The current pandemic situation has created havoc in the regular workings of many institutions such as those dedicated to teaching and, therefore, the urge for alternatives to traditional face to face teaching has raised.
However, for certain subjects, such as the Earth Sciences, distance teaching approaches could be seen as counterintuitive to the essential foundations of the subject (where empirical information, especially from fieldwork, was paramount for its foundation and growth).
We consider in this work the advantages of remote operations, which could complement, improve and perhaps even replace the traditional approach for Earth Sciences teaching, potentially producing better learning outcomes, even in relation to laboratory and fieldwork, including work concerning studies in locations out of planet Earth.
Additionally, we consider the possible advantages for other professional settings related to this area, such as those concerning terrain characterization for Engineering works, mineral resources and environmental studies, as well as possible support for space missions and stations in other astronomical bodies (where mineral exploration and extraction could be developed and, hence, especially benefit from remote operations).
Thanks for your work. While reading your presentation, I was trying to extrapolate your ideas to the context of
primary-school and middle school in the Canary Islands, Spain. Regarding your ideas on how to explore minerals without
physical interaction with the samples (sending them home, for instance) ... it might be a good idea to make a list of easy to find mineral samples .. those that are readily available at home. let´s say salt, ice, bicarbonate, chalk, ... Since i am not a geologist (neither to say mineralogist), it could be great to build a list of this kind of minerals. In this way, we also bring home the always-forgotten (from a n educational point of view) world of mineralogy.
What are your thoughts about this?
Regards
antonio
Thank you very much for your interesting reply. Yes, we agree.
This could be very interesting and will enhance what the communication suggests. Your suggestion can be also valid for university students. So, we will work on a possible list of minerals.
Best regards,
Jorge