Integrating Macrostrat and Rockd into Undergraduate Earth Science Teaching

This Element outlines the use of Macrostrat and its mobile client Rockd, and provides examples of how to integrate these resources into a variety of paleontology and Earth science courses. These tools provide a unique educational opportunity for students to interact with primary geological data and make new field observations.

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New online resources are opening doors for education and outreach in the Earth sciences. One of the most innovative online earth science portals is Macrostrat and its mobile client Rockd - an interface that combines geolocated geological maps with stratigraphic information, lithological data, and crowd-sourced images and descriptions of outcrops. These tools provide a unique educational opportunity for students to interact with primary geological data, create connections between local outcrops and global patterns, and make new field observations. Rockd incorporates an aspect of social media to its platform, which creates a sense of community for users. This Element outlines these resources, gives instructions on how to use them, and provides examples of how to integrate these resources into a variety of paleontology and earth science courses.