Implementation of Sandbox Model Experiment Among First and Fourth Year Students of BSc Petroleum Geoscience Course at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia

Sandbox model provides an interactive platform to study the deformation caused by tectonic forces and its effects on the development of different geological basins. However, the actual educational benefits of incorporating sandbox modeling into geoscience courses in higher education settings, particularly in Malaysia, have not been explicitly studied and examined. At Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia, assessment on the awareness of knowing the purpose of the analog sandbox model among geoscience students have been conducted among first-year Structural Geology and fourth-year Geodynamic and Basin Evolution students. This assessment was followed by the implementation of sandbox model experiments based on pre-, syn-, and post-experimental stages. The experiments were carried out at different times for first-year (beginner) and fourth-year (advanced) undergraduate geoscience students, considering their varying course learning outcomes and levels of prior knowledge. Upon completion of the experiments, a survey was conducted to assess the students’ acceptance of the sandbox experiment as an interactive and experiential learning tool. This is followed by the instructor’s observation of the students’ understanding based on their final assessments submitted as part of their coursework for the respective subject. The results indicate that not all geoscience students were aware of the existence of sandbox equipment at the university, with only 30% of the students understand the exact purpose of the sandbox model experiment. However, the post-experimental survey show that all participating students are satisfied with their learning outcomes from the sandbox experiment. Although, based on the instructor’s observations indicate that fourth-year students had a better grasp of the technical concepts behind this experiment compared to first-year students, who treat the sandbox experiment as a fun and interactive learning experience outside of traditional classroom teaching.