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AMS Online Weather Studies Diversity Project
Strengthening participation in Online Weather Studies by minority-serving institutions. Supported by the National Science Foundation. License the course now if you would like to attend the May 2005 faculty workshop.

Online Weather Studies
by the American Meteorological Society

An introductory college course in Meteorology available
for offering by undergraduate institutions nationwide.

Now, your college can expand its science offerings by:

• Adding study in an area which makes news and impacts everyone every day.
• Presenting an online course which captures the essence of the Information Age: developing problem solving skills based on current real-world data.
• Delivering exciting learning experiences for traditional and non-traditional students at their convenience.
• Providing faculty enhancement via collegial course implementation.

Development for this course was supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation.

****Please read on for a summary of course components and learn how to implement Online Weather Studies at your institution. Use the links in the blue boxes to the upper left for more detailed information on specific components.****

At a Glance:
Course Description

Online Weather Studies covers the composition and structure of the atmosphere, the flows of energy to, from, and through the atmosphere, and the resulting motions produced from small to planetary scales.

The physical principles of atmospheric phenomena are stressed in the understanding of weather’s impact on humans, particularly with severe weather.

Methods of analysis are developed through the study of current weather as meteorological data are delivered via the Internet.

What is the course?

Online Weather Studies is an innovative, 12- to 15-week course prepared by meteorologists nationally recognized in atmospheric science education. At the instructor's option, students are introduced to Earth's atmosphere and the dynamic world of weather:

• as it happens, by working with current meteorological data delivered via the Internet and coordinated with learning investigations keyed to the day's weather;
• via study of selected archived real-world meteorological data; or
• via a combination of the foregoing approaches, where archived lessons are supplemented with current weather news and data.

How can the course be implemented?

• As a NEW institutional course offering.
• To REVISE an existing course at your institution.
• To EXPAND an existing course by adding a laboratory component.
• As the study focus of an online course, or as individual directed study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact AMS for More Details

Preview the online component of the course

The course has been designed for offering in a variety of teaching environments: by professors already teaching meteorology as well as by those who have no prior teaching experience or formal training in the atmospheric sciences.

During course implementation and instruction, collegial assistance is available from faculty members who have already offered Online Weather Studies. Also, AMS science educators will answer any questions on all aspects of course delivery and content. This course enables faculty members to expand and/or update their curriculum and join the ranks of colleagues teaching with the latest technology.

At a Glance:
Course Components

• Textbook
• Course Homepage
  • Online Investigation Archive
• Student Investigations Manual
• Faculty Resource CD and Homepage

At a Glance:
Course Components

• Textbook
• Course Homepage
  • Weekly Ocean News
  • Online Investigation Archive
• Student Investigations Manual
• Faculty Resource CD and Homepage

»Textbook - The full-color Online Weather Studies Text has each of its 15 chapters written to a weekly topic. Three of these chapters are independent of the course delivery schedule allowing a fit with your institution’s calendar. The text was written by Dr. Joseph M. Moran (AMS education program), author of several leading meteorology and environmental science textbooks at the introductory college level. Topical coverage is similar to that found in most introductory weather and climate texts.

At the instructor's option, the Online Weather Studies textbook may be used alone as part of a course offering. Textbook-only users will have access to a special Internet homepage that will deliver the Daily Weather Summary, current meteorological products, and chapter review and critical thinking questions. A license is not required for this option.

»Course Homepage - The Online Weather Studies Course Homepage delivers course learning investigations, current weather maps and data for surface and upper atmospheric conditions for the US and southern Canada, plus forecasts. Also displayed and continuously delivered, are text weather data, weather radar and visible, infrared, and water vapor satellite imagery. These meteorological data, via the US National Weather Service's National Centers for Environmental Prediction are updated hourly, 24 hours a day, and seven days a week, year-round!

