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An Internet based education resource system is being developed in environmental management. The system is based on the provision of world wide web pages produced in HTML (hyper text markup language). These pages contain standard information which would normally be provided as paper handouts such as course details and administrative arrangements, lecture and practical materials, and bibliographic listings. The quality and nature of this information far exceeds that of paper copy; eg. colour reproduction of figures and diagrams, more detailed 3-D images, short video and audio segments and interactive testing of algorithms and methodologies.Additional resources to be provided by this system include questionnaire - feedback systems and Internet links. Internet links to related web sites across the world will allow students to follow particular paths of inquiry; while access to search engines, newsgroups and industry sites allows for individual investigation and interaction. Automated problem solving exercises and FAQs (frequently asked questions) provide flexibility and more freedom of staff time. The system is easily and instantly updatable.
By using the Internet as a delivery system, educational institutions can target a diversity of student audiences with the one system (eg. internal versus external, Macintosh versus PC users. etc). Issues regarding information security and using the web for student assessment are yet to be explored though the potential is self evident. This system will be trialled for the first time in 1996.
The Internet had its origins in computer-based communication links established between academic institutions. Its very foundations lie in education and research. From these origins the Internet has rapidly pervaded many aspects of peoples lives. Its presence can be detected (to varying degrees) in business, personal, cultural, entertainment, technological and academic spheres. Despite its origins and growth, the Internet has not been adopted as a primary delivery tool at any educational level. Beyond plans to make the Internet available to students by purchasing hardware and arranging access; most governments and institutions are not actively producing educational packages designed specifically for delivery by the Internet (Collis 1994, Schrum 1995). This paper details the implementation of an Internet delivery of a tertiary unit in environmental management.
The benefits of an Internet site for data display are numerous. Coloured and animated graphics are of much greater educational value than photocopied images. Similarly in some academic areas, digital presentation of information may be the only appropriate avenue (eg for sound). Student exploration can be encouraged by the development of interactive pages where student input elicits a specific response from the site (eg. a computer analysis of a species relationships to environmental factors).
Practical components may be more difficult or impossible to implement by computer. In field or laboratory based practicals, the Internet can provide a mechanism of distributing results to and among students for project write-up. If Internet delivery of a unit is considered important (eg to external students), the unit may need to be restructured. This is often not critical as externalisation of a unit tends to equate with restructuring.
As is the case with many computer endeavours, a tight rein needs to be kept on the extent of the project. The requirements of the Internet site must be clearly stated or much time and effort will be lost in the production of a poor implementation. Similarly page layout and content should be determined early and a constancy of format maintained at the site.
http://www.cowan.edu.au/SCI3154.html
SCI3154 "Environmental Spatial Information Systems" is a third year unit in the Bachelor of Environmental Management at Edith Cowan University. The unit introduces students to computer based analysis of spatial data, cartography and environmental modelling, amongst other things. The unit is delivered over 13 weeks and includes lectures, tutorials on computer software and student project work. It is due for externalisation in the next year and is thus an ideal candidate for Internet delivery.
The plan for Internet implementation is both sequential, in that lectures, tutorials, etc, will be added as they are presented, and evolutionary as improvements and errors become apparent and changes made. In the first place, the Internet pages are an adjunct to the internal unit. Stages in the implementation are shown below.
| Stage 1. | Unit Contents and Administration Matters (Introductory page and the "What's New" page), |
| Stage 2. | Lecture Content, Supplementary Materials (pages either tightly bound to individual lectures, tutorials etc., or presented by subject matter), |
| Stage 3. | Subject Links across the Internet (relevant sites for student exploration added), |
| Stage 4. | Interactivity Components (email, test questions, feedback, student assessment, simulations, student investigations, etc). |
The complete implementation will be available on disk or by download. The first implementation will be finalised by 1 July 1996. One of the major concerns of the implementation is that copyright infringements do not occur and that software piracy laws are observed.
Laws, R. (1996). Distance learning's explosion on the Internet. J. Comput. Educ. 7:48-64.
Schrum, L. (1995). Educators and the Internet: A case study of professional development. Computers Educ. 24: 221-228.
| Author: Dr Stephen Connell Department of Environmental Management Edith Cowan University, Australia Email: S.Connell@cowan.edu.au Fax: + 61 9 400 5717 Please cite as: Connell, S. (1996). Internet strategies in environmental education. Different Approaches: Theory and Practice in Higher Education. Proceedings HERDSA Conference 1996. Perth, Western Australia, 8-12 July. http://www.herdsa.org.au/confs/1996/connell.html |