Transcript University of Arizona Department of Astronomy

Using Research on How
Students Learn Astronomy to
Improve Teaching
Tim Slater
University of Arizona
Department of Astronomy
Conceptual Astronomy and Physics
Education Research (CAPER) Team
http://caperteam.as.arizona.edu
Project BETA – July 26, 2007 – NASA Goddard
UA Faculty
Tim Slater
Chris Impey
Ed Prather
Christopher Harris
Bruce Johnson Ingrid Novodvorsky
Post Docs, Staff
Researchers, and
Sabbatical Visitors
Gina Brissenden
Tom Olien
Alex Storrs
Jacob Noel-Storr
Ph.D. Students
Jessie Antonellis
Janelle Bailey *
Erik Brogt
Sanlyn Buxner
Erin Dokter
John Keller *
Erika Offerdahl
Julia Olsen *
Stephanie Parker
Delphine Perrodin
Pebble Richwine *
Andrew Shaner
Mathew Wenger
* Recently Completed
Overview
• Recent RESULTS you need to know about
how students learn astronomy
• RESOURCES you can use to measure the
impact of your programs
• Pathways you can use to CONNECT with
other people teaching astronomy topics
A Short Video Clip:
State of the Union
How People Learn
1. Students enter the classroom with preconceptions
about how the world works. If their initial
understanding is not fully engaged, they may fail to grasp
new concepts in meaningful ways that last beyond the
purposes of an exam.
2. To fully develop competence, students must:
(1) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge, (2)
understand interrelationships among facts and concepts
and (3) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval
and application
3. A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help
students learn to take control of their own learning
and monitor their own progress.
[How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School (Expanded Edition),
National Research Council, National Academy Press, 2000.]
In other words …
Lectures from classroom teachers or
visitors, no matter how enthusiastic or
articulate have very, very, very limited
impact BECAUSE
Its not what the instructor does
that matters; rather, it is what the
students do!
Learner-Centered Astronomy Teaching
Slater & Adams, Prentice Hall Publishing, 2003
Lecture works… for some things
• Can you teach someone to swim through
lecture?
Lecture works… for some things
• Can you teach someone to swim through
lecture?
• Can you teach someone astronomy
through lecture?
Bottom Line
Depends on what you want them to learn
Declarative
Knowledge
(FACTS)
Meaningful
VS Understanding
• Which planet is the
3rd rock from the
Sun?
• Which star is the
brightest start in the
sky?
• How many miles in an
AU?
• What is the density of
Saturn?
(CONCEPTS)
Thank you for teaching me to fetch
and roll over, but these are not skills
that will help me in the long run.
Declarative
Knowledge
(FACTS)
Meaningful
VS Understanding
• Which planet is the
3rd rock from the
Sun?
• Which star is the
brightest start in the
sky?
• How many miles in an
AU?
• What is the density of
Saturn?
(CONCEPTS)
• How does spectral type
impact a habitable zone?
• How would a star’s
magnitude change if
there was intervening
dust?
• Which distance units
make the most sense for
things in the galaxy?
Can you have one without the other?
Declarative
Knowledge
(FACTS)
•
•
•
•
Meaningful
VS Understanding
(CONCEPTS)
Which planet is the 3rd rock from
the Sun?
Which star is the brightest start in
the sky?
How many miles in an AU?
What is the density of Saturn?
•
•
•
How does spectral type impact a
habitable zone?
How would a star’s magnitude change
if there was intervening dust?
Which distance units make the most
sense for things in the galaxy?
TASK: With two other people nearby, write
out a list of three declarative FACTS and
three CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDINGS
about black holes to share with the group.
What’s the common difference?
What does this mean
about teaching?
What do students struggle with?
The Big Three
1. Seasons
2. Moon Phases
3. Gravity
A Review of Astronomy Education Research, Astronomy Education Review, 2(2),
2003. J.M. Bailey and T.F. Slater
What Causes the Seasons?
A Private Universe – Pyramid Films
What Causes the Seasons?
What Causes the Seasons?
What Causes the Seasons?
• New Technology Solutions
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/animations/seasons_ecliptic.swf
What do students struggle with?
The Big Three
1. Seasons
2. Moon Phases
3. Gravity
A Review of Astronomy Education Research, Astronomy Education Review, 2(2),
2003. J.M. Bailey and T.F. Slater
What Causes Moon Phases
The diagram below shows Earth and the Sun as well
as five different possible positions for the Moon.
