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A Three-Dimensional, Virtual Tour of

the Johnston Geology Museum

Marcia K. Schulmeister* and Briana Edwards, Earth Science Program, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas 66801, USA
As a need for online communication grows, models. Individual specimen models were OUTCOMES AND APPLICATIONS
digital 3D models provide an effective strat- generated from 30 to 200 digital photo- After two semesters of its use, we have
egy for teaching shape- and orientation-based graphs, while entire display cases required observed several positive outcomes and one
concepts that are essential for understanding five to 10 photos, for smaller cases, and up to limitation of the virtual experience. Online
geology. While developing our department’s 150 photos for the large displays. Photos students scored higher than traditional stu-
first, all-online section of an introductory were taken at 18 megapixel resolution using dents on exercise questions about fossil
earth-science class, we created a low-cost, 3D, a standard digital SLR camera. The ren- preservation and life modes, probably owing
virtual tour that simulates a traditional, dered model files were edited and viewed to the superior viewing angles and in-depth
on-campus visit to our University’s geology using a commercially available viewer on a examination of subtle details that were pos-
museum. When combined with 360° images, public-access server (Sketchfab, 2018). Three- sible when viewing the 3D models. By
the tour allows both traditional and online dimensional subjects can be rotated, en- revising the original exercise so that the
museum visitors to view mineral, rock, and larged, and navigated using a mouse or two- oldest fossils are visited first, and embed-
fossil samples on cell phones, tablets, or com- finger swipes on a computer, tablet, or cell ding links to a geologic time scale at vari-
puters. The new approach extends the use of phone. Software used to create the models ous places within the exercise, we noted
an established museum assignment that is costs US$15 to US$550 (depending on more thoughtful answers to questions about
regularly used in our introductory face-to- license type), and the 3D viewer may be important events in earth history. Links to
face geology classes to our online students. accessed for free or at a minimal cost. Our images or videos of modern environmental
Digital rotation and magnification of samples online virtual tour can be viewed for free analogues helped allow students who have
encourages in-depth examination of the spec- wherever the Internet is available. not traveled extensively beyond the Mid-
imens and materials that is not possible when The virtual museum exercise begins with western United States to better visualize the
looking through glass displays, enriching the a 360° photograph of the museum. Ten landscapes and environments of ancient
museum experience for both online and tradi- “stops” (Fig. 1) along the tour include click- Kansas. Because our assignment features
tional museum visitors. The new approach able links that provide access to 3D models only select display cases, the discovery that
also provides audio tracks and alternative of individual specimens, and expanded dia- takes place when casually browsing an entire
viewing access for differently abled or small log boxes containing relevant background museum is lost; many valuable exhibits that
museum patrons and expands the museum’s and explanations. Because most students in are not part of our tour can only be accessed
visibility to a broader online audience. our introductory geology classes are not through a face-to-face visit.
earth-science majors, and many museum The use of 3D models is emerging in the
MATERIALS AND METHODS visitors have minimal science background, growing field of online geoscience educa-
The Johnston Geology Museum features we took advantage of an opportunity to tion (e.g., Brande and McDaniel, 2018;
rocks, fossils, mining history, and Native amend the physical displays with digital Nesbit et al., 2020). Our exercise is the first
American artifacts of relevance in Kansas. materials of relevance to our exercise by add- to combine a virtual museum tour with 3D
Used by both the university and a regional ing links to new content. Additional explana- models that illustrate the geologic history of
public audience, it has hosted thousands of tions of plant and animal life modes, envi- Kansas. The tour provides access to mid-
open houses and school and scout field trips, ronmental conditions, and geologic time help continent geologic history that may not oth-
in addition to supporting our earth-science to clarify concepts emphasized in our class erwise be available to students and geolo-
curriculum. The collection is organized in through links to relevant short videos, loca- gists living outside of our region. The
display cases and as free-standing speci- tion maps, and updated geologic time scales. potential use of our exercise in online sec-
mens that are accompanied by maps, draw- The option of adding new questions and ondary education teaching may help teach-
ings, and written explanations. We created advanced material would allow for use of the ers communicate earth history concepts to a
virtual displays of ten cases using 3D model- 3D images in our upper-level geology younger audience and inspire future earth-
ing software (Agisoft, 2018) that aligns, courses. Students were able to complete the science majors.
masks, and renders multiple digital photos introductory virtual tour assignment in one To take a 3D tour of the Johnston Geology
into clusters that form the basis of our to two hours. Museum visit https://sites.google.com/view/

GSA Today, v. 30, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG470GW.1. CC-BY-NC.

*Corresponding author: mschulme@ku.edu; now at Department of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA

24 GSA Today | December 2020