Project Description

Oz Soils Project

Based on a 1997 CUTSD grant, the participants have developed 18 teaching modules for a CD-ROM based interactive multimedia program, called Oz Soils, which is integrated into the teaching curriculum of internal and external units (Soil Science 211 (internal), Soil Science 212 (external) at the University of New England, to assist students in understanding the fundamental concepts and processes of soil science.

Oz Soils is making use of interactive animations, still graphics, and text, and includes interactive self-assessment questions. The participants have invested a substantial amount of time and resources to develop the Oz Soils program. Therefore, they are very interested to investigate the effect this program has on student learning and if improvements can be made to the program design.

The project aims at evaluating the scaffolds which currently exist within the OzSoils CD-ROM by questioning the students (80) in Soils 211/212. The project evaluation plan incorporates four major processes.

1. Link pre/post test learning outcomes to skills and scaffolds of CD.
   
2. Measure student conception of how learning is facilitated by CD within the practical laboratory environment.
   
3. Measure student involvement in learning process:
   a) Use of CD
   b) Use of other strategies
   
4. Measure success in transfer to individual perception of success in learning:
   a) Compare estimate to actual unit success
   b) Link to current and potential scaffolding on CD