Which position of the Moon best corresponds with
the phase of the Moon shown in the figure at the
right?
Orbit of the Moon
E
A
Sun
Earth
B
D
C
NOT TO SCALE
What Causes Moon Phases
The diagram below shows Earth and the Sun as well
as five different possible positions for the Moon.
Which position of the Moon best corresponds with
the phase of the Moon shown in the figure at the
right?
Orbit of the Moon
E
A
Sun
Earth
B
D
C
NOT TO SCALE
• Before Lecture (N=42): 5% correct
Some New-Untried Technology
• http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf
What do students struggle with?
The Big Three
1. Seasons
2. Moon Phases
3. Gravity
The Big Three
1. Seasons
2. Moon Phases
3. Gravity
Learning About the Earth's Shape and Gravity:
A Guide for Teachers and Curriculum
Developers, Lori Agan, Wheaton College, and
Cary Sneider, Museum of Science, Boston.,
Astronomy Education Review, 2(2), 2003.
What do students struggle with?
The Big Three
1. Seasons
2. Moon Phases
3. Gravity
Modern Topics Too
• Stellar Formation
• Cosmology
• Astrobiology
A Review of Astronomy Education Research, Astronomy Education Review, 2(2),
2003. J.M. Bailey and T.F. Slater
An Example on Star Formation
Preliminary Results
Q1: Describe what you think a star is. (N = 120)
• 74% said something like “a ball of gas”
or “a ball of gas and dust”
– N = 5 made references to The Lion King!
Pumbaa : Ever wonder what those sparkly dots are up there?
Timon : Pumbaa, I don't wonder. I know.
Pumbaa : Oh. What are they?
Timon : They're fireflies. Fireflies that, uh... got stuck up on that big bluish-black thing.
Pumbaa : Oh. Gee.... I always thought that they were balls of gas, burning billions of miles
away.
[Laughter …….]
Timon : Pumba with you everything is gas.
The “Complete” Response
Q2: Describe where you think stars come from.
Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.
(Ntotal = 203)
If we asked this on a final exam, what
might a complete response have to
included?
1. Region of gas or gas/dust
2. Gravitational collapse of material in the
region
3. Temperature & Pressure increase
4. Fusion begins
 And now we have a star!
Preliminary Results
Q2: Describe where you think stars come from.
Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.
(Ntotal = 203)
Answer Component #1:
Region of gas or gas/dust
– 55% of the students said something
about a region of gas or gas/dust
• Example: “I think stars start from gas and dust.
The gas and dust starts in a cloud. The cloud starts
out kind of loose and spread out….”
Early work comprising part of Janelle Bailey’s PhD dissertation
Preliminary Results
Q2: Describe where you think stars come from.
Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.
(Ntotal = 203)
Answer Component #2:
Collapse - Matter comes together in some way
– 48% included some sort of volume reduction
of matter
– Only 19% of the total specifically include
gravity
• Example: “Stars are formed when there is a large force of
gravity somewhere in space that pulls a bunch of little space
particles together and they all collide somewhere in the middle of all
this gravity and wham bam. .”
Early work comprising part of Janelle Bailey’s PhD dissertation
Preliminary Results
Q2: Describe where you think stars come from.
Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.
(Ntotal = 203)
Answer Component #3:
Temperature increase
– Only 11% clearly define a temperature increase
– Enormous difficulty in distinguishing responses
because of how temperature and heat are
misused
• Example: “…These gasses, over a period of time, contract to form a
with (sic) high density. After this, as the mass keeps contracting, the
temperature becomes hot enough for nuclear fusion to take place….”
Preliminary Results
Q2: Describe where you think stars come from.
Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.
(Ntotal = 203)
Answer Component #4:
Fusion or nuclear reactions occur
–Only 8% include fusion in
response
•
Example: “From a collection of a large amount matter and
gasses enough to cause a chain reaction starting the fusion
process (sic). Once that has begun the process will continue until
the star runs out of fuel in billions of years.”
Preliminary Results
Q2: Describe where you think stars come from.
Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.
