iStarDB (The Astronomy Education Research Repository)
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Learning Science Through Enacted Astronomy
No full textThe Human Orrery is a representation of the Solar System at a human scale, on which positions of planets over time are symbolized by different discs. Learners can then walk along the orbits of the planets with the right pace. This pedagogical tool uses the principles of enacted cognition to promote a better understanding of the scientific laws of dynamics. Enaction assumes that cognition is based on action. Applied to pedagogy, it implies that learning of concepts must be based on gestures and perceptions first. I applied during 2 years an enacted pedagogical sequence using our Human Orrery to different populations of learners. The main purpose was the understanding of
velocity and inertia by KS4 classes (14–16 years old). Interviews and closed questions reveal a qualitative enhancement of the motivation and well-being of the learners during the enacted sequence. To evaluate further the impact of the enacted sequence, I formulated 2 open questions. The first one concerns the relation between distance, duration, and velocity through the period of planets. The second one focuses on inertia and gravity through the comparison of the free fall of an apple on Earth and the orbit of the Moon around Earth. The questions were asked to KS4 pupils after the enacted
sequence (experimental classes) and to KS4, undergraduate and pre-teachers after a classical lecture on dynamics (demonstration classes). Quantitative analysis of the
answers reveals specific cognitive insight, especially for students reasoning about velocity and trajectories. The general purpose of this paper is thus to illustrate the use of the Human Orrery in the context of science education in the classroom and to make a first, preliminary demonstration of its efficiency
From Conceptual Frameworks To Mental Models For Astronomy: Students' Perceptions
No full textConsiderable debate exists among discipline-based astronomy education researchers about how students change their perceptions in science and astronomy. The study questioned the development of astronomical models among students in institutions of higher education by examining how college students change their initial conceptual frameworks and construct mental models in astronomy. The study considers four areas of astronomical knowledge: "sky observations," "Earth and its orbit," "solar system" and "stars” by implementing a recently developed research tool - Conceptual Frameworks in Astronomy (CFA) (Pundak, 2016). The responses of 537 undergraduates from three Israeli colleges were classified into one of four mental models: pre-scientific, geocentric, heliocentric, stellar/scientific. The findings indicate significant differences among students adopting some combination of the four mental models. Most students adopted a combination of these models and used different conceptual frameworks for different astronomical phenomena. Students with a scientific engineering background tended to use the stellar/scientific model more often than Liberal Arts students. The stellar/scientific model is the most scientifically progressive of the four models tested and manages the most systematic astronomical conceptual frameworks. The study identified three variables: "physical background," "average academic grade" and "academic discipline" - which contribute to the adoption of the stellar/scientific model
An overview of ten years of student research and JDSO publications
No full textThe astronomy research seminar, initially designed and taught by Russell Genet at Cuesta College over the past
decade, has resulted in over 100 published student research papers in the Journal of Double Star Observations along with dozens of other papers and conference presentations. While the seminar began at a single community college it has now spread to include students from dozens of institutions and instructors, reaching students from middle school through graduate school. The seminar has integrated the large community-of-practice of amateur and professional astronomers, educators, students, and hardware and software engineers
while providing an important experience for student researchers. In this paper, we provide an overview analysis of 109 publications authored by 320 individual students involved in the astronomy research seminar over the last decade
The SPIRIT Telescope Initiative: six years on
No full textNow in its sixth year of operation, the SPIRIT initiative remains unique in Australia, as a robust web-enabled
robotic telescope initiative funded for education and outreach. With multiple modes of operation catering for a
variety of usage scenarios and a fully supported education program, SPIRIT provides free access to
contemporary astronomical tools for students and educators in Western Australia and beyond. The technical
solution itself provides an excellent model for low cost robotic telescope installations, and the education program has evolved over time to include a broad range of student experiences—from engagement activities to authentic science. This paper details the robotic telescope solution, student interface and educational philosophy, summarises achievements and lessons learned and examines the possibilities for future enhancement including spectroscopy
Use of the AAVSO’s International Variable Star Index (VSX) in an Undergraduate Astronomy Course Capstone Project
No full textThe author discusses a capstone project that utilizes the AAVSO’s International Variable Star Index (VSX), ASAS light curves and phase plots, and the SIMBAD astronomical data repository in a laboratory-based undergraduate Stellar and Galactic Astronomy course
Is it the Earth that turns or the Sun that goes behind the mountains? Students’ misconceptions about the day/night cycle after reading a science text
