Seeing the World in a Grain of Sand

Abstract:

Enabling people to trigger and to witness landscape change is a powerful method of communicating scientific concepts. Alaska EPSCoR and GINA have found an effective tool for this effort in their “Augmented-Reality Sandbox,” an engaging hands-on interface that can be used to teach about topography, hydrology, natural hazards, and landscape change. People are consistently excited about the sandbox, the success of which has led EPSCoR to construct mobile versions which have traveled to remote Alaskan communities. EPSCoR has also developed model curricula that use the sandbox to teach basic topography and hydrology skills, and is working on advanced lessons based around hydrologic and landscape hazards. Instructions on building a mobile sandbox, curricula, and video of the sandbox in action are available at www.alaska.edu/epscor/Augmented-Reality%20Sandbox/