(Ntotal = 203)
•
Other common categories found include:
– 25% describe explosions, fire, and/or
burning to describe emission heat, light,
and/or energy-not a star’s formation
• BOTTOM LINE: Students think stars
are spherical burning clouds of soup
Early work comprising part of Janelle Bailey’s PhD dissertation
An Example on Life in the Universe
An astrobiology elective course for science majors emphasizing scientific communication. Journal
of College Science Teaching. Offerdahl, E.G., Slater, T.F., & Prather, E.E. (2005).
An Example on Life in the Universe
Hundreds of Extra-Solar Planets
G. Marcy and P. Butler
Question probing students’ beliefs
about limiting environments on Earth
Describe an environment on Earth that would
NOT ALLOW ANY form of life to exist. Cite
specific examples and explain why these
environments cannot support life.
Student Beliefs and Reasoning Difficulties in Astrobiology, Astronomy Education
Review, 2(1), 5-27, 2002, E.G. Offerdahl, E.E. Prather, T.F. Slater
Limiting Environments on Earth
Student-Supplied Response
Categories
Environments with extreme
temperatures
No water
Volcanoes/core of the Earth
No oxygen/air
No sunlight
No food/nutrients
Non-science Majors
(N=212)
42%
21%
9%
21%
7%
8%
Student Beliefs and Reasoning Difficulties in Astrobiology, Astronomy
Education Review, 2(1), 5-27, 2002, E.G. Offerdahl, E.E. Prather, T.F. Slater
Question probing students’ beliefs
about necessary elements for life
What elements are the most important
for the existence of life? Explain your
reasoning.
Student Beliefs and Reasoning Difficulties in Astrobiology, Astronomy
Education Review, 2(1), 5-27, 2002, E.G. Offerdahl, E.E. Prather, T.F. Slater
Necessary Elements for Life
Student-Supplied Response Non-science Majors
(N=212)
Categories
Water
49%
Oxygen/air
56%
Energy source/nutrients
35%
Sun
19%
Carbon
19%
Hydrogen
13%
Temperature of the planet
11%
Student Beliefs and Reasoning Difficulties in Astrobiology, Astronomy
Education Review, 2(1), 5-27, 2002, E.G. Offerdahl, E.E. Prather, T.F. Slater
Summary of students’ ideas
Most students correctly identify that life can exist
without sunlight & in extreme temperatures and
that life requires at least intermittent liquid water.
Many students believe that life cannot exist
without oxygen.
Students largely failed to cite high concentrations
of salt, extreme pH, or extreme cold temperatures
as limiting conditions for life.
Students most often cited complex organisms
(such as plants, animals, and humans) rather than
the more ubiquitous microorganisms.
Student Beliefs and Reasoning Difficulties in Astrobiology, Astronomy
Education Review, 2(1), 5-27, 2002, E.G. Offerdahl, E.E. Prather, T.F. Slater
An Example on the topic of
Cosmology – The Big Bang
10-44sec
Radiation
Era
10-35sec 10-32sec
GUT
Era
Inflation
Era
10-10sec 300 sec 3x105yr
Electro-weak
Era
1x109yr
Particle Recombination Galaxy and Star
Era
Era
Formation
15x109yr
Present
Era
An Example on the Topic of
Cosmology – The Big Bang
Initial Question
• Have you ever heard of the Big Bang?
– Describe what you think it is, and provide a
sketch, if possible, to illustrate your answer.
Follow-up Questions
Describe what you think existed or was occurring
just before the Big Bang.
Describe what you think existed or was occurring
during the Big Bang.
Hints of a Fundamental Misconception in Cosmology, Astronomy Education
Review, 1, (2), 2002 , Edward E. Prather, Timothy F. Slater and Erika G. Offerdahl
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Summary of Students’
Pre-instruction Ideas on the Big Bang
• 86% of students (N=167) report that they have
heard of the Big Bang. Only 54% of these students
describe the Big Bang as a theory about the creation of the
universe.
• 69% of students (N=133) describe some
configuration of matter existing in the universe
prior to the Big Bang.
• 49% of students (N=133) describe the Big Bang
as an explosion that distributes matter
throughout the universe.
• 17% of students (N=133) describe the Big Bang
as event that combined matter together to form
objects in the universe.
What’s wrong with these
students?
