This project brings an individualized approach to science in large introductory courses for non-science and science majors through participatory geoscience laboratories. Use of the multimedia products developed to date show that this new approach produces excitement and increased comprehension. Field and laboratory data acquisition, statistical analysis, and computer modeling of complex systems, are elements throughout. The laboratories develop skills such as field and laboratory data gathering, graphical analysis, statistics of data, mathematical representation of results, map representation of information, computer modeling, synthesis and simulation of complex phenomena, and the interaction of science and society. The topics of the laboratories in this proposal include earthquakes, mass wasting, topography, surface water chemistry, and earth resources and materials. The end products of the development will be a CD-ROM and a paper laboratory manual. The multimedia components in SuperCard can be used for instruction. These modules contain extensive visual material of geologic phenomena, interactive computer models of significant physical principles, video and audio segments of geologic processes and simulation models of complex geologic problems.
