Abstract:

The field trip is an important practical activity in geology. Outcrops observation and analysis allow the study of rocks formation and geodynamic environments in which they occur. Despite their pedagogical relevance, some obstacles can turn the implementation of field trips in science education more difficult, as funding for class field, students’ security and the extension of programmes. Teachers can use virtual field classes to overcome these difficulties. The model proposed by Orion can also be used in the preparation of field trip. This study’s aim is to plan and build a virtual field class from outcrops carefully selected in Lousã Mountain (Coimbra, Central Portugal), for the 11th grade geology class.

Based on geological map, scale 1:50 000, sheet 19-D, Coimbra-Lousã, we selected four stops:
1) Contact metamorphism
2) Coentral granite
3) Contact between granite and phyllites
4) Regional metamorphism, phyllites and metagraywacke) and carried out fieldwork.

We recorded, in photography and video, the most relevant aspects of outcrops and landscapes, we collected hand-samples and finally we prepared geological thin sections. From these data, we elaborated paper-and-pencil activities, which will be available on the site “Journey through Lousã mountain rocks”. Expert in geosciences and Sciences of Education validated the practical activities and media content. Eight secondary school teachers responded to an open question in which they made a reflexion about the importance of these materials in geology teaching. Teachers consider to start using the virtual field trip resource in classroom, once they answered that this resource is useful for teaching concepts related to magmatism and metamorphism, in the Biology and Geology, 11th grade.