Hints of a Fundamental Misconception in Cosmology, Astronomy Education
Review, 1, (2), 2002 , Edward E. Prather, Timothy F. Slater and Erika G. Offerdahl
Two Models Of Students’
Understanding
Primitives Model
Misconception Model
Adapted from a slide by Rachel Scherr, University of Maryland
Two Models Of Students’
Understanding
Misconception Model
Primitives Model
Adapted from a slide by Rachel Scherr, University of Maryland
Students enter your lecture hall with preconceptions about how
the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged,
they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are
taught, or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but
revert to their preconceptions outside the classroom.
•When children touch something on
the stove, they learn that temperature
increases with decreasing distance
•When children hear a car’s horn,
they learn that sound intensity
increases with decreasing distance
•When children see a bright
flashlight, they learn that brightness
increases with decreasing distance
 CLOSE MEANS MORE
FACETS of
knowledge
(similar to
Minstrell, 1989)
Phenomenological
PRIMITIVES
(similar to di Sessa, 1993)
How Do “Primitive-like” Ideas Impact
Teaching and Learning Astronomy?
CLOSE MEANS
MORE
MOTION REQUIRES
FORCE
INTERFERENCE
OHM’S P-PRIM
1-2-3-MORE
It’s hotter in the summer because
we are closer to the Sun
Spaceships need rockets on at all
times to keep moving
I can’t see all of the Moon because
the Earth is in the way
All bright stars must be very hot
The solar system contains millions
of stars
A comet is a tiny galaxy
What’s wrong with our
students?
What’s underlying their
thoughts about the beginning of
everything?
Hints of a Fundamental Misconception in Cosmology, Astronomy Education
Review, 1, (2), 2002 , Edward E. Prather, Timothy F. Slater and Erika G. Offerdahl
You can’t make
something from
nothing!!
Hints of a Fundamental Misconception in Cosmology, Astronomy Education
Review, 1, (2), 2002 , Edward E. Prather, Timothy F. Slater and Erika G. Offerdahl
How Do “Primitive-like” Ideas Impact
Teaching and Learning Astronomy?
the summer because we
CLOSE MEANS MORE It’s hotterarein closer
to the Sun
MOTION REQUIRES
FORCE
INTERFERENCE
CAN’T MAKE
SOMETHING FROM
NOTHING
OHM’S P-PRIM
1-2-3-MORE
Spaceships need rockets on at all times
to keep moving
I can’t see all of the Moon because the
Earth is in the way
The Big Bang organized pre-existing
matter
All bright stars must be very hot
The solar system contains millions of
stars
A comet is a tiny galaxy
How Do “Primitive-like” Ideas Impact
Teaching and Learning Astronomy?
the summer because we
CLOSE MEANS MORE It’s hotterarein closer
to the Sun
MOTION REQUIRES
FORCE
INTERFERENCE
CAN’T MAKE
SOMETHING FROM
NOTHING
OHM’S P-PRIM
1-2-3-MORE
Spaceships need rockets on at all times
to keep moving
I can’t see all of the Moon because the
Earth is in the way
The Big Bang organized pre-existing
matter
There is no air on the Moon so there
cannot be gravity on the Moon
All bright stars must be very hot
The solar system contains millions of
stars
A comet is a tiny galaxy
Just the tip
of the
iceberg
AJP Resource Letter: Astronomy
Education Research. J.M. Bailey &
T.F. Slater, American Journal of
Physics , 2005
1. Seasons depend on the distance between
the Earth & Sun
2. There are 12 zodiac constellations
3. The constellations are only the stars
making the patterns
4. The North Star is the brightest star in the
night sky
5. Stars last forever
6. All stars are same color
7. Stars really twinkle
8. All stars are isolated
9. Pulsars are pulsating stars
10. Asteroid belt is densely packed, as in
“Star Wars”
11. Meteors, Meteorites, Meteoroids,
Asteroids, and Comets are the same
things
12. A shooting star is actually a star falling
through the sky
13. Comet tails are always behind the comet
14. Comets are burning and giving off gas as
their tails
15. All planetary orbits are circular
16. All planets have prograde rotation
17. All moons are spherical
18. We see all sides of the Moon
19. Ours is the only moon
20. Spring tide only occurs in the Spring
21. Only the Moon causes tides/the Moon has no
effect on tides
22. High tide is only between the Earth and Moon
23. Once the ozone is gone, its gone forever
24. Mercury is hot everywhere on its surface
25. Giant planets have solid surfaces
26. Saturn is the only planet with rings
27. Saturn’s rings are solid
28. Pluto is always the farthest planet from the Sun
29. The Sun primarily emits yellow light
30. The Sun is solid & shines by burning gas or
from molten lava
31. The Sun always rises directly in the East
32. Black holes are empty space
33. Black holes are huge vacuum cleaners in
space, sucking everything in.
