Stimulating Student Interest With Smartphones: Increasing Undergraduate Motivation to Learn Geoscience With Virtual Field Trips

• In Event: Exploring What Motivates Undergraduates in Learning Science

Abstract

Many higher-education institutions’ introductory geoscience courses are high-enrollment and taught with a traditional lecture-style that is largely ineffective at engaging students. This project researches student interest involving a virtual field trip--experienced via the students’ own smartphones and tablets. Statistical results, involving 874 students from five different institutions, show that students who completed three virtual field trip modules were significantly more interested in learning the geosciences than control students and participants who completed only one module. Three strong predictors for increased student interest emerged: initial interest, STEM major, and number of virtual field trip modules completed.

Authors

• Natalie Bursztyn, California State University - Fullerton

• Brett E. Shelton, Boise State University

• Joel Pederson, Utah State University

• Mary Ann Parlin, Utah State University