Transcript Development of a WWW Site for Introduction to Air

INTRODUCTION OF PROJECTS TO IMPROVE
INTREACTION IN AN ONLINE DISPERSION
AND RISK MODELING COURSE
http://homepages.utoledo.edu/aprg/courses/dm/emiss-first.html
By:
Ashok Kumar,
Gopi Manne, and
Somik Ghose
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH 43606
Challenge
• To teach the ever CHANGING and GROWING
information in the Dispersion and Risk Modeling
(3 credit-hour) course.
• To offer a successful online course while
offsetting the disadvantage of the students not
being physically present in the classroom.
• Developing the material on the course website so
as to remove the necessity of a textbook.
Solution
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Creation of a WWW course site
Use of WebCT
Supplement to Class Room LECTURES
Introducing weekly projects to be done on
an individual basis
• Links to other Internet sites
• Use of spreadsheets, JAVA applets and
software
Development of Web Site
• Design
– Determine students’ needs
– Establish course objectives
– Flexibility to incorporate changes
based on student feedback
• Development
– Create content outline
– Review existing material
– Organize and develop content
• Evaluation
– Review the material developed
– Feedback from students
– Number of hits per month
• Revision
– Revise the material developed
• Maintenance
- Ensure proper functionality of all components of the
Website
Instructional Development Process
Design
•Determine needs
•Establish course objectives
•Incorporate changes
Revision
•Revise the material
developed
Development
•Create content outline
•Review existing material
•Organize and develop content
Maintenance
•Ensure proper functionality
of all components
Outcome Measurement/ Success
•Number of hits/month
Evaluation
•Review the material developed
Contents of Web Site
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Syllabus
Summary of classroom lectures
Classroom slide presentations
Assignments
Weekly projects
Sample test questions
Links to other sites
Software and spreadsheets for use
Mechanism for Feedback from students
Software used by the students
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SCREEN
ERATE
AERMOD (Educational version)
ERC
MOBILE5a
Risk spreadsheet
Aerosol deposition JAVA applet
Note: Except for SCREEN all the other above listed
software were developed by the Air Pollution Research
Group (APRG), University of Toledo
SCREEN
• Screening tool for air quality studies
• Developed by the USEPA
• Used by the students to solve Air Quality
Assessment problems
• Available for download at the USEPA’s Web
site (www.epa.gov)
ERATE
• This is an emission rate modeling software
• This helps the student to calculate emission
rate from accidental releases
• Used by the students in solving assignments
and projects
• Available for purchase from the A&WMA
bookstore (www.awma.org)
AERMOD
Educational Version 1.0.0
• Based on the USEPA’s AERMOD
• It is a user friendly software
• Imparts basic understanding of AERMOD to the
students
• User’s manual and case studies are also provided
along with the software
• Used in solving dispersion modeling problems
• Download from
http://www.eng.utoledo.edu/~akumar/Models/AE
RMOD/EDUAERMOD.HTML
ERC
• Emission Reduction Calculator
• A easy-to-use tool that helps in computing
the reduction of emissions from energy
conservation projects
• Available for free download at
www.p2tools.utoledo.edu
MOBILE5a
• A user friendly GUI of the USEPA’s
MOBILE6 software
• Used to calculate emission factors from
vehicular traffic
• Used by the students in class projects
• Available for free download at
http://homepages.utoledo.edu/aprg/courses/
dm/MOBILE5A/mobile5a.htm
Risk spreadsheet
• Used to compute risk from emissions from any
industrial project
• Ability to input risk parameters for each chemical
• Considers all the three entry routes of exposure
• Based on the California’s Hot Spot regulatory
program
• Available for download at
http://homepages.utoledo.edu/aprg/courses/
dm/risk/risk.xls
Aerosol Deposition JAVA applet
• Computes the amount of particulate
deposition in various regions of the human
lungs
• Available online at
http://www.eng.utoledo.edu/~akumar/IAP1/
mainpage.htm
• Allows the input for particulate size
distribution
Purpose of Weekly Projects
• Intended to expose the students to the
material in the subject
• Designed to make students apply the
material learnt in the previous week
• Extremely helpful in giving the students a
hands-on learning experience and develop
aptitude for solving real life problems
Purpose of Weekly Projects
• Require the students to make extensive use
of the Web and familiarize them with
various Web sites and other available
information
• Learn to search for specific software from
different Web sites, download, and run.
Project 1
You are required to go to the USEPA site. Look
for the section on Air Quality Models. Choose any
one model. You need to study the appropriate
documentation on the model. Make a list of all the
input data required to run the model. You could
not use SCREEN or TSCREEN for this exercise.
• Aimed at familiarizing the students
with Air Quality Models, their User’s
manuals, and input data requirements
which is a major part in modeling.
Project 2
This week you are going to visit the USEPA site and
Ohio EPA site. You will spend about 1 to 2 hours
reviewing the sites for material related to: (1)
Available Air Quality Models, (2) Available DRM
related data, (3) Summary of health effects and
health standards related to the chemicals being
monitored around WTC site.
