iStarDB (The Astronomy Education Research Repository)
Not a member yet
2071 research outputs found
Sort by
Opportunity to Learn: Investigating Possible Predictors for Pre-Course Test Of Astronomy STandards TOAST Scores
No full textAs discipline-based astronomy education researchers become more interested in experimentally testing innovative teaching strategies to enhance learning in undergraduate introductory astronomy survey courses ("ASTRO 101"), scholars are placing increased attention toward better understanding factors impacting student gain scores on the widely used Test Of Astronomy STandards (TOAST). Usually used in a pre-test and post-test study design, college faculty might naturally assume that the pre-course differences observed between high- and low-scoring college students might be due in large part to their pre-existing motivation, interest, experience in science, and attitudes about astronomy. To explore this notion, 11 non-science majoring undergraduates taking ASTRO 101 at west coast community colleges were interviewed in the first few weeks of the course after taking the TOAST as a pre-test to better understand students' pre-existing affect toward learning astronomy with an eye toward predicting student success. The goal is to contribute to a better understanding of the incoming knowledge of students taking undergraduate introductory astronomy classes and provide guidance for how faculty can best meet those students' needs and assist them in greater achievement. Perhaps surprisingly, there was only weak correlation between students' motivation toward learning astronomy and their pre-test scores. Instead, the most fruitful predictor of TOAST pre-test scores was the quantity of pre-existing, informal, self-directed astronomy learning experiences, sometimes occurring many years before course enrollment. This data suggests that professors should be wary of correlating low incoming pre-course scores with student apathy toward their subject
The Role of the Planetarium in Students' Attitudes, Learning, and Thinking About Astronomical Concepts.
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine the role of the planetarium on students while learning astronomy. The main goals of this study were to evaluate changes in students’ attitudes towards astronomy, whether students learned and retained more knowledge due to planetarium-enriched instruction, and how the planetarium helped students think about astronomical concepts. The framework that guided this study was the Contextual Model of Learning (CML) (Falk & Dierking, 1992; 2000), which includes three overlapping contexts that contribute to the overall learning experience in informal science venues - the personal, physical, and sociocultural contexts. The planetarium program was successful in reaching students in all three contexts of the CML, which contributed to students’ positive experiences during this study. The results of this study showed that the immersive environment and unique capabilities of a digital planetarium positively influenced students’ attitudes, learning, retention, and thinking. This study has important implications for planetariums, informal science education researchers, and schools
Skynet Junior Scholars: Authentic Astronomy for All, Including Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students
No full textWe arrive at our classroom—this one located in the library at Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, and students are excitedly discussing a galaxy that they recently imaged through the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network. They note the galaxy’s spidery spiral arms and its oblong shape. They observe the gases and dust buried deep within it. They have an “aha” moment! Might other planets similar to Earth be hidden in this galaxy? An astronomer stops by, wanting to participate, but observes students with a puzzled expression. In spite of his PhD, he does not understand what we are talking about, because our dialogue is conducted in complete silence. Our discussion is in American Sign Language (ASL)
Student Scientific Research within Communities-of-Practice
No full textSocial learning theory suggests that students who wish to become scientists will benefit by being active researchers early in their educational careers. As coauthors of published research, they identify themselves as scientists. This provides them with the inspiration, motivation, and staying power that many will need to complete the long educational process. This hypothesis was put to the test over the past decade by a one-semester astronomy research seminar where teams of students managed their own research. Well over a hundred
published papers coauthored by high school and undergraduate students at a handful of schools substantiated this hypothesis. However, one could argue that this was a special case. Astronomy, after all, is supported by a large professional-amateur community-of-practice. Furthermore, the specific area of research—double star astrometry—was chosen because the observations could be quickly made, the data reduction and analysis was straight forward, and publication of the research was welcomed by the Journal of Double Star Observations. A recently initiated seminar development and expansion program—supported in part by the National Science Foundation—is testing a more general hypothesis that: (1) the seminar can be successfully adopted by many
other schools; (2) research within astronomy can be extended from double star astrometry to time series
photometry of variable stars, exoplanet transits, and asteroids; and (3) the seminar model can be extended to a
science beyond astronomy: environmental science—specifically atmospheric science. If the more general
hypothesis is also supported, seminars that similarly feature published high school and undergraduate studen
A Community-Centered Astronomy Research Program
No full textThe Boyce Research Initiatives and Education Foundation (BRIEF) is providing semester-long, hands-on, astronomy research experiences for students of all ages that results in their publishing peer-reviewed papers.
