting large data sets, and the professional look of the digital outputs. Students report both positive and negative effects on teamwork; observations suggest this reflects sharing of devices rather than use of digital tools per se. The students also report pronounced positive affective impacts, which appear to be the main effect of the digital tools in this study. Overall, the students are very positive to digital tools in fieldwork, preferring they were introduced early during the bachelor program, but after traditional field methods are learnt. When given a choice, most students chose to combine traditional and digital tools for their fieldwork.

Directional analysis of drainage network and morphotectonic features in the south-eastern part of Bükk Region

“…In this study, measurements of subvertical joints were used only. Dip data of 925 faults/joints were measured in 7 exposures (see Figure 2) by a Freiberg-type geologic compass and Field Move Clino IOS mobile application (Smith, S. et al 2014;Lundmark, M.A. et al 2020) (without declination correction).…”

Digital Geological Mapping to Facilitate Field Data Collection, Integration, and Map Production in Zhoukoudian, China

“…However, there is controversy over whether DGM should be used in practical training of field geology. Although some field teaching experiences have proven that DGM has a positive influence on field geological learning of undergraduates [30,43], some field geologists think that the practical training should be focused on geological cognition. To explore the influence of DMG on undergraduates during the field practice, a feedback survey was conducted among undergraduates participating in the geological practices in Zhoukoudian.…”

“…In recent years, Android tablets and iPads have been widely popular, and some apps (e.g., FieldMove, StraboSpot, AoRGMAP, etc.) supporting field data collection have been developed and applied in geological mapping [28][29][30][31].…”

“…DGM technology has not only changed the way of data collection and mapping in the industry but has also had a deep influence on the geological practice of undergraduates in the field [30][31][32][33]. The DGSS developed by the Development and Research Center of China Geological Survey provides a pipelined solution for field data collection, data compilation, mapping, and data sharing in the industry based on a shared data flow.…”

Pilot Study Using ArcGIS Online to Enhance Students’ Learning Experience in Fieldwork

“…Today, computer technology offers alternative teaching methods to traditional fieldwork. The portable and precise digital tools offer benefits in geological fieldwork such as precision location, rapid acquisition and recording of data sets, and real-time data visualization in the field [7,8]. Thus, fieldwork in geoscience and geographical education today needs to be transformed by utilizing technology and digital information.…”