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Aimed at familiarizing the students
with the very important EPA website
and search for information.
Project 3
This project is based on the reference book. In this project
you are required to collect data on three accidents and run
the ERATE program given in the reference book. You are
required to compare your results with real data observed
during the accident. Prepare a nice report discussing the
accident, input data, model, and results. Avoid using the
accidents used in the book.
• This project is to ensure that the students can
perform emission rate calculations due to
accidental releases and also compare their
results with actual data in order to appreciate
the limitations of modeling.
Project 4
You are required to visit EPA site and look for
monitoring data being collected around the WTC
site. Please start gathering the air quality data,
health standards and number of violations for
each chemical. Can you justify the complaints of
the residents living around the WTC site? Using
the worst case, compute the source rate using a
Gaussian Model for any two chemicals. Feel free
to make assumptions.
• This project is aimed to familiarize students
with data monitoring, data collection, health
standards, local and federal regulations, and
public complaints.
Project 5
This week you will study the plumes coming out of a
volcano. Every year we hear about volcanic eruptions.
Pick up a volcano in any country. Gather the data for
performing the plume calculations during an active stage
of the volcano. You may have to search for some
information and you may want to assume the rest of the
information. Compute the calculations for the maximum
rise of the volcanic plume. Comment on the results based
on available photographs or information during volcanic
eruption.
• Aimed at familiarizing students with plume
rise calculations. Students are encouraged to
make realistic engineering assumptions.
Projects 6 and 7
This week you are going to go over the AERMOD computer
program. If you go on to the site under DRM course, you
will find a PowerPoint presentation. You will download the
software and PowerPoint presentation. Try to run the
software. You can also read the documentation from the EPA
site. Report your experience.
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Helps students get accustomed with a
complex software and the procedure to run.
Project 8
Visit www.eng.utoledo.edu/~akumar/Health Effects.htm.
This week you will use a software to look at the risk due to
inhalation of particles. Frame a problem and use the JAVA
applet on the site. State your conclusions.
• This project aims at introducing custom
made online software to the students. This
also imparts the basics of particulate
deposition in human lungs. It also calculates
the amount of particulate matter deposited
in different regions of the human lungs.
Project 9
This week you are going to the USEPA site to look at air
quality models. You have used SCREEN model from this
site for this course. Choose a model that you have not
used. Submit input and output. Also, include your
experience in using the site and software.
• This project helps students to get
familiarity with other air quality
modeling tools. Also learn about input
data and different scenarios
encountered while modeling.
Projects 10 and 11
This week you are going to search the Web for risk
assessment software. Your job is as follows: 1. List five
available risk assessment or related software. 2.Use one
risk software (demo or free) with some data. Discuss your
experience and submit the results.
• The students learn about different risk
software available in the market. They also
run the model and get a feel for the results.
Software/tools used for
developing the Web Site
• Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
– Platform-independent
– Structured text
• Netscape Navigator/ MS Explorer
• Scanner
– Scan existing documents
• Corel Web Graphics Suite
– Graphic designing and bitmap editing
• WebCT
Feedback from students
• Feedback forms
– Well thought and exhaustive
• E-mails to the Webmaster
– Prompt response to any e-mail regarding the Web site
• Threaded E-mails on WebCT
– The threaded e-mails are an effective interactive technique that
offers the benefits of attending a classroom without actually
attending one
Questions
• Is teaching presenting only?
• Is watching learning?
Implementation on the Internet
• Dl.utoledo.edu
– Good studying aids
– Excellent response system
• http://www.utoledo.edu/~aprg/
– Benchmark for air pollution information
– Well maintained
– Easy browsing and navigation
Organization of Web Site
• Attractive Opening Web Page
– Compelling design and visuals
– Design for different platforms
• Organized Web Site
– Hierarchy of information established
– Hyperlinks provided
• Interactive Web Site
– Ensures student contribution
Limitations
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Time available
Computer Resources
Copyright problems
Issue of faculty time:
development & interaction
Academic work to produce one
hour of student learning
Hours of Academic Effort
Media
2-10
Lecturing
1-10
Small group teaching
3-10
Videotaped lectures
50-100
Teaching Text (Book)
100
Broadcast Television
200
Computer-aided learning
300
Interactive video
Source : Syllabus, May 1998
Online Courses Vs. Classroom
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Classes
Academic credit
Faculty
Other students
Campus
Library
Other facilities
Online
Classroom
Impact of Web Site
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Improves Accessibility of AP information
Improves Availability of information : 24-hrs a day
Improves learning experience
Fosters informed air pollution control decisionmaking in users
Heightens awareness of environmental concerns
Promotes distance learning
Encourages others to develop course sites
Assists in rectifying deficiencies in students
Future Development
• Amount and organization of
information expanded
• Introduction of dynamic multimedia
technology
• Development of CD-ROM for the
courses