Worldbuilding from Tectonic First Principles
Abstract
In this integrative, team-based capstone project, students in an upper year Tectonics course built a planet of their design from first principles. They created a tectonic map in three dimensions, complete with plate boundaries, continental-ocean boundaries, motion vectors, and hot spot traces. In subsequent weeks, students created a geologic map illustrating features consequent based on decisions made in creating the tectonic map. Students designed their own legend and determined the specificity or generality in which they conveyed geologic features at the scale of their map. Students created a physiographic map reflective of the geology of their planet. They presented the results of their worldbuilding in a poster presentation in a public forum. Team leadership and project management were aided by creating of a group contract, approximately biweekly meetings with a course TA, peer and self-assessments, and use of project management software. Student reflections suggest the project was successful in meeting learning outcomes, including challenging students to think in three-dimensions and over geologic time, integrating knowledge from other courses, critical thinking, interrogating the limits of their knowledge, building team and project management skills, and communicating across the discipline. This worldbuilding project offers a template to challenge students to interrogate the limits of their knowledge, learn by doing, and manage complex, multidisciplinary projects in nearly any subject in a way uniquely suited to the university environment.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMED53D0874S
- Keywords:
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- 0810 Post-secondary education;
- EDUCATION;
- 0825 Teaching methods;
- EDUCATION