The theme of this year’s World Meteorological Day (23 March) was “Weather and Climate: Engaging Youth”, providing a perfect opportunity for EUMETSAT – the European operational satellite agency for monitoring weather, climate and the environment – to launch their youth education web site, the Learning Zone.
From the first glance the website is clean and easy to navigate, with a modern style, colour coding and a responsive interface. The design itself is fun and youthful without being patronising, perfect for the most difficult of audiences – teenagers.
The website has been neatly separated into five topics: spacecraft, weather, climate, atmosphere and oceans. Each section contains detailed information about the roles of advanced weather, ocean and climate monitoring satellites, which range from collecting observations for forecasting weather and ocean circulation, to monitoring air quality over cities, tracking volcanic ash or Saharan dust storms and even monitoring rising sea levels.
Despite EUMETSAT stating that the website is aimed at 12-18 year olds, according to several online readability tests the information provided is suitable for an audience closer to 21 years.
However, the online tests don’t take into account the fact that the text is generously accessorised with a stimulating mix of visualizations, infographics, simulations, satellite images, videos and more.
Each section is enriched with dozens of links providing further information on many topics and objects, and any jargon is defined. The pièce de résistance however, has to be the fantastic interactive satellite schematics in the Spacecraft section, detailing every instrument aboard the satellite, what they do and how the work.
EUMETSAT has stated that the website will be regularly updated by a member of their team, in the style of a blog, include posts about the satellites, the data they collect and the day-to-day job of operating them.
The major downfall of this website is the lack of educational materials beyond information; the addition of other educational media such as quizzes, interactive games, activity guides, downloadable presentations etc. would ensure that users keep coming back.
That said, the web site has been self-defined by EUMETSAT as a ‘homework hub’, providing links to other educational resources such as the National Weather Service’s teaching portal.
Overall the web site is attractive, easy-to-use and employs a broad range of modern media. Putting aside a lack of educational resources, The Learning Zone is brimming with interesting and educational information, written at just the right level for the target age range. Visit the web site here.
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