(Created by Twine)
Author: EDCI 337 Group G (Jinyi Guo, Yicheng Jin, Yudan Zhang, Xinghan Wang)
Overview
The topic of this course is to understand the water cycle in the earth system. Water cycle is the most basic process to maintain the development of life in the earth system. From the weather change to the development of the ecosystem, it is closely related to people’s life. This course will explore the basic process of water cycle, the role of water cycle on the ecosystem, and the principle of water cycle, and how people can protect the natural environment. To improve course engagement, the course will include a presentation video, and a quiz.
Lesson Objectives
After the course, students will be able to:
1 Describe water cycle processes: be able to illustrate the key processes of the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, surface runoff, and plant transpiration.
2 Explain the water cycle: be able to use a visual method (hand drawing or software drawing, etc.) to describe the process of the water cycle and the physical changes in each process.
3 Explain the relationship between the water cycle and climate change: be able to explain how the process of the water cycle regulates climate change and the impact of the water cycle on climate change. (It has an important impact on the earth’s climate change by regulating precipitation distribution, ocean circulation and energy balance).
4 Demonstrate Ecosystem Impacts: be able to explain how the water cycle affects ecosystems, with a special focus on wetlands, rivers, and lakes. Recognize the importance of water resources to the sustainability of these ecosystems.
5 Assess ecosystem dependence on water resources: be able to analyze how changes in the water cycle affect ecosystem health and function.
Read/Watch
1.How does rain form? What is the water cycle?
This animated video explains how rain forms and explains how rainfall, evaporation and condensation all form part of the water cycle.
Find out more about rain and clouds at http://bit.ly/1gGcoyp
2 Oki, T., Entekhabi, D., & Harrold, T. I. (1999). The global water cycle. Global energy and water cycles, 10, 27.
Content
To enable students to prepare for the course, other content needs to be prepared, including:
Water cycle simulation device based on alcohol lamp heating
Enrich map and information plots illustrating the entire process and phase of the water cycle
News reports related to the water cycle (acid rain, drought, rainstorm, extreme weather, etc.)
Discussion topic about the water cycle process around you
Application
1 By learning this course, students are able to identify the processes and stages related to the water cycle in their life, and to provide examples and sustainable solutions to the water cycle disruption.
2 Be able to simulate those conditions in a virtual lab can affect the water cycle.
3 Be able to fully describe the process of the water cycle, and also give some examples of the effects of the water cycle in life.
4 Be able to clearly describe the physical changes at each stage of the water cycle, and what form the water changes from to what form at this stage.
5 Be able to draw the process of water cycle, including the process of each cycle, physical changes in this process, possible impacts, etc.
Reflection
In order to promote the learning process and improve their participation in the learning process, students need to participate in reflective activities after the course, such as publishing their own learning reflection in the course in an online student forum and participating in the discussion.
Complete about 400 words of written reflection content, explaining my own understanding of the water cycle process and the impact of the water cycle on the daily environment.
To Do This Week
1 Experiential learning: participate in simulated experiments about the water cycle, such as using an alcohol lamp to evaporate water and then condense it on a glass plate. When experimental conditions are limited, mathematical models or physical models can be used to enhance the understanding of water cycle process simulation.
2 Field trips or outdoor activities: If possible, visit natural water bodies such as lakes or rivers, and observe plants and their transpiration in the natural environment. These trips will help you understand the characteristics of the water cycle.
3 Lectures and quiz: complete required reading and videos, those theoretical knowledge about water cycle processes can be conveyed through those readings. This includes explaining concepts such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, surface runoff, and transpiration, after this, finish the quiz on water cycle at the bottom, if you pay attention to the material. you will easily score 80% or above.
4 Participate in class discussion: it will Provide you with opportunities to discuss observations, findings, and ideas about the water cycle. This also encourages critical thinking and application of learned concepts.
Class Quiz
Discuss how each member has contributed to the project?
