Using the Amazing atmosphere to Foster Student Learning and Interest in Meteorology

Abstract

To engage students in active learning, the Oceanography Department at the United States Naval Academy developed a new, not-for-course-credit training activity for its students, the Severe Weather InField Training (SWIFT). In SWIFT, 10 students and 2 faculty members traveled to the Great Plains and met with operational and research meteorologists, led daily weather discussions, made daily convective forecasts, and verified their convective forecasts by observing severe storms. Participation was solicited from sophomore- and junior-level students. SWIFT built on similar activities developed by other universities with its particular emphasis on assessing student learning and broadening awareness of both Department of Defense and civilian career opportunities in meteorology. Assessment outcomes from SWIFT indicate that students deepened their understanding of severe weather processes, were equipped to use observational and modeling data in real time, applied course content to real-world situations, became active participants in science inquiry, were introduced to a variety of meteorology career options, and increased their interest in pursuing a science-related career.