OEDG Track 1: Expanding Geoscience Diversity through Simulated Field Environments for Students with Physical Disabilities

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This collaboration between Ohio State University and Georgia State University is addressing the problem of limited inclusion of students with mobility impairments as participants in field experiences required in the geoscience curriculum. This underrepresented community has been previously excluded due to limiting physical conditions that are generally required for field study, which provides critical insights for developing geoscience expertise. The project is using integration of emerging simulation technologies and techniques to provide a rich virtual environment of a real cave and karst geological field site for students with mobility impairments. Through the development of a synthetic field-based module that employs a virtual environment for presenting an alternative to the field experience, this project is assessing the effectiveness of engaging the student community and its efficacy in the curriculum when used as an alternative representation of field experiences. The expected outcome is that the emulation would preclude the need for physical "presence" of traditional field studies, and provide adequate representations for pedagogic needs. Additionally, creating such an environment provides supplemental resources for both current formal and informal educational settings. Expansion of the virtual environment to incorporate other types of geologically-significant field settings is a longer-term goal of the project.