VISIT 

Training metrics for the quarter:

•  Teletraining:

23 VISIT teletraining sessions have been delivered.  There were 57 teletraining signups, 51 students participated.

• Learning Management System (LMS) audio playback modules:

•   LMS totals from January 2005 through September 25 2008: 
             

Registrations for VISIT Courses:  1935

Completions: 933

Definitions used in LMS metrics:
Registrations:  The number of students who either clicked on the course, or actually took the course, but did not complete the quiz or achieve a passing grade upon taking the quiz.  A student may have registered for multiple courses.
Completions:  The number of students that achieved a passing grade on a course.  A student may have completed multiple courses this way.

New teletraining sessions that debuted this quarter:

• “Utility of GOES Satellite Imagery in Forecasting / Nowcasting Severe Weather” by Dan Bikos (CIRA).  The training is accompanied by a post-session WES simulation exercise.   
• “Interpreting Satellite Signatures” by Scott Lindstrom and Scott Bachmeier (CIMSS).

New Training Proposal.

July 17, 2008 Bernie Connell and Jeff Braun had a conference call with Carvin Scott, Chief of the Environmental Science and Services Division (ESSD) in Alaska and Jeff Osiensky, Director of the ESSD in Alaska.  The point of this meeting was to start the development of a new training concerning Volcanic Ash (forecasting, operations, warnings, etc.).  

Ongoing development of new VISIT/SHyMet teletraining sessions:

• Development of a new training session on AWIPS OB9 satellite content, including High Density winds from the Japanese satellite and the CIRA blended TPW product (Dan Bikos)
• Development of SHyMet training topics on cloud climatology and hazard detection (Dan Bikos).
• Continuing research and gathering/producing material concerned with “The Dryline” and associated training session for the VISIT program (Jeff Braun).
• Continuing development of “Intro to Aviation Hazards/Weather” training session for the SHyMet program (Jeff Braun). 
• New development of “Volcanic Ash” training session for VISIT/SHyMet including extensive coordination with Environmental Science and Services Division (ESSD) (Jeff Braun).

Learning Management System (LMS):

• VISIT now makes use of the LMS for teletraining registration and record keeping for students.  A student hourly enters all of the students into the LMS that have attended based on an email evaluation survey that is sent out after the teletraining.

Research:

• Severe Local Storms conference – May 22, 2008 tornado outbreak in Wyoming and Colorado.  D. Lindsey (NESDIS) is collaborating with J. Braun and D. Bikos in a study focused on a satellite perspective on the May 22, 2008 tornado that affected Windsor, CO.  Title of the abstract is “An Analysis of the 22 May 2008 Windsor, Colorado, Tornado from a Satellite Perspective”.
• J. Dostalek is collaborating with J. Braun and D. Bikos in ongoing research regarding analysis of water vapor imagery in relation to “Henry’s Rule” for winter storms.

Conference presentation:

• D. Bikos attended the AMS / NWA High Plains conference in Hays, Kansas on September 4-5, 2008.  He was a co-presenter (along with Jonathan Finch – NWS Dodge City, KS) of a presentation entitled “The Colorado-Wyoming Long-Lived Tornadic Supercell of May 22, 2008”.  A publication is planned based on this presentation.

VISIT Meteorological Interpretation Blog – (http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/visit/blog/)

• Blog Statistics accumulated through September 26, 2008:
• 3716 total hits.
• There have been 28 posts within 47 categories. 
• Currently averaging about 25 hits per day.

VISIT and SHyMet Training:

The following table shows a breakdown of the metrics for each VISIT teletraining session valid April 1999 – September 25, 2008.  For a complete list and description of each VISIT session see this web-page:
http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/visit/ts.html

 (D. Bikos, J. Braun)

Return to the current RAMMB CIRA Quarterly Report