A New Paradigm for Curriculum Development and Dissemination:The WWW Earth Resources Educational Site (ERES)

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In light of the World Wide Web's unique capabilities, this project proposes to create the Earth Resources Educational Site (ERES). This site will incorporate: 1) multimedia presentations (virtual field trips, interactive Java models, 3D interactive models) that illustrate resource mathematical concepts, scientific principles and issues; 2) interactive "real-time" case studies; 3) teacher notes illustrating successful ways of incorporating these case studies in Earth science classes; and 4) Web bulletin boards for resource and instructional discussions. To create this active Web site, a Development Team is assembled to create the interactive Web programming. Web components will be tested by a Beta Team consisting of college Earth science instructors from around the nation. These instructors will attend workshops on ERES, use the site in their classes, conduct beta testing of the site components for the Development Team and help create the case study teacher notes. By disseminating knowledge about ERES and creating a Web network of users, the ERES project intends to: 1) illustrate the importance of Earth resource issues for modern societies; 2) promote communication between Earth science instructors; 3) use WWW multimedia presentations to enhance the learning experience; 4) promote the use of case studies in Earth science classes; and 5) improve the critical thinking, problem solving, quantitative reasoning and computational skills of a wide range of students. On a more general scale, it hopes to show that the World Wide Web is an effective means to disseminate course and curriculum development efforts. This proposal represents an attempt to explore the many possibilities of the WWW with respect to education. Although teaching resource sites are available on the Web, they do not utilize a large portion of the Web's capabilities. ERES is being designed so that it is engaging and informative and competes with the best business and entertainment sites on the Web. Some of the techniques proposed have been tested in a preliminary but limited manner at the University of Wyoming and Lewis-Clark State College. An expanded test of the effectiveness of Web instruction will be accomplished through a compelling Web site, developed by a team with the necessary design skills, technical abilities, dedication as well as time and resources. Techniques being developed for Web instruction during this project are intended to be readily transferable to other sciences. The socially relevant nature of the topic, abundant opportunities for engaging multimedia presentations, potential for wide-spread and ongoing dissemination and adaptability suggest that this project could have important implications for the way the Web is used in future course development projects.