These interactive learning objects focus on concepts that cover a broad-based electromechanical program. The majority of these objects have been created for electronics, but during the next three years (until 2008), at least 300 more objects will be built that will focus on other topic areas such as hydraulics, pneumatics, mechanical design, and process control (see complete list on the left side of this page). Instructors from Fox Valley Technical College and other colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System are creating these objects. FVTC has partnered with four other colleges throughout the United States that will be contributing to this repository. The effectiveness of learning objects was demonstrated in an evaluation conducted at FVTC during the 2004-2005 academic year. A brief summary of the evaluation can be read by clicking on the Assessment button on this Home Page. These objects can also be found on the Wisc-Online digital library at www.wisconline.org. Learning objects are available to be used at no cost by teachers and students worldwide via the Internet.

San Francisco's Exploratorium showcases the work of researchers at the Natural History Museum in London and Las Cuevas Biological Station in Belize, who are investigating the nature and diversity of life. From Jungle to Lab is part of the Exploratorium's Origin Project, created to explain how scientists explore "the beginnings of the universe, of matter, of the earth, and of life itself." This well-designed Web site contains loads of multimedia features, such as a slide show of Las Cuevas (including a 360 view of the biological station), video and audio clips of researchers explaining their work, Web casts, and much more. The contents of this site are thoughtfully organized and skillfully presented. For example, the section titled Ideas appears as a virtual field notebook, each page addressing a different aspect of evolutionary mechanism for biodiversity. In all, this is a fantastic Web site that is worth a visit for design features alone, if not the enlightening content.