The initiation of changes in undergraduate education from a teacher-centered paradigm to a learner-centered one requires increased hands-on, exploratory, experiential activities. This is especially true for spatial and cartographic learning. This project is supporting such activities in undergraduate geography education through the use of remote-sensing and analytical cartographic techniques. The ENVISAGE project is accomplishing these goals by allowing students to experience and explore geographic processes in a semi-immersive, 3-D stereo visualization environment. The Department of Geography has seen a large increase in the number of undergraduate majors (from 30 to 140) during the past several years. A recent initiative on geographic information systems (GIS) and geo-spatial technologies includes a new GIS instructional laboratory. The ENVISAGE project is expanding on this initiative and allowing students to explore innovative approaches to environmental visualization and analysis in a classroom setting. The ImmersaDesk systems allow interaction with 3-D stereo images by an instructor and small groups of students, bringing technology that has been effective in scientific research and industrial development into a learning environment. ENVISAGE is contributing significant content to several core courses and providing a bridge from current GIS practice to understanding through immersion. It is demonstrating the value of advanced technology for education through measurable changes in student learning, enrollment, and evaluations. *