Adapted from – Heavenly Errors, Comins N. , 2001
1. Seasons depend on the distance between
the Earth & Sun
2. There are 12 zodiac constellations
3. The constellations are only the stars
making the patterns
4. The North Star is the brightest star in the
night sky
5. Stars last forever
6. All stars are same color
7. Stars really twinkle
8. All stars are isolated
9. Pulsars are pulsating stars
10. Asteroid belt is densely packed, as in
“Star Wars”
11. Meteors, Meteorites, Meteoroids,
Asteroids, and Comets are the same
things
12. A shooting star is actually a star falling
through the sky
13. Comet tails are always behind the comet
14. Comets are burning and giving off gas as
their tails
15. All planetary orbits are circular
16. All planets have prograde rotation
17. All moons are spherical
18. We see all sides of the Moon
19. Ours is the only moon
20. Spring tide only occurs in the Spring
21. Only the Moon causes tides/the Moon has no
effect on tides
22. High tide is only between the Earth and Moon
23. Once the ozone is gone, its gone forever
24. Mercury is hot everywhere on its surface
25. Giant planets have solid surfaces
26. Saturn is the only planet with rings
27. Saturn’s rings are solid
28. Pluto is always the farthest planet from the Sun
29. The Sun primarily emits yellow light
30. The Sun is solid & shines by burning gas or
from molten lava
31. The Sun always rises directly in the East
32. Black holes are empty space
33. Black holes are huge vacuum cleaners in
space, sucking everything in.
Adapted from – Heavenly Errors, Comins N. , 2001
Student (mis)-Understandings
the beliefs and reasoning difficulties students bring to
the classroom
• Stuff they can’t name (or simply name incorrectly)
• Alternative Conceptions
– Robust, locally consistent, naturally acquired, historically
rooted, common default position
• Reasoning Difficulties
– Misapplied details of underdeveloped conceptual models;
confusion between model results and the model itself
FIRST RESPONSE
• Buy computer video projectors
• Provide students with copies of our
PowerPoint slides
• Create JAVA & FLASH simulations so we
can demonstrate complicated models to
students
• Create extensive www sites for students to
read outside of class
Assumption #1 - Lecture is largely
ineffective at promoting deep
conceptual change
• Single group, multiple-measures, quasiexperimental research design (no randomized control group)
• Non-science majors enrolled in ASTRO 101 at UAz
• Instrument used: A 68-item, research-based
multiple choice questionnaire
• Pre-Course: two forms, A&B, which each contained
a subset of questions
• Post-Lecture: questions administered in subsets
that directly reflected topic of lecture
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
Celestial Motion of Objects
You observe a star rising directly to the east. When this
star reaches its highest position above the horizon, where
will it be?
a) high in the northern sky
b) high in the eastern sky
c) high in the southern sky
d) high in the western sky
e) directly overhead
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
Celestial Motion of Objects
You observe a star rising directly to the east. When this
star reaches its highest position above the horizon, where
will it be?
a) high in the northern sky
b) high in the eastern sky
c) high in the southern sky
d) high in the western sky
e) directly overhead
• Before Lecture (N=42): 2% correct
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
What Causes Moon Phases
The diagram below shows Earth and the Sun as well
as five different possible positions for the Moon.
Which position of the Moon best corresponds with
the phase of the Moon shown in the figure at the
right?
Orbit of the Moon
E
A
Sun
Earth
B
D
C
NOT TO SCALE
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
What Causes Moon Phases
The diagram below shows Earth and the Sun as well
as five different possible positions for the Moon.
Which position of the Moon best corresponds with
the phase of the Moon shown in the figure at the
right?
Orbit of the Moon
E
A
Sun
Earth
B
D
C
NOT TO SCALE
• Before Lecture (N=42): 5% correct
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
What Causes Moon Phases
The diagram below shows Earth and the Sun as well
as five different possible positions for the Moon.
Which position of the Moon best corresponds with
the phase of the Moon shown in the figure at the
right?
