Paul L. Sirvatka DUE 9551536 College of Du Page FY1995 $ 305,000 Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ILI - Leadership in Laboratory Development: Geosciences Title: Creating Effective Meteorology Laboratory Modules to Improve Curriculum and Enhance Student Transition into Upper-Division Coursework The operational and research activities within the field of meteorology are undergoing unprecedented and rapid change. An effective meteorological laboratory curriculum must reflect the latest innovations and theoretical applications of the users of the science. This project is developing a lower-division undergraduate laboratory curriculum that prepares freshmen and sophomores for upper-level study, provides these students adequate time to begin learning their chosen field of study, and supplements the existing curriculum by providing a balanced and necessary foundation in understanding the tools used for meteorological study. The specific objectives of the project are to: Design lower division course work in meteorology. Create a laboratory manual consisting of computer programs and forecasting techniques to be used in lower division courses. These laboratories also are designed for maximum flexibility and expanded use in upper-division courses. Provide students with skill for an easier transition from sophomore to junior year. Encourage other community colleges to develop programs in meteorology. Encourage students who are not adept at mathematics to become interested in weather. Motivate students to take higher mathematics and physics. The project is producing approximately 20 new computer-based laboratory curriculum materials. The modules provide the foundation for the development of courses in weather analysis and forecasting and create new computer-based laboratory opportunities for existing courses in atmospheric science. The backgrounds of community college students who will benefit from the proposed project include meteorology majors, educators, aviators and people with an avid interest in meteorology. Self- paced meteorology modules encompassing new technologies with standard universal concepts allow for individualized instruction of meteorology fundamentals. The modules contain lessons in understanding numerical models, forecasting techniques and data acquisition and manipulation, are portable to different types of forecasting laboratory environments, give students an opportunity to begin to understand the broad implication of meteorology by piecing together the atmosphere's subtle nuances, and may encourage students to expand scientific literacy by taking mathematics courses that they otherwise would not have considered. With the rapid change in workforce needs, students of the future will be prepared to enter the workplace only if the evolution of educational practices parallels that of the field of study itself. The project is designed to provide such preparation to freshman and sophomore level college students with an interest in continuing their studies in meteorology at the upper division.
