Abstract

Meteorology increasingly relies on visualizations but the particular contributions that multimedia's visual components make to learning are relatively unexplored. This chapter examines the basis for comprehending weather maps and how learners extract information from static and animated depictions. Meteorological knowledge deficiencies hamper learners' processing. Information extracted is superficial and fragmentary with key information in the animation neglected despite being explicitly depicted and flexibly available via user control. Inadequate processing stems from the display's perceptual characteristics. For such specialized visualizations to be effective in multimedia learning materials, they may need to be given extensive support. Implications for multimedia learning theory and instructional design practice are discussed.

What Is Multimedia Learning of Meteorology?

Multimedia approaches to the learning of meteorology are well established within the field and widely accepted internationally. This acceptance is reflected in the large-scale instructional initiatives in both the United States (the COMET Program; http://www.comet.ucar.edu/) and Europe (the EUMETCAL Program; http://eumetcal.meteo.fr/) that for some years have provided computer-based professional education and training in this domain. The multimedia materials produced under these programs combine a diverse range of visual and verbal components (including written text, narrations, static pictures, animations, and video). In recent years, technological advances in delivery systems such as Web casting have led to an increasing emphasis on dynamic and interactive forms of presentation in these materials.