On-Line Weather Studies: Introduction to the Atmosphere Through the Use of Internet-Delivered Meteorological Information

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The American Meteorological Society (AMS) will develop and nationally implement a one-semester, introductory college-level, on-line distance-learning course on the fundamentals of atmospheric science in which students study weather as it happens. The course addresses the need for innovative and cost-effective science education opportunities for an increasingly diverse and non-traditional student population. It is being developed for use with pre-service teachers, giving them both an understanding of meteorological principles as well as numerous useful classroom investigations. It will be available to colleges and universities as a turn-key package with electronic and printed components. The course will contain learning activities with components written to current meteorological data and delivered via the Internet. Use of simulations modules and a weather forecasting module, developed at Iowa State University is an integral component of this initiative. The experience of real-time study will enable students to negotiate scientific understanding of the atmosphere and its processes while actually tracking the ways the atmospheric system behaves. A course Reader, Student Study Guide, and Instructor's Resource Manual will be developed. On-line delivery of current meteorological data and related learning materials via an Internet Homepage will be coordinated with the Reader and Student Study Guide contents. The AMS project staff will produce the on-line component of the course and be available to local instructors for assistance. The course will be offered in spring and fall semesters. It is expected that up to 100 undergraduate institutions will offer the course through their offices of continuing education/outreach or academic departments, and approximately 12,000 students will be enrolled during the two-year development phase. The course is expected to continue indefinitely on a self-sustaining basis.