Towards Enhanced Understanding and Experience of Landforms, Geohazards, and Geoheritage through Virtual Reality Technologies in Education: Lessons from the GeoVT Project
Vittoria Vandelli,
Piotr Migoń,
Ylva Palmgren,
Evangelos Spyrou,
Giannis Saitis,
Maria Eleni Andrikopoulou,
Paola Coratza,
Mohand Medjkane,
Carmen Prieto,
Konstantinos Kalovrektis,
Candide Lissak,
Alexandros Papadopoulos,
Nikos Papastamatiou,
Niki Evelpidou,
Olivier Maquaire,
Sarantos Psycharis,
Arjen P. Stroeven,
Mauro Soldati
Affiliations
Vittoria Vandelli
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
Piotr Migoń
Institute of Geography and Regional Development, University of Wrocław, Pl. Uniwersytecki 1, 50137 Wrocław, Poland
Ylva Palmgren
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Evangelos Spyrou
Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
Giannis Saitis
Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
Maria Eleni Andrikopoulou
School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE), Irini Station ISAP, 15122 Marousi, Athens, Greece
Paola Coratza
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
Mohand Medjkane
Department of Geography, Joint Research Unit CNRS 6266, University of Caen Normandy, Esplanade de la Paix, 14000 Caen, France
Carmen Prieto
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Konstantinos Kalovrektis
School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE), Irini Station ISAP, 15122 Marousi, Athens, Greece
Candide Lissak
Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail (Irset), UMR_S 1085, University of Rennes, Avenue du Prof. Léon Bernard 9, 35000 Rennes, France
Alexandros Papadopoulos
Omega Technology, El. Venizelou Av. 4, 17676 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Nikos Papastamatiou
Omega Technology, El. Venizelou Av. 4, 17676 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Niki Evelpidou
Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
Olivier Maquaire
Department of Geography, Joint Research Unit CNRS 6266, University of Caen Normandy, Esplanade de la Paix, 14000 Caen, France
Sarantos Psycharis
School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE), Irini Station ISAP, 15122 Marousi, Athens, Greece
Arjen P. Stroeven
Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 8, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Mauro Soldati
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
Virtual reality is a technological development that, among others, has revolutionized Earth sciences. Its advantages include an opportunity to examine places otherwise difficult or impossible to access and it may also become an important component of education, fostering a better understanding of processes and landforms, geohazard awareness, and an appreciation of geoheritage. This paper reports on the GeoVT project, which aims to create a platform to build and disseminate Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) focused on geomorphology, natural hazards associated with geomorphological processes, and geoheritage sites. To put the GeoVT project in context, an overview of applications of VR in geosciences is provided. This paper subsequently proceeds with a presentation of the project and the GeoVT Authoring application, which is an innovative platform designed to help teachers and students, followed by brief presentations of a number of VFTs developed within the project. They address themes such as fluvial landforms and valley development, coastal landforms, evidence of past glaciation, coastal erosion, wildfire effects, mud volcanoes, and landslides.