Orbit of the Moon
E
A
Sun
Earth
B
D
C
NOT TO SCALE
• Before Lecture (N=42): 5% correct
• After Lecture (N=127): 53% correct
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
Volcanoes are usually found in places
where
a) the low pressure of the atmosphere pulls the
lava/magma to the surface.
b) earthquakes occur from oceanic plates colliding
with continental plates.
c) deep-rooted mountains have cracked Earth's crust.
d) Earth's rotation has caused weak spots in its crust.
Volcanoes are usually found in places
where
a) the low pressure of the atmosphere pulls the
lava/magma to the surface.
b) earthquakes occur from oceanic plates colliding
with continental plates.
c) deep-rooted mountains have cracked Earth's crust.
d) Earth's rotation has caused weak spots in its crust.
Pre-Course (n=39)
54%
Volcanoes are usually found in places
where
a) the low pressure of the atmosphere pulls the
lava/magma to the surface.
b) earthquakes occur from oceanic plates colliding
with continental plates.
c) deep-rooted mountains have cracked Earth's crust.
d) Earth's rotation has caused weak spots in its crust.
Pre-Course (n=39)
54%
Post-Lecture (n=102)
64%
A planet that still has numerous craters
from meteorite impacts visible on its
surface likely has
a) no ocean to cover the craters.
b) no atmosphere to protect the surface.
c) a cold, solid interior.
A planet that still has numerous craters
from meteorite impacts visible on its
surface likely has
a) no ocean to cover the craters.
b) no atmosphere to protect the surface.
c) a cold, solid interior.
Pre-Course (n=39)
21% correct
A planet that still has numerous craters
from meteorite impacts visible on its
surface likely has
a) no ocean to cover the craters.
b) no atmosphere to protect the surface.
c) a cold, solid interior.
Pre-Course (n=39)
21% correct
Post-Lecture (n=100)
13% correct
The change in position of the continents
over time is primarily caused by
a) continental plates floating on the ocean.
b) mantle material circulating inside Earth.
c) Earth's slow shrinking as it cools.
d) global wind patterns and sustained
ocean currents.
The change in position of the continents
over time is primarily caused by
a) continental plates floating on the ocean.
b) mantle material circulating inside Earth.
c) Earth's slow shrinking as it cools.
d) global wind patterns and sustained
ocean currents.
Pre-course (n=39)
31% correct
The change in position of the continents
over time is primarily caused by
a) continental plates floating on the ocean.
b) mantle material circulating inside Earth.
c) Earth's slow shrinking as it cools.
d) global wind patterns and sustained
ocean currents.
Pre-course (n=39)
31% correct
Post-lecture (n=101)
49% correct
If you were to build a telescope on Earth's
surface, which of the following
wavelengths of light would be most easily
observed by this telescope?
a) gamma ray
b) X-ray
c) ultraviolet
d) radio
If you were to build a telescope on Earth's
surface, which of the following
wavelengths of light would be most easily
observed by this telescope?
a) gamma ray
b) X-ray
c) ultraviolet
d) radio
Pre-course (n=25)
4% correct
If you were to build a telescope on Earth's
surface, which of the following
wavelengths of light would be most easily
observed by this telescope?
a) gamma ray
b) X-ray
c) ultraviolet
d) radio
Pre-course (n=25)
4% correct
Post-lecture (n=97)
51% correct
Assumption #1 - Lecture is largely
ineffective at promoting deep
conceptual change
• Instrument used: A 68 items research based
multiple choice questionnaire
• Pre-Course: two forms, A&B, which each
contained a subset of questions
Pre-Course mean: 30% (nA=39,nB=42)
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
Assumption #1 - Lecture is largely
ineffective at promoting deep
conceptual change
• Instrument used: A 68 items research based
multiple choice questionnaire
• Pre-Course: two forms, A&B, which each
contained a subset of questions
Pre-Course mean: 30% (nA=39,nB=42)
Post-Lecture mean: 52% (n ~ 100)
The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy,
Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., Astronomy Education Review (2004)
FIRST RESPONSE
• Buy computer video projectors
• Provide students with copies of our
PowerPoint slides
• Create JAVA & FLASH simulations so we
can demonstrate complicated models to
students
• Create extensive www sites for students to
read outside of class
A Commonly Held Inaccurate
Model of a Student’s
Conceptual Framework
tabla rasa
Bill Watterson,
Calvin and Hobbs
A Commonly Held Inaccurate
Model of Teaching and Learning
Bill Watterson,
Calvin and Hobbs
Adapted from Joe Reddish,
AAPT San Diego 2001
FIRST RESPONSE
• Buy computer video projectors
• Provide students with copies of our
PowerPoint slides
• Create JAVA & FLASH simulations so we
can demonstrate complicated models to
students
• Create extensive www sites for students to
read outside of class
FIRST RESPONSE
• Buy computer video projectors
• Provide students with copies of our
PowerPoint slides
• Create JAVA & FLASH simulations so we
can demonstrate complicated models to
students
• Create extensive www sites for students to
read outside of class
So What Can You Do About It?
