Paul Morin Antarctic Geospatial Information Center University of Minnesota Stephen Reynolds School of Earth and Space Exploration Arizona State University Deep, Round, and Flat: Reaching your Inner Geek Through Visualization

If you just got rid of maps, rocks and minerals, geology would be a great course. -Student in the University of Minnesota introductory geology course

Visualization is the Primary Barrier to Entry in the Earth Sciences

Four Major Display Issues in Earth Science Visualization Depth Map Projection Real Estate Time

GeoWall Stereo Projection in the classroom, office and lab Computer hardware from Best Buy Passive stereo 20+ people at a time (220 at a time at ASU) Under $10,000 Small and Portable

Assessment: AstroWall

Lunar Phase Concept Inventory 20 multiple choice questions Covers only lunar phases Pre-test showed UT El Paso students starting at a disadvantage relative to other universities in the US

Lecture Plus GeoWall Significant improvements on: Notion of month (97% vs. 76%) CCW orbit (95% vs. 84%) Cause of phases (71% vs 52%) Eclipses (63% vs. 37%) Diff Earth locations (89% vs. 50%) Moon sets in west (66% vs. 47%) Place Moon in 2D orbit (82% vs. 46%) Month between phases (82% vs. 58%) (Turner et al 2003) Using the Lunar Phase Concept Inventory

Topics with Little or no Differences Moonrise/set times Time between different phases Frequency of a phase Rise/set direction (Turner et al 2003)

Anaglyph Maps Topography without contours No crashing Inexpensive Will work next year Can be used in the field

Student Attitudes Strongly Agree NeutralDisagreeStrongly Disagree Middle school student responses to the statement: "I learned how to understand the maps quickly." Murphy, et. al. In press

Science Museum of Minnesota Science Park

Science Museum of Minnesota 3D Theater

Science on a Sphere

Electronic Visualization Lab, UIC/Optiputer, USGS

Use Visualizations for Visual Topics, like Topographic Contours

Topographic Profiles Via Slices

Subsurface Architecture

Interaction of Layers and Topography

Reading and Interpreting 3D Geologic Maps

Reading and Interpreting Other Types of Geologic Information

Visualizations on Globes for Atmospheric/Oceanic/Climate data

More of Same

Use 3D Visualization if 3D is Essential

How Do We Use Visualizations?  In classroom (controlled by instructor)  Students use in lab  Student controlled versus automatically plays  Importance of peer discussion, multiple representations, and the “mouse effect”  Students use online without Instructor  Infused into textbooks and other instructional materials  Used during assessment

Caribbean Sea Caracas Caracas airport Landslide scars Alluvial fan a Let Students Explore Visual Data

Animas River Let Students Explore Visual Data

Implications from Cognitive and Educational Research  We have two processing systems, each with limited working memory  We use some capacity to reconcile images and words

Research Supports Integrating Text into Figures or Using Narration  Two situations  Students using imbedded text retained more and better at transfer (applying knowledge)

Research Supports Limiting Redundancy  Two situations  Figure w/ lengthy explanation  Annotated figure only  Students using only annotated figure retained more and were better at transfer

Integrating Text and Figures in Instruction, Student Learning, and Assessment

Integrating Text and Figures in a Book

Integrating Multiple Representations

Specifically Teach Students What Each Type of Representation Shows

Out of 5 possible (average of 8 classes) Class Tests of Integrated Visuals and Text

Out of 5 possible (average of 8 classes) Class Tests of Integrated Visuals and Text