Teaching The Practice Of Geophysics: A Prototype World Wide Web Environment For Conceptual Learning

The history of the United States has been driven by a surplus of resources (energy, materials, air,<br>water, open space). Today we are entering an era when there will no longer be more resources<br>than people. This transition from a resource-rich to a resource-limited environment is responsible<br>for many of the changes occurring within our society today, including the restructuring of industry<br>and government.<br>With regard to the earth sciences, one of the dominant issues of the 21st century will be how to<br>use a finite earth to support a burgeoning global population. We must continue to provide the raw<br>materials needed to feed, clothe, house, and provide a reasonable standard of living for all humans<br>on earth. We must learn to extract and use resources and dispose of the waste products of that<br>activity without poisoning the air we breathe and the water we drink. The quality of life of future<br>generations depends on the earth sciences being equal to this challenge.<br>A major impediment to the successful execution of these tasks is the fact that earth science has<br>evolved as a collection of loosely-related, poorly-coordinated specialties with little communication<br>or interaction between them. This has made it difficult for earth-scientists to provide the public<br>with a coherent education in the fundamentals of earth science so that they can make informed<br>choices. More importantly, it has discouraged the development of a common foundation for all<br>earth-science specialists, thus inhibiting our ability to work together to effectively solve the<br>important challenges facing us.