Incorporating Handheld computers and Pocket GIS into the Undergraduate and Graduate Field Geology Curriculum

N. A. Niemi¹, D. D. Sheehan², S. O. Akciz¹, K. V. Hodges¹, H. Nguyen³, C. E. Carr⁴, W. E. Hutchison¹, C. Studnicki-Gizbert¹, B. C. Burchfiel¹, and K. X. Whipple¹

¹ Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

² Academic Computing, MIT Information Systems

³ Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

⁴ Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139

We have developed customized software for geologic mapping and field data collection which runs on widely available handheld computers integrated with GIS software and GPS receivers. This software was deployed in four field courses: a month-long field camp for undergraduates, and graduate courses in geomorphology and structural analysis.

In the undergraduate course, a series of customized forms led the students through the processes of rock description and structural measurement, reinforcing instruction by the teaching staff. Additional learning aids, such as geologic dictionaries, strat columns, and field-methods tutorials, were also incorporated into the devices, providing an in-field reference system. The GPS receivers aided students in locating themselves as they learned to read topo maps. Digital maps allow the use of multiple base maps, and permit real-time changes in mapping scale to accommodate variable geological complexity. Student teams routinely compiled ‘virtual’ maps, allowing improved tracking of their progress, and giving them the ability to share map data with other teams. Final map compilation was a smoother process with digital field maps than with traditional maps. Drawbacks included: 1) physical limitations of the computers (small screen size, power requirements, fragility, and weatherproofing); 2) a significant start-up cost in both hardware and manpower; and 3) additional instruction to get students comfortable with both the handheld computers and the necessarily complex software designed for geologic mapping. We found that the students typically moved more slowly in the field with handheld devices than with traditional maps and field notebooks.

Our experiences in the graduate courses were considerably less problematic. Data collected at specific localities (using the GPS) consisted of a limited set of observations, permitting more simplified forms. The simpler software increased data-collection efficiency over traditional methods. Computer fluency was greater among the graduate students than among the undergraduates, causing less consternation when software bugs were encountered. Immediate availability of the data for field analysis was a distinct advantage. Further development and improvement of this system, particularly for geologic mapping, continues.