The Technology Behind a Virtual Exploratorium: A Resource for Discovery-based Learning in the Geosciences Daniel Bramer Mohan RamamurthyAtmospheric Sciences, Bob Wilhelmson University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ken HayLearning and Performance Support Laboratory, Dean EliottThe University of Georgia Mary MarlinoDigital Library for Earth System Education Don MiddletonVisualization Group, Tim Scheitlin Scientific Computing Division, NCAR Rajul PandyaGeoogy and Astronomy, West Chester University

The Virtual Exploratorium  Pedagogic Framework for Geoscience Education  A learner-centered scientific exploratory environment for introductory undergraduate education using the visualization tools of practicing scientists  Shift in learning structrure: From: Teacher-Centered -- (static, passive) To: Learner-Centered -- (dynamic, (inter)active)

Goal  Encourage discovery-based geoscience learning –Act, think, and make decisions as a scientist would Develop an environment with plenty of resources BUT Also provide assistance to prevent getting lost –Used in undergraduate general education May be last science course for many Basic principles of scientific thought are vital to everyday life –Discovery, Analysis, Deduction, etc… Provide training for K-12 (especially elementary) teachers

Expectations  Students will: –construct visualizations of geophysical phenomena using real geophysical data sets –probe these visualizations to uncover relationships using java tools –Investigate fundamental physical processes using the same tools in tutorials that concentrate on fundamental physical principles –apply the physical principles to the phenomena –consult an extensive, hyperlinked virtual encyclopedia

How Do We Do That?  Java Visualization Environment –Real datasets viewable in 3 Dimensions –Data constructed by students themselves  Java Data-Interactive and Tutorial Tools –Provide insight and exploration into data –Link phenomena to physical properties and vice- versa –Make accessible at all times

Java Visualization Environment  View Multiple Variables Simultaneously  2D and 3D Exploration  Interactivity  Move Between Datasets  Access to Visualization Functions  Access to Tools, Tutorials, and Help  Why Java? –Extensible –Widely Used for Interactive Internet elements –Platform Independence Prototype Visualization Environment at Right

VisAD  Java class library for interactive and collaborative visualization and analysis of numerical data  Advantages of VisAD –Supports interactive 3D –Written in Java –Large Development Community Wisconsin/SSEC, UNIDATA, Illinois/NCSA, and many others –Supports various file formats –Ready implementation of client-server architecture –Collaborative applications –WWW

Prototype Visualiation Environment  Use VisAD for 3D viewing  Main viewer for datasets  Interact with the 3D data  Observe multiple variables  Generate 2D slices  Provide strength of real science tool while also making it easy to use 3D and 2D representaions of Data at right

Interactive Tool As a Tutorial Students use the tool to:  Help understand the fundamental principles which lay underneath the phenomena  Create graphs of their observations  Use these observations to discover new relationships Temperature Tool shown at right

Interactive Tool As a Probe  Exploration –Probe 2D or 3D datasets –Observe differences between regions of the dataset –Apply information learned in tutorial to data –Relate phenomena to the underlying physical properties

DLESE (Digital Library for Earth System Education)  New effort within the geoscience community  Internet clearing house of –Earth System educational resources –Earth data sets and imagery  Provides one location for earth system educators to acquire and deposit materials and instruction for classes and research  Resources like the VE can be very valuable within DLESE

Acknowledgments  This project is funded by the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education Grant #DUE

For More Information  Tomorrow at 3:30 PM -- 10th Education Symposium –#5.6 Using the Virtual Exploratorium to Support Inquiry- Based Learning in Introductory Geoscience Courses: An ENSO Example. -- Rajul Pandya  The Virtual Exploratorium Web Site