No full textThe present research tested the hypothesis that the reading of science text can create new misconceptions in students with incongruent prior knowledge, and that these new misconceptions will be similar to the fragmented and synthetic conceptions obtained in prior developmental research. Ninety-nine third- and fifth-grade children read and recalled one of two texts that provided scientific or phenomenal explanations of the day/night cycle. All the participants gave explanations of the phenomenon in question prior to reading one of the texts and after they read it. The results showed that the participants who provided explanations of the day/night cycle at pretest incongruent with the scientific explanation recalled less information and generated more invalid inferences. An analysis of the participants’ posttest explanations indicated that these readers formed new misconceptions similar to the fragmented and synthetic conceptions obtained in developmental research. The implications of the above for text comprehension and science education research are discussed
Pondering astronomy’s perplexingly preposterous propositions
No full textAstronomy is one of those ideas that naturally makes one wonder. Questions of how big? how far? how many? and how long? are just a few ideas that naturally present themselves when one contemplates the night sky and the universe. Despite astronomy’s inherent ability to captivate students’ interest, even master teachers need an evolving toolkit of innovative strategies to intellectually engage students, particularly in the domain of critical thinking
An Experimental Study on the Teaching of Seasons: Model Transformation
No full textThe objective of this study is to examine the effects of teaching the subject of seasons through physical models and virtual reality programs on the expressed models of pre-service teachers. For this purpose, 3 different physical models were developed and 3 different virtual reality programs were used. The study group consists of 100 pre-service science teachers. In this study, case study method was used as qualitative research methods. The data were obtained by using open-ended question form. The data were collected three times as pre-instruction, post-instruction and long time after instruction (permanence) and the content was analyzed by using content analysis technique. The analyses were conducted in two stages as question by question analysis and integrated analysis which assesses the answers given to all of the questions together. At the end of the analyses, both methods were found to be useful in the teaching of seasons. However, teaching by using physical models was found to be more successful in providing the permanence of learning. In addition, after integrated analyses, it was concluded that teaching with physical models directed students to scientific model, while teaching with virtual reality programs directed students to synthesis model. Based on these results, suggestions were made to extend the use and production of physical models in astronomy teaching. Finally, points to take into consideration while teaching the subject of seasons were stated
Comparing The Impact Of An Astronomy Course And A Science And Society Seminar On Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Toward Science
No full textA common challenge among university professors is how to best design undergraduate courses to successfully enhance students' attitudes. To compare which curriculum was more efficient at fostering a positive attitude towards science in general, I studied the impact of two different general education science courses on the attitudes of college students. The first course was an arithmetic-based Introductory Astronomy course for non-science majoring undergraduates that used interactive and inquiry-based teaching techniques. The comparison course was a Science, Technology, & Society (STS) seminar with context-based science contents, discussions, and intensive reading and writing. The postsemester results showed that neither curriculum on its own significantly changed the overall attitude of students towards science as far the assessment could measure, but that each curriculum did successfully enhance specific aspects of the students’ attitude in differing categories. The STS students had scores showing a gain in believing that scientists are honest. The astronomy students had scores showing a gain in understanding that scientific theories can change in the light of new evidence. However, the most significant change was a loss in the astronomy students’ confidence that the general public can and should understand science. Thus, the results suggest that professors who strongly desire to enhance the broad nature of students' attitudes need to use more purposeful instructional experiences rather than rely only on students' deepening understanding of the specific scientific content
Enacting a Representation Construction Approach to Teaching and Learning Astronomy
No full textThis study explores a guided inquiry approach to teaching and learning involving students constructing and negotiating multiple representations through sequences of representational challenges. The research is part of a wider program investigating the professional learning of teachers developing a representation construction approach, and involves the planning and implementation of a unit on astronomy by a community of four secondary school teachers. This research aimed to document the experience of the teachers in implementing a representation construction approach, and to investigate the quality of student learning associated with different aspects of the pedagogy. The chapter describes the way this approach was enacted for astronomy, teacher perceptions of the key affordances of the approach, and evidence of student learning. The representation construction approach has demonstrated enhanced outcomes for students, in terms of sustained engagement with ideas, and quality learning, and for teachers’ enhanced pedagogical knowledge and practice