The posting of real-time investigations corresponding to Chapters 1-12 follows the schedule listed below. Learning investigations for floating Chapters A, B, and C are independent of the real-time schedule. An entire archived suite* of online investigation components from two previous semesters, will be continuously available year round, allowing the course to fit any schedule.

To access the course homepage, a User Name and Password are required by all licensed students and faculty. A special site is available for all faculty considering this course offering, where the course homepage and course delivery mechanisms may be previewed. Go to the Course Homepage Preview.

• *Daily Weather Summary - Describes the current weather pattern across the country and its evolution and is an important part of the Course Homepage. For an example, follow the "Learning Files" link on the course homepage preview.
  
  The weekday summary builds on course content as the semester progresses. It is prepared by Dr. Edward J. Hopkins (University of Wisconsin - Madison), who has an extensive background in teaching meteorology.
  
  
• *Online Investigation Archive - Contains at least two complete semester suites of online components of each schedule-dependent investigation in the Student Study Guide. Based on selected past real world weather, this is an archive of online investigations which may be used as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, the real-time online investigation components presented twice weekly via the course homepage.

»Student Study Guide - Contains the first part of learning investigations (two per week), which are coordinated with the textbook chapters. Every activity provides a hands-on, lab-related learning experience. The second part of each activity is accessed via the Course Homepage and involves the analysis and interpretation of current/archived meteorological data. The Study Guide is packaged with the Online Weather Studies text.

**Please note that investigations for Chapters A, B, and C are designed for use at any point during the semester (including the beginning). These floating chapters may be used at the discretion of the instructor to bring the local course and AMS online course schedules into alignment.**

Learning investigations lead the student through the analysis and interpretation of real-world meteorological data. The current bi-weekly weather investigations are prepared by Dr. Robert S. Weinbeck (State University of New York - Brockport and AMS education program), and Dr. Ira W. Geer (Director, AMS education program). Both have extensive experience teaching introductory meteorology courses and conducting NSF- and NOAA-funded faculty and teacher enhancement projects. See investigation listing.

»Faculty Resource CD and Homepage - Contains test bank questions, textbook images, and a faculty manual. The manual includes suggestions for course implementation in a variety of settings and textbook chapter summaries and objectives.

The secure Faculty Homepage contains answer keys for all investigations and discussions of key meteorological concepts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact AMS for More Details

Preview the online component of the course

The course is offered in real time twice each school year for both Fall and Spring Semesters. An archive suite of online lessons is also available in order to fit a wide range of academic calendars.

The following is a schedule of our postings of real-time learning investigations to the Course Homepage. The online portion of that week's first Investigation (A) will be posted on Mondays (by early afternoon Eastern Time) and the second Investigation (B) will be posted on Wednesdays. Online investigations for the floating Chapters A, B, and C (which may be used at any point in the course) will be available yearround. Answer keys corresponding to the online portions of the Investigations will be posted to the faculty homepage on the same schedule (archived online components will be available yearround).

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact AMS for More Details

Preview the online component of the course

If you would like to use the entire course package, which includes the textbook, study guide, and access to our course and faculty homepages, your college will need to have a completed license on file with the AMS Education Program. If you would like to use the textbook only option, a license is not required.

With an Online Weather Studies license, your college receives:

• Online Weather Studies full course use for the semester(s) licensed
• One Faculty Resource CD and one current Text/Student Study Guide (provided AT NO EXTRA COST!)
• Instructor Access to Online Weather Studies Website and Faculty Website
• Student Access to Online Weather Studies Website for each enrolled student

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please visit our "Frequently Asked Questions" page or contact us at 1-800-824-0405.

To investigate licensing arrangements, you may either:

1. Call us toll free at 1-800-824-0405 (ask for the Online Weather Studies Coordinator)
2. Download the license order form and fax to us at 1-800-258-1176 or mail to us at
   Online Weather Studies
   American Meteorological Society
   1120 G Street, NW, Suite 800
   Washington, DC 20005
3. Send us e-mail at onlinewx@dc.ametsoc.org