Using Artificial Outcrops to Augment Geoscience Education

我们正在新奥尔良大学的校园里设计和建造一个人工岩石露头。路易斯安那州没有天然岩石露头，这影响了当地学生学习地质学的方式。学生在三维空间可视化思维方面有很大的困难，而且往往很少接触野外地质和自然露头。尽管路易斯安那州是研究近期沉积过程的理想之地，但它提供的研究岩石和露头的机会很少，而岩石和露头对地质学来说都是必不可少的。这个概念验证项目是解决这些挑战的第一步。该露头被大量学生使用，旨在促进科学和教育学院与当地学校系统之间的合作。人工露头是我们试图招募代表性不足的学生进入科学领域的一种方式，尤其是地质学。

Geology (42)We are designing and constructing an artificial rock outcrop on our campus at the University of New Orleans. Louisiana has no natural rock outcrops, which impacts how local students learn geology. Students have tremendous difficulty with 3-D spatial-visualization thinking and often have minimal exposure to field geology and natural outcrops. Although Louisiana is ideal for studying recent sedimentary processes it offers few opportunities for inquiry about rocks and outcrops, both of which are essential for geology. This proof-of-concept project is the first step in addressing these challenges. The outcrop is being used by a large population of students and is designed to promote collaboration between the Colleges of Science and Education and the local school system. The artificial outcrop is one way we are trying to recruit underrepresented students into the sciences, particularly geology.