Computer-Animated Modules for Enhanced Instruction in the Geosciences

传统上，学生对空间和时间关系的可视化是地球科学教师独有的挑战。然而，在加利福尼亚州，随着越来越多的以英语为第二语言的学生融入大学社区，现有的教学问题正在加剧。这种对向英语水平较低的听众传达科学概念和原理的无情关注，要求我们从根本上改变我们的教学理念和课堂信息传递的方法。此外，由于社会的影响，当代学生更倾向于视觉学习而不是听觉学习。尽管我们的学术困境没有单一的解决方案，但一个潜在的富有成效的方向，在教育交流中提供了显著提高的效率，在于将口语从属于另一种交流方法。可以使用简短的计算机动画模拟序列，仔细链接到口头讲课材料。在这个场景中，动画将使用现有的电视监视器和录像带播放机在教室中呈现。为了实施教学模拟，从而提高学生对地质关系的理解，本提案寻求支持购买计算机设备，以创建和记录适用于课堂/实验室教学的动画序列。为了最大限度地利用模块，所有模块的描述和单框示例将作为网页放置在我们现有的Web服务器上供浏览。然后，通过联系作者可以获得动画的副本。如果有足够的兴趣，这些文件将在Web服务器上供直接下载。

Student visualization of spatial and temporal relationships traditionally has presented a challenge unique to geoscience faculty. In California, however, the existing teaching problems are being exacerbated as a growing population of students for whom English is the second language is being incorporated into university communities. This inexorably growing concern of communication of scientific concepts and principles to an audience with lower levels of English facility requires a fundamental modification of our teaching philosophy and the methods of delivery of the information in the classroom. Additionally, because of societal influences, contemporary students are oriented toward visual learning rather than auditory learning. Although no single solution to our academic dilemma exists, one potentially fruitful direction, offering substantially increased efficacy in educational communication, lies in the subordination of the spoken word to alternate communication methods. Short, computer-animated simulation sequences carefully linked to oral lecture material, can be used. In this scenario animations will be presented in the classroom using existing television monitors and video tape players. To implement instructional simulations and thus improve student comprehension of geologic relationships, this proposal seeks support for the purchase of computer equipment to create and record animated sequences appropriate for classroom/laboratory instruction. To maximize use of the modules, descriptions and single frame examples of all modules will be placed as web pages on our existing web server for browsing. Copies of animations can then be obtained by contacting the writer. If interest is sufficient, the files will be made available on the web server for direct downloading.