| Product Name: |
Geology of Australia |
| Level: |
a Year 12 class/ First Year Tertiary |
| Platform: |
PC - Windows® |
| Supplied Information: |
A comprehensive introduction to the Earth Sciences. Text and full colour graphics, hypertext links and searches across subjects.
Minerals: A database of over 250 minerals, including their properties and colour images, and ideal for fossickers trying to identify a "find". Extensive descriptions with pictures, sound and video on key primary resources in Australia.
Earthquakes and Mineral Deposits. A database of earthquakes (over 3500) in and around Australia since 1900 - select time period, magnitude, depth and locate the earthquakes which meet the criteria. Count how many have occurred in a selected geographical area. Also a database of key mineral deposits across Australia. Select which type of deposit and locate site on maps.
Guide to the Geology of Australia. Comprehensive description of over 80 major blocks and basins across Australia, with maps showing locations.
Atlas of Earth Sciences of Australia. 19 large scale map images of Australia, showing different facets of Australia's geology, together with authoritative descriptions. Select an area, flip from map to map, zoom in and out.
Geological Time. A comprehensive description of each geological era and maps showing the geological environment in Australia at that time. Animation of the movement of continental land masses over the last 600 million years, with projections 200 million years into the future.
Geological & Topographical Maps. Seamless topographical map (scale 1:10m, and 1:250k for capital cities) and geological maps (1:2.5m) covering the whole of Australia. Zoom in and out at will, flip from topographic to geological map. Locate faults, rivers, lakes and other features. |
| Possible Use: |
This product is suitable for a Year 12 class/ First Year Tertiary courses for use by students without supervision. |
| Price: |
$125, $295 (single network), $695 (site licence), $4 p/p |
| Review: |
Facilities and capabilities of the package: This hypermedia package consists of two CD-ROMs. The package is essentially a digital text book. The content is organised into six sections as follows: 1. Introduction to Earth Sciences 2. Minerals and Resources 3. Topographical and Geological Maps 4. Geological Time 5. Principle Geological Features 6. Geological Atlas. Each of these sections is divided into a number of subsections. For instance the introduction to Earth Sciences section is subdivided into forty-three topics each of which has a number of accessible screens ("electronic cards") which are portrayed on the computer screen as a sequence of labelled files. These can be individually selected by clicking on file labels. Most screens consist of text and images. Highlighted key words in the text can be selected for additional information. Images can be individually selected to give an expanded view of diagrams and photographs as well as additional information in the form of text notes. Navigation from one topic to another within this particular section is facilitated by scrollable text boxes listing related topics to the selected topic in view on the screen. Other sections include video, digital gazetteer and some simple interactive maps and graphics. Operational and image design varies between sections. Ease of use: Once installed the program is easy to use as it adopts a mostly conventional hypermedia approach which includes "buttons", "scroll bars", "drag bars" or "hot text" to navigate through aspects of the program. Suitability for use in teaching: This software is suitable for a self-paced, theoretical, learning program for students on introductory geology, although it does not have a stand-alone teaching and learning structure. The program has a number of additional resources such as digital Geological Atlas that may be usefully compiled into a broader teaching materials framework of a conventional course on Introductory Geology. Area of application and intended users: Clearly this program does not substitute for an Introductory Geology course that is designed as the initial part of an university undergraduate program leading to the training of professional geologists as it is not suitable for teaching students practical or field skills. However the program may be used as a part substitute for theoretical aspects of lectures on Introductory Geology. The program would be especially useful for non-professional geoscientific oriented education programs at a senior secondary school or first year university level. Coverage of material: The computer program gives an acceptable coverage of topics common to lecture programs for Introductory Geology courses, although aspects of Structural Geology are under-represented. Accuracy: The information provided in this software package is scientifically accurate. Overall evaluation: The teaching resource materials of this software are extensive and most teachers of Introductory Geology courses would find the content of these CD-ROMs a helpful adjunct to their courses. At the current price of $99.00 the product is very good value. |
|
Mark Warne, School of Earth Sciences, La Trobe University. 20/6/97 |
| |
| Supplier: |
CD Vision, 83 Beatrice St, Balgowlah Heights, NSW 2093, Australia |
|
visioncd@ozemail.com.au |
|
phone: (02) 9948 5540 |
|
fax: (02) 9948 5535 |
| Date Record Last Modified: |
20/6/97 |
