Whether youâre a hobbyist or a career geoscientist, thereâs always room for new knowledge. Why not take the summer to teach yourself geology in an easy and accessible way: online?!
Making Geology Visible
Photo courtesy of Seequent
Last week, Visible Geology, a free web program that aims to make geology easier to understand using interactive visuals, launched!
Explore geology:
Build your own 3D models of geologic structures to better understand concepts like stratigraphy, superpositioning, and topographyâas well as how they interact in cross section and on the surface.
The program also offers tools for visualizing stereonets and apparent dip, both of which are notoriously difficult concepts to grasp. If only I had this in my mapping and structural geology classes!
You can also save your work and even collaborate with a group! Itâs best viewed on a desktop browser, where you can easily move and configure models with your mouse, rather than mobile.
Ease of use:
The developers collaborated with video game experts to ensure the program was user-friendlyâit really does function like a video game! Fun fact for gamers: the cursor camera controls are exactly the same as The Sims 4.
While making models, you can edit and rearrange layers and events, allowing for more creative exploration of different geologic possibilities without having to create a brand-new model.
Why it matters:
One of the hardest parts of learning geology is relying on only surface features to picture the subsurface. Programs like Visible Geology can help with that.
Not only can this be a fun way for individuals to teach themselves about geology, but it opens up a world of possibilities for educators. Implementing this free software in a classroom can make learning geology more fun and accessible for all.
Dive deeper:
For help learning how to use the program, check out these tutorials.
If youâre as passionate about geology education as I am, join me as a Visible Geology ambassador to help spread the word about the good this program can do!
Do you have any more suggestions I should check out? Shoot me an email at editorial@aapg.org!
Online Courses
New Africa/ Shutterstock.com
Take an online class this summer to broaden your horizons and explore unique aspects of geoscience. There are many ways to participate in free or paid online courses.
Certificate courses:
Many websites offer a broad range of online courses that allow you to become certified in a specific geoscience topic. These provide great flexibility, enabling earners to study at their own pace.
The typical format is a click-through slideshow that includes videos and quizzes. Although there usually isnât a course instructor, the materials are straightforward to navigate, making it easy to guide yourself through the course.
In addition to learning new information and skills, completing the course earns you a certification that may help you in future career endeavors. Slap THAT on your resume!
Online college classes:
Some universities offer non-matriculated classes, where you pay a per-credit rate without enrolling in the school. This level of structured learning is ideal for those who work best under direction and prefer connecting with an instructor.
While anyone can take these classes, itâs a particularly great option for current students, as credits may be transferrable. It allows students at different universities to learn about topics not taught in their own programs.
Community colleges are typically less expensive but could limit your options to lower-level classes focused on the basics. BUT, if your goal is to get an introduction to geology, a community college class is absolutely the way to go!
Do-it-yourself:
Many major universities offer free access to download collections of class materialsâfrom introductory geology to higher level courses. For example, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a bunch of these!
If youâd prefer the click-through style, The American Geoscience Institute boasts a variety of such courses offered by its member societies. They feature notes, video lectures, and quizzes, and are also accessible via a mobile app.
This path is ideal for self-directed learners who prefer to work without guidance or instruction. You wonât receive any grade, credit, or certification, but you gain advanced knowledge that you can be proud to have taught yourself!
Thanks for reading this weekâs GeoLifestyle about education!
I made a video earlier this week about educational geology websites and thought to myself: âYou know who would love this? GeoLifestyle readers!â I hope you enjoy these and share them with others so that more people can see just how fun learning geology can be.
While gathering other e-learning resources for this edition, I came across AGIâs learning portal and happily enrolled myself in a mudrock petrology class. Iâm a lover of sedimentary geology, but admittedly, I donât know a whole lot about petrology outside of basic classification, so Iâm very excited to learn!
Anyway, hereâs to a summer of learning and exploring geology in accessible ways â
Cate Larsen
Editor, GeoLifestyle
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