DLESE description of Geology Explorer: Planet Oit Information

Planet Oit is an online computer role-playing game in which the students play interplanetary explorers as a means to teach the concepts and principles of physical geology. Planet Oit has been designed as a coherent geophysical space where geological regions (desert, mountains, plains.) contain plausible phenomenon (mesa, playa, cave) which are populated with plausible objects (outcrops, boulders, veins), of plausible types. Planet Oit currently contains over 50 locations, nearly 100 rock and mineral types, 200 outcrops, veins, boulders and so forth, and over 40 instrument and tool types. The students' task is to obtain the appropriate equipment and perform tests on the samples they find before they can report their findings back to Earth. Students also create a geologic map and are asked to interpret the geologic history of the area. User registration is required but at no cost.