GEOWiki@LMU – an online platform for university and school education in geosciences

GEOWiki@LMU is a constantly growing open platform for the promotion of practical and research-oriented knowledge acquisition. Its major objective is to provide information on methodologies relevant to geosciences, with focus on field, preparation and analytical methods. GEOWiki@LMU offers students a quick overview including helpful practical tips and references to relevant literature where these methods are taught. In addition, there are online tutorials for students, e.g. polarization microscopy. In the so-called GExikOn, articles are currently being created on the topics of rocks, minerals and soils. The subsection GEOWiki@School, which is currently under construction, is aimed primarily at pupils, students and teachers, providing geoscientific topics for school teaching.

GEOWiki@LMU is elaborated by and for students of earth sciences. The contents are developed by students in courses or on their own initiative in interdisciplinary teams. All topics are discussed in weekly editorial online-meetings and revised in close collaboration with lecturers and scientists. The students’ own initiative is essential for the development of GEOWiki. They give decisive impulses for the selection and structure of the topics, write the articles and are involved in acquisition of funding. All graphics, icons and videos are created by the students. The website is also programmed by students, according to the motto: what doesn't fit is made to fit. The content is optimized for mobile devices, so information can be accessed spontaneously in the field, laboratory or comfortably on the couch.