Visual Misconceptions: What did you mean? What did they see? How do you know?

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Visual Misconceptions What did you mean? What
did they see? How do you know?

• Michelle Hall

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Isostasy

• A supposed equality existing in vertical sections
  of the earth, whereby the weight of any column
  from the surface of the earth to a constant depth
  is approximately the same as that of any other
  column of equal area, the equilibrium being
  maintained by plastic flow of material from one
  part of the earth to another.
• NASA.gov

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Isostasy

• A state of equilibrium, resembling flotation, in
  which segments of Earth's crust float (on liquid
  mantle material) at levels determined by their
  thickness and density. Isostatic equilibrium is
  attained by flow of material in the mantle.
• isu.edu

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Isostasy

• The equilibrium maintained between the gravity
  tending to depress and the buoyancy tending to
  raise a given segment of the lithosphere as it
  floats above the asthenosphere.
• mit.edu

Modeling tool from umich.edu
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Visualizations Tell Stories

• Mantle is molten.
• If it is not molten, where does magma come from?
  How does the mantle convect?
• Mid-ocean ridges are locations of underwater
  volcanoes.
• Where do the volcanoes go as the plate moves away
  from the ridge?
• Magma is stored in large open chambers in the
  crust flows to fill in open spaces.
• If there are no magma chambers how do we create
  giant batholiths?
• Students visualize the objects but not the
  process.

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Flow in the (Fluid?) Mantle

• Conveyor belt flow model with no sense of time

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How is oceanic lithosphere formed?

• Complete melting beneath ridges
• No labeling of layers
• No temperature or density information

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Magma fills empty spaces?

• Magma intrusions causing no metamorphism of
  surrounding area
• The space problem is poorly addressed

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Visualizations Translate Data into Models
Where is the deepest seafloor?
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Applying the Research
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What causes confusion?

• Metaphors, analogies and models that get merged
  with incorrect or incomplete current and prior
  understandings?
• Ineffective / incomplete graphics?
• Poor spatial skills?
• All of the above.

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Challenges of Visualizing Earth

• Temporal and spatial scales cannot be modeled in
  a laboratory
• 99.9 of Earth is inaccessible
• Visualizing the 3-D and 4-D processes in
  traditional 2-D representations requires advanced
  spatial reasoning
• Process-oriented thinking requires fundamental
  knowledge of physics, chemistry and biology

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How do we learn?

• Goal-oriented - motivation and interest are high
• Failure driven - have identified a knowledge gap
  and need to fill it
• Case-based - draws upon previous knowledge and
  experience
• By doing - knowledge is acquired through
  interaction between the self and the world
• Brandsford et al, 2000 Piaget, 1983 Shank et
  al, 1995

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Visualizations improve learning when they

• Incorporate learner controlled manipulation of
  real or computer simulated models
• Direct the learner to observe effects of changes
  in an objects orientation on its 2D image.
• Encourage hypothesis testing about 2D and 3D
  objects
• Require externalizing mental images
• Provide practice in mentally rotating an object
• Encourage visualizing the interior of bodies
• Lord, 1985 Ben-Chaim et al, 1988
• Duesbury and ONeil, 1996 Kali and Orion, 1997

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Strengths and Weaknesses of Visual Learning

• Strengths
• Information in multiple modes improves
  comprehension
• Organization improves memory
• Complex relationships or processes can be easier
  to understand
• Weaknesses
• Simple diagrams cannot accurately convey
  complexity of process or its time scale
• Complex diagrams are too advanced for most
  learners

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Spatial Ability

• Topological - develops early
• Projective - adolescent through adult
• Euclidean - adolescent through adult

Miller Indices 111
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Developing Spatial Abilities

• Spatial skills vary with age and experience (Linn
  and Petersen, 1985)
• Spatial skills can be improved with training
  (Blade and Watson, 1955 Lord, 1985 Kali et al.,
  1996)
• Skill differences are minimized or disappear when
  time limitations on tests are removed (Linn and
  Petersen, 1985)
• Students level of spatial ability directly
  affects interpretation of a model (McClurg et
  al., 1993)

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Evaluating Spatial Skills

• Mental Rotation Test - tests projective skills
• Surface Development Test - tests Euclidean
  skills
• Kit of Factor Referenced Cognitive Tests (ETS)

MS thesis of T. Baldwin
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Methods

• Conduct pre- and post-tests of spatial skills in
  introductory courses to determine spatial
  abilities of groups and measure any changes.
• Geoscience majors had extensive laboratory
  exercises (3 hrs/week) using maps, interactive
  computer models of Earth objects and processes,
  and field trips
• Non-majors completed 8-10 hours of homework
  assignments, some with maps.

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Mental Rotation Skills
Pre-Test Post-Test
Non-majors x 6.8 sd 4.2 n 174 x 8.2 sd 5.1 n 174
Majors x 7.9 sd 5.5 n 55 x 11.0 sd 5.8 n 55
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Surface Development Skills
Pre-Test Post-Test
Non-majors x 1.6 sd 12.3 n 164 x 3.1 sd 14.1 n 164
Majors x 14.8 sd 10.9 n 48 x 18.0 sd 9.5 n 48
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Conclusion

• Analysis of spatial abilities of undergraduate
  students suggests the need to evaluate teaching
  strategies to ensure that students can interpret
  and understand visual imagery used in lectures.
• Development of visualizations would be improved
  by more focused approach to content.
• Simple viewing of visualizations is passive
  learning and likely no more effective than
  passive listening to a lecture.

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Interpretation Without Context or Culture

• Si usted pudiera predecir lo que va a pasar en el
  futuro, cuantas cosas cambiaria en su vida para
  prepararse?
• literally translates to
• If you could predict what is going to pass in the
  future, as many foreign exchange things in its
  life to be prepared?
• but means
• If you could predict the future, how many things
  would you change in your life to better prepare
  yourself?