Display settings
E-Rocks · A planned nonprofit for learning geology
Geology for everyone
Our mission is to bring geology to the people the field usually misses: people with disabilities (physical, learning and otherwise), learners facing cost barriers, and anyone who never had a way in.
E-Rocks is an early concept, developed by Geology Field School. We are sharing it now so you can see what it is, who it is for and how it will work, and so you can help shape it if you would like to.
What E-Rocks is
E-Rocks is a planned nonprofit learning center for geology, starting here on the Geology Field School website. It will offer accessible ways to learn about rocks, landscapes and the science behind them: models you can explore on screen, learning materials you can touch, plain-language guides, and field days planned around access.
- Accessible by design. Access is part of the plan from the start, not added later.
- Many ways in. You will be able to see it, touch it, hear it, read it in plain words, or come outside with support.
- Grounded in field geology. It is being developed by Geology Field School, which runs field geology courses.
What it is for
Geology is usually learned outdoors, on steep trails, at remote rock faces and on long field days, and often at real cost. That leaves many capable, curious people out. E-Rocks is being created to change that.
Open the door to geology
Make it possible for more people to learn geology, wherever they are and however they learn best.
Bring the outcrop to the learner
Turn field geology into forms people can explore at home, at a table or from a seat.
Lower the barriers
Work to reduce the physical, learning and cost barriers that keep people out of the field.
Build confidence
Help every learner feel that geology belongs to them, too.
Who it is for
Everyone is welcome. E-Rocks is being designed first for people with disabilities, for learners facing cost barriers, and for anyone the field has too often left out.
People with mobility disabilities
If walking, climbing or standing is hard, or you can't travel, you will still be able to learn from real rocks. Models, digital field trips and step-free options will bring the outcrop to you.
People who are blind or have low vision
Touchable models, tactile maps, large print and audio descriptions will explain shape, texture and layers without relying on sight.
People who are Deaf or hard of hearing
Video and audio will come with captions and transcripts. Key ideas will also be shown in pictures and text.
People with learning or cognitive disabilities, and neurodivergent people
Simple-language guides will use short steps, plain words and clear pictures. You will be able to go at your own pace and come back any time.
People living with chronic illness or fatigue
You will be able to learn in short sessions, from home or from a seat. Nothing will be timed, and breaks will always be fine.
Learners facing cost barriers
Money should not decide who gets to learn geology. We plan to work to lower cost barriers for learners and families. How we will do this is not yet decided, and we will share it here.
Learners new to geology
Anyone who never had a path into geology or field science: career changers, older learners, homeschoolers and curious people. No background will be needed.
How it will work
This is our plan. Each part below is still being planned, and none of it is available yet. You will be able to choose the ways that suit you and mix them as you like.
Planned
Purpose-built teaching models
We will make simplified 3D teaching models of rock layers and landforms. They will be designed for learning: clear shapes, easy to read, and not copies of survey data.
Planned
View-only 3D models on screen
You will be able to explore the models in a web browser, first as turntable views and later as models you can turn and zoom with a keyboard, mouse or touch. They will be view-only.
Planned
Narrated walkthroughs
Short guided videos will walk through each model and explain what it shows. Every one will have captions and a written transcript.
Planned
Audio description and accessible formats
Each model will come with a spoken description and a written one, plus large-print and screen-reader-friendly versions.
Planned
Things you can touch
Tactile models, replicas and raised-line maps will be made from the same purpose-built teaching models, with large-print and braille labels.
Planned
Simple-language guides
Short guides in plain words, with a gloss (a quick meaning) for every science word.
Planned
Virtual field trips from home
Guided trips you take on a screen, with a digital field kit, a digital manual, and a digital atlas and field guide. Digital means it works in a web browser, not on paper.
Planned
Adaptive field days
Outdoor days planned around access: step-free stops where possible, seating, rest time and support staff.
Models we are planning
We are planning purpose-built, simplified teaching models: clean, easy-to-read versions of rock layers and landforms, made for learning. On screen they will be view-only. No models are published yet, and this page has no model links or downloads.
How we will describe a model for people who are blind or have low vision
- Size first: how big the real rock is, compared with something familiar, like a door or a car.
- Overall shape: flat, rounded, stepped, cracked or folded.
- Layers from bottom to top: how many, how thick, and whether they are flat or tilted. The bottom layers are usually the oldest.
- Texture: smooth, gritty, ridged or bumpy, and where each one is.
- What it means: one or two plain sentences on what the rock tells us about the past.
Where we are today
We want to be clear about what is real now and what is still a plan.
- Stage: an early concept.
- Organization: a planned nonprofit, developed by Geology Field School.
- Nonprofit status: paperwork in progress. We will announce it here when it is complete.
- Programs, costs and schedules: not yet decided. We will share them here first.
What exists today
- This page, which shares the idea and the plan.
- The E-Rocks name and logo.
- Geology Field School, which is developing E-Rocks.
- An email address for questions and offers of help.
What is planned
- The nonprofit organization itself.
- Purpose-built teaching models, view-only on screen.
- Narrated walkthroughs, audio descriptions and accessible formats.
- Tactile models, replicas and raised-line maps.
- Simple-language guides and virtual field trips from home.
- Adaptive field days.
How you can help
E-Rocks is just beginning, and the people it is for should help shape it. If you would like to be part of that, just tell us. There is nothing to sign up for yet. Each button opens your email app with a subject line filled in.
Volunteer
Describe models in words, try out guides as we write them, or help at field days once they begin.
Partner
Schools, libraries, museums and disability organizations who would like to explore working together.
Advise
Share what you know. We especially want to hear from people with disabilities, teachers and accessibility specialists.
Support
Offer time, skills, equipment or ideas that could help E-Rocks grow.
Accessibility feedback
Tell us what works for you and what gets in your way, on this page or in our plans.
Our commitments
Accessibility
- Access will be designed in from the start, not added later.
- Any video or audio we add will have captions and a written transcript.
- Pictures and models that carry meaning will have a text or audio description.
- Nothing will be timed. You will be able to go at your own pace.
- We plan to test with people with disabilities and act on what we hear.
- We will write about people respectfully, in plain words.
Honesty
- We will only share what is true.
- We will say plainly what is ready and what is still a plan.
- We will announce our nonprofit status here when the paperwork is complete.
Educational use and licensing
Our models will be view-only previews for learning. © Geology Field School. All rights reserved. Please don't download, share or use them for commercial purposes. Full-resolution survey data is not part of E-Rocks.
Contact us
The best way to reach us is by email: chris.oswalt@geologyfieldschool.com. We reply by email.
Contact: Christopher. Developed by Geology Field School.
Accessibility statement
We are building E-Rocks to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at level AA. These are the widely used rules for making websites work for people with disabilities. This page has not had a formal outside audit yet, and we do not claim full conformance.
What this page offers
- Text size buttons (A, A+, A++), a high-contrast mode and a reduce-motion switch, at the top of the page. Your choices are saved on this device.
- It follows your device settings for reduced motion and higher contrast.
- Everything works with a keyboard. A skip link jumps straight to the main content, and the item in focus has a clear outline.
- Clear headings and labels for screen readers, and text descriptions for pictures that carry meaning.
- Underlined links, and no information shown by color alone.
- The page reflows on small screens and when zoomed in, without sideways scrolling.
- Nothing moves or flashes on its own.
Tell us about a barrier
If anything on E-Rocks is hard to use, please tell us. Say which page, what you were trying to do, and what device or assistive technology you use, if you're comfortable sharing. Email chris.oswalt@geologyfieldschool.com.