The Campus Mine: An Adaptable Instruction Approach Using Simulated Underground Geology in a Campus Building to Improve Geospatial Reasoning before Fieldwork

ABSTRACT Geospatial skills are critical to effective geologic mapping, and many geoscience students experience challenges in developing good geologic interpretation and projection skills. A physical (non-virtual) underground mine mapping simulation in a building on the Adams State College campus in Alamosa, Colorado, provides an excellent cost-effective and efficient learning tool to prepare students for actual field mapping, while improving spatial thinking using a physical hands-on setting. In this simulation students act as mine geologists, completing simulated mine mapping work tasks. Mapping and interpretive skills are enhanced in an adaptable, flexible, and easily implemented simulation that is software independent. The mine simulation is well received by students as an effective training and learning tool. INTRODUCTION Learning geological field skills is generally believed to be one of the most important aspects of a geoscience student's education. Unfortunately, factors such as time and expense often restrict the ability of programs to incorporate field components directly into each and every course. Many creative and effective approaches to address these factors appear in the geoscience education literature. Pilburn et al. (2002) use interactive visualization modules, in addition to other multimedia techniques. Knapp et al. (2006) tie several different exercises into a field context, and Rapp et al. (2007) were able to develop and improve student map projection skills. This article describes a relatively simple and adaptable approach to simulating field mapping by using a campus building set up to represent an underground mine (The Campus Mine). Even if geologists perform excellent surface mapping, they must often speculate on the subsurface geology. Effective predictions of the subsurface are an acquired skill derived from experience. Geoscience students at first are often intimidated and overwhelmed by all but the simplest subsurface predictions, typically geological crosssections. More complex predictions of subsurface geochemical behavior, structural relationships, solid body modeling, and so forth can be even more difficult. Taylor et al. (2004) describe some of the cognitive hurdles students face in complex visual displays and provide effective strategies for understanding topographic maps. Modern geoscience students have access to increasingly sophisticated technology and threedimensional (3D) modeling software packages. Nonetheless, there is an important and critical link to be made between the virtual world and the physical real world of the outcrop and the field setting. Furthermore, many teaching simulations and methods are often limited by significant time and preparation requirements. The underground mine mapping simulation described here provides a highly adaptable, physical, non-virtual venue for introducing students to a wide variety of these modeling techniques, while still preserving the tangible hands-on experience of nearly all aspects of actual field mapping. The purpose of the underground mine mapping simulation is to help develop mapping skills and the associated three-dimensional perception required for effective geological interpretation. Underground mines often provide an excellent look at actual rock exposures in three dimensions. For example, underground mining operations may expose a series of faults, intrusions, and/ or veins within a complex sedimentary sequence on one particular physical mine level. After completing mapping on that level, a mine geologist will typically project the intersected geology into areas of potential or possible future mining at different levels, revising and reinterpreting the geology between levels as more exposure is produced with additional mining activity. The hereindescribed underground mine mapping simulation allows the same opportunity for students, where different levels can be introduced or staged for students to map over a period of time. …