Flash Legacy Code
The UNL Astronomy Education Group has three "legacy" projects — NAAP (the Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project, simulations and associated materials), ClassAction (a peer instruction database), and Interactives (animated ranking and sorting tasks). These projects were all originally programmed in Flash (which is no longer supported on the internet, or so we thought.) We have returned all three projects to our web site supported by Ruffle.
Ruffle's emulation of Flash is not perfect, but it has gotten the point where it is good enough to be quite useful. You will see some text formatting issues in some of the older (ActionScript 2 files, about 90% of the offerings). All of the newer files (ActionScript 3 files, about 10% of the offerings) are not yet supported by Ruffle and will display a blue-screen warning (stating that they don't work). We think it likely that they will soon will be supported and have left those files in place. But note that Ruffle supported .swf files will work on ChromeBooks and on iPads (in addition to all of the other devices where Flash used to work) and can run over the internet.
However, it should be emphasized that all of these files (mentioned as problematic above) work really well in the Native Apps executables (which require installation and work only on Win and MAC computers). But note that the Native Apps will never work on ChromeBooks or on iPads nor run over the internet. Thus, parties interested in our Legacy content have choices/decisions to make.
Legacy Projects
NAAP (the Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project) — is available here. NAAP consists of full-featured simulations programmed in flash and supporting materials appropriate for use in computer labs, homework, or classroom demonstrations. Student guides for all 15 modules (each containing multiple simulations) are available in Microsoft Word format.
ClassAction (a peer instruction database) — is available here. ClassAction is a computer database of questions and feedback resources for peer instruction. Voting can be done with a personal response system, index cards, or fingers. Instructors have total flexibility in choosing questions and feedback tools based on the needs of their class. The questions are very visual (strongly based on images, diagrams, and animations), permutable (easily cast into alternate forms), and over 100 simulations are available for feedback.
Interactives (animated ranking and sorting tasks) — are available here. These animations ask students to manipulate (either order or categorize) icons that can represent astronomical objects, characteristics, events, and concepts. Students are then graded, provided feedback, given access to background information, and allowed to take another randomized version of the task. Around 80 tasks were created.
Collated Lists of Legacy Resources
List of Animation Links — All animations from NAAP and ClassAction Collated
List of ClassAction Questions — All questions from ClassAction in individual files