Enhancing STEM Education with GeoMapApp

Abstract:

GeoMapApp, developed at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is a free resource used across the earth sciences for both research and teaching. GeoMapApp integrates a wide range of geoscience data in one intuitive map-based interface (http://www.geomapapp.org). Improvements based upon user feedback have made the tool more accessible for teaching, both at the university and high school levels.

Research-grade geoscience data features prominently in GeoMapApp. Examples of built-in data sets include real-time earthquake catalogues from the US Geological Survey, volcano data from the Smithsonian Institution, gravity and magnetics data from NOAA-NCEI-NGDC, seismic velocity tomographic models from IRIS, geological maps from USGS, geochemical analytical data from the EarthChem databases, geodetic plate motion velocities from UNAVCO, and high-resolution ocean bathymetry from GMRT.

These data sets are available to anyone using GeoMapApp, allowing students to explore and analyse the same data using the same tool as researchers. Educators report that using GeoMapApp in the classroom and lab lowers the barriers to data accessibility for students; fosters an increased sense of data "ownership"; allows engagement with authentic geoscience data; and promotes exposure to STEM skills.

The Save Session capability has high-impact in the classroom and is ideal for virtual classes: The educator saves a pre-loaded state of GeoMapApp. When shared with the class, the session file allows students to open GeoMapApp with exactly the same data sets loaded and the same display parameters chosen, thus freeing up valuable in-class time in which students can explore the data.

The GeoMapApp interface presents data seamlessly in its geospatial context, helping researchers, educators and students more easily gain insight and understanding from the data without having to overcome complex or obscure data formats. Simple visualisation and profiling tools allow users to analyse the data in different ways. Users can also import and analyse their own data files and use layering and transparency capabilities to compare multiple data sets at once. In this presentation, a range of education modules created with GeoMapApp will be highlighted.

GeoMapApp screenshot: Cascadia margin subducting slab, seismic velocity, geochemical data.