Virtual Landscapes and Excursions - Innovative Tools as a Means of Training in Geography

In addition to real field trips and education virtual field trips are an excellent tool to convey scientific knowledge concerning geography. This paper describes the scientifical, technical and didactical approaches of the web-based virtual excursion in the real world of a former mining area. Numerous interactive functions and knowledge tests support the students’ thinking and learning in a 3D and 4D world. The developed tools are highly interdisciplinary and contain geoscientific as well as remote sensing, cartographic and GIS knowledge. Multiple use, integration in widespread types of lectures, and self learning are possible and necessary. The procedure is an example of innovative knowledge transfer from theoretical topics to real landscape processes. Qualified staff are needed to create and improve such virtual excursions and for supervision of students. The long-term sustainability of web-based teaching tools remains a challenge.