Though technology has greatly improved meteorologists' capability to forecast weather phenomena, understanding the steps required to create forecasting software is essential for today's meteorologists. Professor Knight has created an innovative component to his course which allows students the opportunity to develop software designing skills, instead of just using it, that will undoubtedly help them in the professional world. Meteorology 415 is a senior and graduate-level course which often helps students determine which part of the field of meteorology they will look to begin their working career.
Students use work-stations to complete daily weather forecasting assignments.
By nature, this course requires teamwork and thoughtful problem-solving. In the second phase, building on what they learned in their individual projects, teams of two or three students construct a thought diagram with decision trees to assist them in understanding the factors involved in more complex forecast issues. Though forcing students to employ the logic they have learned about forecasting, this project requires that the teams use creativity in designing their module and then presenting it to the class. The modules are then tested with a detailed explanation. Instead of simply navigating existing software, students who understand the steps to arrive at forecasting modules clearly have a better understanding of the relevant concepts.