5.2
Using interactive severe weather activities to motivate student learning
William A. Gallus Jr., Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA; and D. N. Yarger and D. Herzmann
Several interactive severe weather activities have been developed at Iowa State University to motive student learning about the larger-scale weather patterns causing severe weather and the storm-scale processes themselves. A primary component of these activities is a web-based severe weather forecasting contest using archived meteorological data. The contest provides numerous links that allow students to investigate weather parameters and processes as they forecast the occurrence of flash flooding, severe weather, tornados, blizzards and hurricanes.
A wide range of student involvement has already occurred, with participation in the activities by 5th grade students, non-major meteorology students and senior undergraduate meteorology majors. An ongoing companion project will add a virtual tornadic supercell thunderstorm to the learning activities. A common theme of all of the severe weather activities is a design that motivates students to learn more. The virtual tornadic storm, for instance, will provide students with an experience somewhat like, although superior to, a storm chase. Students will be able to navigate around the storm and observe visually the differences caused by different dynamical and physical processes.
Session 5, University Educational Initiatives: Part II
Tuesday, 11 January 2000, 2:15 PM-4:00 PM
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