One of the biggest challenges any geology faculty member faces is trying to get students in the field.  Getting out of the classroom and face-to-face with a rock outcrop or coastal zone is the best way to get students immersed in the physical environment for teaching/learning and overall excitement for the discipline.  There are some places on the planet that faculty are extremely challenged to take students to.  Luckily, Google is making it easier for us to get students there (at least virtually).

With Google Maps, I can now explore with my students to the Grand Canyon, the Canadian Arctic, and the Galapagos Islands.  Not bad!  Now if I could only get them to map some of my favorite national parks, like the Everglades and Arches….