The course in astronomy and double star research has evolved from a face-to-face learning experience with two
instructors to an online – hybrid course that simultaneously supports classroom instruction at a variety of schools in the San Diego area. Currently, there are over 65 students enrolled in three community colleges, seven high schools, and one university as well as individual adult learners. Instructional experience, courseware, and supporting systems were developed and refined through experience gained in classroom settings from 2014 through 2016. Topics of instruction include Kepler’s Laws, basic astrometry, properties of light, CCD imaging, use of filters for varying stellar spectral types, and how to perform research, scientific writing, and proposal preparation. Volunteer instructors were trained by taking the course and producing their own research papers. An expanded program was launched in the fall semester of 2016. Twelve papers from seven schools were produced; eight have been accepted for publication by the Journal of Double Observations (JDSO) and the
remainder are in peer review. Three additional papers have been accepted by the JDSO and two more are in
process papers. Three college professors and five advanced amateur astronomers are now qualified volunteer
instructors. Supporting tools are provided by a BRIEF server and other online services. The server-based tools
range from Microsoft Office and planetarium software to top-notch imaging programs and computational software
for data reduction for each student team. Observations are performed by robotic telescopes worldwide supported
by BRIEF. With this success, student demand has increased significantly. Many of the graduates of the first
semester course wanted to expand their astronomy knowledge and experience. To answer this demand, BRIEF
is developing additional astronomy research courses with partners in advanced astrometry, photometry, and exoplanets. The program provides a significant opportunity for schools, teachers, and advanced amateur
astronomers to introduce high school and college students to astronomy, science, and STEM careers
The Planetarium as a Non-formal Environment for Teaching About the Solar System
No full textThis paper presents the results of a non-formal educational activity, developed in the planetarium of a higher education institution, in which thirty-three high school students from a public school in a small city near São João del-Rei (Minas Gerais) participated. The research intended to explore the educational resources of the planetarium as an environment for teaching about the celestial bodies of the Solar System. The activity consisted of a session inside the planetarium dome featuring the exhibition of a film about the Solar System. The same questionnaire was applied before and after the activity. The results were compared by means of statistical tests, pointing to a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-test results. The planetary potentialities as a non-formal environment for promoting education and its interface with the basic school are discussed, in order to supply the demand for astronomy teaching
Social Representations Of The Integrated High School Students About Astronomy
No full textAstronomy issues are not always adequately handled in the formal education system, as well as, their dissemination in the media is often loaded with sensationalism. However, in this context the students are forming their explanations about it. Therefore, this work has the objective of identifying the possible social representations of students from the Integrated High School on the inductor term Astronomy. It is basically a descriptive research, therefore, a quali-qualitative approach was adopted. The procedures for obtaining the data occurred in the form of a survey, and they involved 653 subjects students from the Integrated High School. The results indicate that the surveyed students have social representations of the object Astronomy, which are based on elements from the formal education space, and also disclosed in the media. In addition, they demonstrate that the students have information about Astronomy, and a value judgment in relation to this science
Attitudes Towards Astronomy Among the Pre-service Teachers’ Different Cognitive Styles: Alternative Course Sample
No full textThe purpose of research is to examine the changes in attitudes towards astronomy following alternative astronomy education among pre-service teachers with different cognitive styles. Accordingly, it was thought to be appropriate to use pre-and post-test control group design among the experimental designs. The sample of the study included 4th year students at Abant İzzet Baysal University Department of Science Teaching during 2015-2016 spring term (N=64). In the treatment group, a process enriched with activitybased astronomy practices was followed, while the control group used a 12-week program designed as consistent with the program developed by Higher Education Council. The results seem to evidence that at undergraduate level there is an urgent need to intensify the efforts, education and practices that focus on increasing the levels of attitudes towards astronomy regard-less of cognitive styles and on transferring these attitudes to skill areas and these kinds of studies need to be encouraged and extended
The Effect of Telescope Observations Based on Tga (Predict-observe-explain) Method on Preservice Science Teachers Understanding of Some Astronomy Concepts
No full textIn the study, it was aimed to determine the change of the concepts of pre-service science teachers in some astronomy concepts by using telescope in accordance with the TGA (predict-observe-explain) method. In the study, semi-experimental design was created by using the single group pretest-posttest model. The study group consists of 80 teacher candidates studying in Science Education program. "Astronomy Observation Form" created by the researchers was used as a data collection tool. The data obtained from the "Astronomy Observation Form" were analyzed by determining the learning situations. Each question is divided into two as theoretical and visual information and analyzed with rubric. According to the findings obtained, there was no remarkable change in the comprehension of the candidates in terms of visual and theoretical information about the shape and surface of the Moon. Correct answers were found in the questions about the planet Jupiter. When the answers given to the questions regarding the position of the planet and the stars were examined, it was determined that there was an increase in the correct answers, but the missing information was also available. The majority of the students answered correctly in the answers regarding the phase of the observed star (formation, mainstream period and death stages). In the question including the comparison of planets and stars in terms of size, the majority of students answered correctly before and after observation, and there are also incomplete and incorrect answers. Since the shape and surface of the Moon, where there is no change in answers, does not differ in shape when viewed with the naked eye and telescope; The wrong answers in comparing the planet and the star in terms of size are thought to result from confusing the concepts of "far and near" and "big and small". Accordingly, it is recommended to give more emphasis and guidance to students in terms of focused concepts during telescope observations
Have Astronauts Visited Neptune? Student Ideas About How Scientists Study The Solar System
No full textThe nature of students’ ideas about the scientific practices used by astronomers when studying objects in our Solar System is of widespread interest to discipline-based astronomy education researchers. A sample of middle-school, high-school, and college students (N=42) in the U.S. were interviewed about how astronomers were able to learn about properties of the Solar System as a follow-up question after specific questions about the nature of the Solar System and its objects. These students often held naive ideas about the practices of astronomy, and 19% of them proposed that humans or robots have returned samples of the planets to Earth for analysis. While the college students provided more sophisticated responses to the questions than the younger students, we found that even they held naive ideas about human sample return and infrequently appealed to studying objects at a distance using telescopes. We propose that students are not receiving specific instruction that allows them to investigate the tools and practices of
astronomy, which leads them to rely on their prior knowledge about science practices in other disciplines (e.g., geoscience) when queried about how scientists study the Solar System. This result implies that instruction around the limits of human and robotic spaceflight is needed to allow students to have a more scientific understanding of the practices of astronomy in studying the Solar System