Evaluating Geologic Mapping Tools for the Undergraduate Curriculum
Awarded Grant: $10,000
Principal Investigator:
Martha Growdon, Oneonta
This project will determine the most student-accessible, cost-effective yet reliable digital field mapping system by conducting the first digital field-mapping evaluation, comparing available tablet computers and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in side-by-side field tests, with the broad goal of training students to produce new 1:24000-scale geologic maps of New York State (NYS). This is particularly relevant due to potential horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (“hydrofracking”) for natural gas in the Marcellus and Utica Shales. We will recommend the best system to other SUNY colleges, so they may undertake regional mapping with students, and will offer training in the use of digital mapping tools.
Co-PI’s and Key Partners:
Dr. Leslie Hasbargen, SUNY Oneonta
Reports and Resources:
- Slide show presentation of our project at SUNY CIT Conference in May, 2013. It contains student reviews of the tablets, a comparison of the data quality derived from tablets for geologic mapping purposes, and summary of costs for tablets and apps: Powerpoint presentation
- Smartphones: Powerful Tools for Geoscience Education by Zachary Johnson and David Johnston: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2013EO470001/abstract
- Project outcomes report
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