ONLINE WEATHER STUDIES: A Distance-Learning Course Ira W. Geer, R.S. Weinbeck, B.A. Blair, American Meteorological Society, Washington, DC CALMet99 Helsinki 14-18 June 1999 J.A. Brey, University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley; E.J. Hopkins, University of Wisconsin-Madison; J.M. Moran, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Historical Perspective: AMS Educational Initiatives Project ATMOSPHERE (1991-present) The Maury Project (1994-present) The DataStreme Project (1996-present) Online Weather Studies (1999- ) Water in the Earth System (1999- ) 2 2
ONLINE WEATHER STUDIES OVERVIEW Developed & pilot-tested by AMS; Support from National Science Foundation; One-semester, introductory, college-level course on fundamentals of atmospheric science; Online distance learning stressing current weather; Suitable for 2 & 4 year post-secondary educational institutions; Designed for diverse & non-traditional student populations. 3 3
Online Weather Studies ORGANIZATION AMS EDUCATION DC Office & Madison COMET Boulder, CO Text Products Current Weather Products ONLINE WEATHER STUDIES 4 4
Online Weather Studies Course Components Textbook Student Study Guide--Learning Activities Course Homepage Faculty Manual & Secure Homepage Course Management Homepage (optional)
Online Weather Studies Pilot-Test Background Spring 1999 14 institutions (two- & four-year colleges & universities) Varied Formats Student-Instructor Interaction Student-Student Interaction
CONCLUSIONS The OLWS Pilot Course: was successful; was well received by students; technology not a limiting factor; students were generally well motivated.
OLWS Pilot-Test CONCLUSIONS (con’t.) Advantages: Convenience & flexibility attractive features for students Administration very supportive Comparable student performance with other traditional introductory courses
OLWS Pilot-Test CONCLUSIONS (con’t.) Areas of concern: maintaining students’ schedule little face-to-face contact between student and instructor
DEMONSTRATION CONNECTIONS Online Weather Studies Demo Page Sample Class Page Univ. of Wisconsin-Green Bay ( J. M. Moran)