Our group G had an online meeting and then we decided to conduct further exploration into the water cycle topic because we all agree it’s meaningful as educational purpose, Yicheng did a great job on his assignment 2: learning purpose video, so he is response for the video recording and reflection writing including why we choose this media and how do we connect the theories, principles we studied this term, it really took him some time to record the video, we really appreciate that. Yudan and Xinghan are response for other tools that we used in the project such as H5P and Twine, they also write a reflection about why we choose this, I was response to communicate with them and combine each group members’ work into an integrated project, I revised my lesson plan according to the feedback received on blog final review and then confirmed with my group members to finalize the version. I also find some other resources to help them better understand the topic and write a reflection on why I choose those medias. It was great to work with my group members, things become easily when everyone in your group cares about their performances.
Identify which media you created and with which tools, also Identify the principles, theories and techniques that we studied this term that you have followed in your lesson.
During the course production process, I used a variety of multimedia tools to create. First, I created detailed Leaning purpose video about the water cycle. This Leaning purpose video included text content, pictures and charts. This kind of media information is helpful for learners to master the learning content. The Leaning purpose video I completed using a video production platform and an audio recording platform. During this process, I produced a process about the water cycle using small water droplets as the first perspective. During the production process, I used media from some scientific papers and science popularization videos to ensure the scientific nature of the entire course. In addition to this, I also created some medias, including images of small water droplets, and animations of the water cycle process. These media are very valuable for the scientific explanation of course content and the interest of the course. Dive deep into my video, I used the redundancy concept, showing the same important information more than once, to help students grasp water circulation. Students’ retention and application of knowledge are improved, and their grasp of the course material is strengthened. I also carefully considered Mayer’s multimedia learning concepts and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) criteria when making this film in order to create a welcoming and productive learning environment. I divided the repair process into manageable portions using Mayer’s Segmenting Principle to allow students to take their time learning the content. Because it prevents information overload and caters to the individual needs of each learner, this technique has several advantages. I made sure that the video had no irrelevant content and focused solely on what was required to keep it understandable and prevent cognitive overload, following to Mayer’s Coherence Principle. I followed Mayer’s Signaling Principle too, which calls for employing clear and succinct verbal cues to lead viewers through each stage of the repair process in order to improve comprehension and memory. In accordance with Mayer’s theories of spatial and temporal continuity, examples were incorporated to make sure that the learners’ visual and aural channels were used. The close synchronization of the verbal instructions with the visual examples allowed for a synchronized learning experience. I also used Mayer’s Spatial and Temporal Contiguity principles by keeping text and images together and presenting images and text next to each other on screen rather than one at a time. Additionally, by providing a variety of representation and participation options, the video exemplifies the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). To accommodate different learning styles and needs, I included vocal instructions, captions, and demonstrations to make the topic accessible to everyone.
I also Using Twine as a media tool, I developed an interactive educational game about water circulation. With the help of this interactive game, students may observe and evaluate outcomes in accordance with their own expectations and make rational decisions based on their individual learning requirements. Students may learn more about the intricate workings of the water cycle, the physical changes that occur at each stage, and the effects on the natural surroundings by participating in an interactive gaming process. I consider Cognitive load theory we studied this term, which highlights the cognitive stress that students experience while studying, into my game design. I made sure that students could better comprehend and manage the several facets of water circulation by breaking up the knowledge into manageable chunks and preventing information overload. I made full use of Twine’s multimedia features, which include elements like text, audio, and images, to present information in multiple sensory ways and help students gain a more thorough understanding of various aspects of water circulation. All of this was done while adhering to multimedia and modality principles. By implementing these concepts comprehensively, teaching games aligns with cognitive learning principles and enhances students’ comprehension and application of water cycle information.
I also used the HP5 plug-in on the WordPress platform to create an interactive learning exam. After completing the learning content, students need to participate in a Quiz. This quiz is an interactive learning plug-in. If they fail, they need to retake the exam until they obtain a passing score. In the process of practice and use, I found that interactive plug-ins can greatly increase students’ interest in the course, and they will take the learning content more seriously in order to achieve good results.
