Development of Web-based Field Classes for Earth Science Teaching in the North of Ireland

• There is no other metropolitan area of NW Europe with the diversity of rock strata than in the Greater Belfast Area.

• So why do we need web-based learning aids?

Alastair Ruffell & Brian Whalley,

• Of the eras of the Phanerozoic (550 million years to the present, these are present:

• Tertiary Antrim basalts

• Cretaceous Ulster White Limestone

• Jurassic Lias shales• Triassic Mercia

Mudstone, Sherwood Sandstone

• Permian Brockram, Magnesian Limestone

• Carboniferous Cultra shales & limestones

• Devonian X• Silurian Co. Down

greywackes & shales

• Ordovician “• Cambrian X

• So why do we need web-based learning aids?

• Paucity of people who have the time to undertake field classes.

• Need to encourage schools, general public, researchers (esp those from outside N.I) and our students into the field.

• Need to use technology to aid those with mobility restriction experience field science.

• Methodology is two-tiered

• 1. Academic staff make virtual field classes for demonstration to large classes, for reinforcement, revision, assessment on the web and for wider access through Environment & Heritage Service.

• 2. Student projects can emulate and improve the above.

• Talk structure

• Example of a student project - Belshaw’s Quarry, Lisburn.

• Use of such virtual trips in assessment.

• Example of how the student developed this during employment.

Case Study

Virtual tour of Belshaw’s Quarry, Lisburn

Cretaceous Ulster White LimestoneOverview of the quarry from Stops 3 & 4, Facing north-east.

Stop 1Stop 2

Stop 5

Tertiary Antrim Lava Group

Stop 4

Stop 3

Stop 1

Stop 2

Stop 5

Belshaw’s Quarry, Facing north-east

Ground surface

Steps

Quarry Floor

Steps

Cliff face

What are we going to do?Visit these stops and link them intoa geological summary for student learning

Stop 1. Horizontally-bedded Ulster WhiteLimestone.

The cliff is about 12 metres high

Old beds

Young beds

Stops 1 & 2: faulted Triassic Mercia Mudstone, Cretaceous Ulster White Limestone and Tertiary basalt

At the UWL - basalt contact, a 20 - 40cm thick bedof lignite (brown coal) is found. This is the evidencefor uplift and exposure of the Cretaceous rocks in theTertiary prior to basaltic lava eruption

Next view ofStop 2

Faultplane

Slickenfibres (vertical)

Triassic - Cretaceous unconformityStop 2

Location 2: under fault plane, unconformity between Triassic Mercia Mudstone and Cretaceous Ulster White

Limestone

Stop 3. On the steps, facing south-east.

Cretaceous Ulster White LimestoneClay &lignite

Tertiary basalt

Next shot

Contact of basalt & limestone

Stop 3: close-up facing west.

basaltLignite (black, not brown, possibly from heating by basalt lava)

Sub-lignite grey clay -a fossil soil?Weathered top

of limestone

20p

Location 4: Tertiary dyke cross-cuts Tertiary lava flows (basalt). Both have vesicles (fossil gas bubbles) and amygdales (infilled gas bubble holes) of 1cm diameter

Stop 5: Tertiary basaltic dyke cutsUlster White Limestone. Dyke trends NW - SE.

dyke

Next viewin this direction

Before quarrying operations, the dykeextended across the area as one “wall”of basalt

Stop 5: Tertiary basalt dyke cross-cuts Cretaceous Upper White Limestone

Stop 4

Stop 3

Stop 1

Stop 2

Stop 5

Belshaw’s Quarry, Facing north-east

Ground surface

Steps

Quarry Floor

Steps

Cliff face

Here is our original view of the quarry, Now lets put our geological information on -

Belshaw’s Quarry, facing north-east

Ground surface

Stop 4

Stop 3

Stop 1 Stop 2

Stop 3

Here is what we saw at each stop: now lets put it together in diagram form!

Artwork by Maura Pringle

Overview, Aims, Objectives

Student: register, name number,e-mail

Questions, Introduction

etc

Modules,M1 …..M2 …...M3 ……

Over-view 1

Questions 1

Over-view 2

Questions 2

'Scenes'1

Extra info1

'Hints'1

'Scenes'2

Extra info2

'Hints'2

Answers Given, 1, 2

'Solutions', reminders,

notes

Student file

Tutor file

Assessment structure for lecturer trips