Field trips, ICT and IBSE method for increasing the awareness of Secondary School students about the geological features of an area

The poster presents a research on the use of mobile devices (smartphone and tablet) for gathering data during educational field trips with Secondary School students. The free application tested allows to track a trail, to mark georeferenced points with pictures and notes, and to share them on a website or on the main social network, as well as to download them in a Google Earth format. The project is designed basing on the main steps suggested by the Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) method (Engagement, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) and it combines indoor and outdoor learning, as well as traditional and innovative tools. A preliminary meeting, one-day field trip and a processing meeting have been proposed to about 200 students in the Piedmont Region (NW Italy). Qualitative and quantitative data have been collected in order to assess both the appreciation and the new knowledge and competences acquired by students.