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

俄亥俄州州立大学和格鲁吉亚州州立大学之间的这种合作正在解决有限的问题，包括与行动不便的学生作为地球科学课程所需的实地经验的参与者。这个代表性不足的社区以前被排除在外，因为现场研究通常需要有限的物理条件，这为发展地球科学专业知识提供了重要的见解。 该项目正在利用新兴模拟技术和技巧的整合，为行动不便的学生提供一个真实的洞穴和岩溶地质现场的丰富虚拟环境。通过开发一个基于实地的综合模块，采用虚拟环境来提供实地经验的替代方案，该项目正在评估让学生社区参与的有效性及其在课程中用作实地经验的替代方案时的功效。 预期的结果是，模拟将排除需要传统的实地研究的物理“存在”，并提供适当的代表性的教学需要。此外，创造这样一种环境为目前的正规和非正规教育环境提供了补充资源。 扩大虚拟环境，纳入其他类型的地质重要领域的设置是该项目的长期目标。

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.