Integration of Computer-Based Technology into Geology Field Course

夏季野外课程是最重要的本科地质课程，因为它统一了科学的各个方面。 与地质学课程的其他部分不同，大多数大学的野外课程几十年来一直保持不变。 该项目通过将传统的实地培训与目前正在彻底改变地球科学的几种新的计算机技术相结合，为传统的实地培训增加了一个新的层面。 通过使用地理信息系统（GIS），全球定位卫星系统（GPS），计算机绘图和三维可视化，新的实地课程教学生如何利用这些技术来提高他们处理日益困难的任务的能力。 当新技术用于传统的实地课程时，传统的数据收集重点可以转移到数据综合和解释。 学生的批判性思维能力只能通过这种变化来提高。 根据实地数据制定和检验假设是新课程的基石。 因此，学生可以更好地准备跨学科的作用，今天的地质学家必须发挥在处理复杂的问题。

The summer field course is the single most important undergraduate geology course because it unifies all the diverse aspects of the science. Unlike other parts of a geology curriculum, the field course in most colleges has remained unchanged dor several decades. This project adds a new dimension to traditional field training by integrating it with several new computer-based technologies that are currently revolutionizing the earth sciences. Through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Satellites (GPS), computer mapping, and 3-D visualization, the new field course teaches students how these technologies can be utilized to improve their ability to handle the increasingly difficult task of dealing with the large and diverse data sets needed to solve today's complex problems. When the new technologies are used in a classical field course, the traditional emphasis on data collection can be shifted to data synthesis and interpretation. Students' critical thinking skills can only be enhanced by such a change. Formulation and testing of hypotheses based upon field data are a cornerstone of the new curriculum. As a result, students can be better prepared for the interdisciplinary role that today's geologist must play in dealing with complex problems.