RESULTS OF CONVERTING A TRADITIONAL COURSE IN INTRODUCTORY HYDROGEOLOGY TO A MULTIMEDIA FORMAT

A second-year hydrogeology course was revitalized by converting it to a multimedia format. The course was originally presented in a traditional format: overheads and chalk for lectures; paper-based quizzes; and, pen-and-paper and calculators for assignments. Lectures were converted to PowerPoint presentations, with redrawn figures and animations. On-line quizzes were developed using the WebCT platform for interactive evaluation and learning. And, the extensive use of spreadsheets was introduced for solving assignment questions. Relevant background material from the physical, chemical and mathematical sciences was developed, along with numerous worked examples. The examples include applied spreadsheets that reinforce lecture and assignment concepts. Furthermore, the entire course content was made available electronically, in a variety of formats, with links to the supplemental material, examples and animations. Finally, use of the class conferencing, e-mail and mark-viewing capabilities in WebCT was encouraged.

Initial response to the change in format ranged from hostile to lukewarm, with some enthusiasm; however, with fine-tuning of material and its implementation and delivery, both the students and the instructor became comfortable with, and accepting of, the new multimedia format over the course of three years. Results of surveys and evaluations indicate that most students now embrace the introduction of relevant technology to the classroom. Most enjoy the PowerPoint lecture format if it is interspersed with interactive examples on the whiteboard. The required use of spreadsheets for assignments is often frustrating for students; however, they soon develop the necessary skills. On-line quizzes are not popular. Supplementary material is not accessed as frequently as was hoped by the instructor. Links to external sites are rarely used. Marks are frequently consulted.

The initial implementation, within a timeframe of one academic year, was only possible with the assistance of a full-time technician for more than eight months. In subsequent terms it has become apparent that it is necessary to develop a rigid directory and file structure, and scripting tools, to manage and manipulate the files associated with the course.