Paul MorinAntarctic Geospatial Information CenterUniversity of Minnesota

Stephen ReynoldsSchool of Earth and Space ExplorationArizona 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

GeoWallStereo 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

16

38

26

13

7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Per

cen

t

Topo 3D

StronglyAgree

Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree

Middle school student responses to the statement: "I learned how to understand the maps quickly."

Murphy, et. al. In press

Science Museum of MinnesotaScience 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 materialsUsed during assessment

Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea

CaracasCaracas

Caracas airportCaracas airport

Landslide Landslide scarsscars

Alluvial fanAlluvial fan

15.00.a

Let Students Explore Visual Data

Animas RiverLet Students Explore Visual Data

Implications from Cognitiveand 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)

Figure-Dominated Approach (Fall 07)

01020304050607080

Liked it muchmore

Liked itsomewhat

Did not feelone way or

another

Slightlydisliked it

Disliked itmuch more

Pe

rce

nt

N =147

Class Tests of Integrated Visuals and Text

Out of 5 possible (average of 8 classes)

Figure-Dominated ApproachInfluence Learning (Fall 07)

05

101520253035404550

Learnedmuch more

Learned alittle more

Did notaffect

learning

Learned alittle less

Learned a lotless

Pe

rce

nt

N =147

Class Tests of Integrated Visuals and Text