The Weather Visualizer: a Java tool for interactive learning

The challenge of providing interactive educational resources via the Internet is growing. A great number of Web servers provide access to static products (images and text), providing very little interactivity for students. In an effort to address this need, the CoVis-Horizon group at UIUC has developed the Weather Visualizer, a web-based visualization tool that allows users to generate customized images real-time and archived weather data. Hypermedia instructional pages provide valuable content materials, introducing the meteorological features available in the Weather Visualizer while equipping the student with the knowledge necessary for correct interpretation the images themselves. The authors hope that the Weather Visualizer will become a valuable tool in the creation of an interactive learning environment, both inside and out of the classroom. Java development of the Weather Visualizer will allow students to actively work with the weather data, instantly adding or removing data fields with a click of a button, promoting an effective and efficient use of the Web in a classroom setting. Much of this can be accomplished without having to repeatedly go over the network and thus reduces the load on the server itself, allowing it to provide weather data to a much larger audience.