At last, I have completely utilized the notion of cognitive load to create a comprehensive WordPress learning platform for my course. Based on this approach, I make sure that learning does not place an undue cognitive load on students. Through astute division of the instructional materials, I facilitate students’ comprehension and assimilation of information on water circulation. I consider the idea of redundancy in the learning platform design to reinforce students’ comprehension of water circulation by repeating crucial facts. Students’ retention and application of knowledge are improved, and their grasp of the course material is strengthened. Learning systems completely integrate multimedia and modality concepts. By reading learning materials, viewing instructional films, or having critical conversations with other students, students may study a variety of topics. This learning strategy helps students better comprehend the water cycle and fulfills their different learning needs.
Identify which media you included from other sources and why you chose it?
In my Water Cycle course, I chose some media information from websites. The choices were scientific and carefully considered, and I chose images describing the various processes of the water cycle on the water cycle. The choice of this image is to ensure the scientificity and accuracy of the course, and also to use a visual method to let my students better understand the course content I want to tell.
In addition, I inserted some animated images in the video to complete the illustrations. The visual elements they provide can help me explain the entire process of the water cycle to students. It makes originally abstract concepts clearer and more concrete. For example, pictures are used to show how water droplets evaporate under the sunlight and how water vapor turns into water vapor. The descriptions of these pictures help my students better understand the physical changes that occur at different stages of the water cycle.
The visual aspects not only help me explain the complete process of water circulation to pupils, but also conform to the principles of spatial and temporal consistency and coherence, making the initially abstract concepts clearer and more apparent.
These pictures create an organic connection between the different phases of the water cycle by utilizing the concepts of spatial and temporal continuity to create a cohesive whole. By looking at pictures, students can simply follow the path of water as it moves through space and time, which helps them to comprehend the dynamic process of water circulation. In the meantime, these pictures also follow the coherence principle, which guarantees the information’s logic and consistency. Every picture illustrates how water changes from one state to another and is intimately tied to the next. Students can more easily comprehend the physical changes in the water cycle because to its logical coherence, which prevents interruptions and confusion throughout the information transfer process. As a result, by adhering to the concepts of spatial and temporal continuity and coherence, these visual components give students a more structured and understandable learning experience about the water cycle. They guarantee that students have a greater comprehension of the physical changes that take place at various phases of the water cycle in addition to helping to concretize abstract concepts.
My main purpose in choosing to use these external media is to enrich the content of my courses and stimulate students’ curiosity. References to professional materials allow me to provide students with scientific explanations and a good academic experience.
References
1.Oki, T., Entekhabi, D., & Harrold, T. I. (1999). The global water cycle. Global energy and water cycles, 10, 27.
2.Mitchell, V. G., Mein, R. G., & McMahon, T. A. (2001). Modelling the urban water cycle. Environmental modelling & software, 16(7), 615-629.
3.https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/freshwater/water-cycle
4.https://www.britannica.com/science/water-cycle
6 Douville, H., Raghavan, K., Renwick, J., Allan, R. P., Arias, P. A., Barlow, M., … & Zolina, O. (2021). Water cycle changes.
7 Huntington, T. G. (2006). Evidence for intensification of the global water cycle: Review and synthesis. Journal of Hydrology, 319(1-4), 83-95.
8 Oki, T., Entekhabi, D., & Harrold, T. I. (1999). The global water cycle. Global energy and water cycles, 10, 27.
9 Mitchell, V. G., Mein, R. G., & McMahon, T. A. (2001). Modelling the urban water cycle. Environmental modelling & software, 16(7), 615-629.
10 Bengtsson, L. (2010). The global atmospheric water cycle. Environmental Research Letters, 5(2), 025202.
11 Bar, V. (1989). Children’s Views about the Water Cycle. Science education, 73(4), 481-500.
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