• Lecture more loudly?
We need to change
our paradigm about
who is responsible
for learning!
So What Can You Do About It?
• It’s not what the instructor does that
matters; rather, it is what the students do
that matters
• Create an learner-centered environment
that promotes the intellectual engagement
of students
For large-enrollment lectures,
we created “Lecture Tutorials
for Introductory Astronomy”
The Effectiveness of a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Instruction, Astronomy
Education Review, 2004. Prather, Slater, Adams, Bailey, Dostal & Jones
Development of Lecture-Tutorials
for Introductory Astronomy
• Based on the topics faculty most often cover
• Require 15-minutes and are designed for easy
implementation into existing traditional lecture
courses
• Socratic-dialogue driven, highly-structured
collaborative learning activities designed to:
• elicit misconceptions
• confront naïve, incomplete, or inaccurate ideas
• resolve contradictions
• demonstrate the power of THEIR conceptual
models
The Effectiveness of a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Instruction, Astronomy
Education Review, 2004. Prather, Slater, Adams, Bailey, Dostal & Jones
Volcanoes are usually found in places
where
a) the low pressure of the atmosphere pulls the
lava/magma to the surface.
b) earthquakes occur from oceanic plates colliding
with continental plates.
c) deep-rooted mountains have cracked Earth's crust.
d) Earth's rotation has caused weak spots in its crust.
Pre-Course (n=39)
54%
Post-Lecture (n=102)
64%
Volcanoes are usually found in places
where
a) the low pressure of the atmosphere pulls the
lava/magma to the surface.
b) earthquakes occur from oceanic plates colliding
with continental plates.
c) deep-rooted mountains have cracked Earth's crust.
d) Earth's rotation has caused weak spots in its crust.
Pre-Course (n=39)
54%
Post-Lecture (n=102)
64%
Post-Tutorial (n=115)
79%
A planet that still has numerous craters
from meteorite impacts visible on its
surface likely has
a) no ocean to cover the craters.
b) no atmosphere to protect the surface.
c) a cold, solid interior.
Pre-Course (n=39)
21% correct
Post-Lecture (n=100)
13% correct
A planet that still has numerous craters
from meteorite impacts visible on its
surface likely has
a) no ocean to cover the craters.
b) no atmosphere to protect the surface.
c) a cold, solid interior.
Pre-Course (n=39)
21% correct
Post-Lecture (n=100)
13% correct
Post-Tutorial (n=108)
78% correct
The change in position of the continents
over time is primarily caused by
a) continental plates floating on the ocean.
b) mantle material circulating inside Earth.
c) Earth's slow shrinking as it cools.
d) global wind patterns and sustained
ocean currents.
Pre-course (n=39)
31% correct
Post-lecture (n=101)
49% correct
The change in position of the continents
over time is primarily caused by
a) continental plates floating on the ocean.
b) mantle material circulating inside Earth.
c) Earth's slow shrinking as it cools.
d) global wind patterns and sustained
ocean currents.
Pre-course (n=39)
31% correct
Post-lecture (n=101)
49% correct
Post-tutorial (n=106)
88% correct
If you were to build a telescope on Earth's
surface, which of the following
wavelengths of light would be most easily
observed by this telescope?
a) gamma ray
b) X-ray
c) ultraviolet
d) radio
Pre-course (n=25)
4% correct
Post-lecture (n=97)
51% correct
If you were to build a telescope on Earth's
surface, which of the following
wavelengths of light would be most easily
observed by this telescope?
a) gamma ray
b) X-ray
c) ultraviolet
d) radio
Pre-course (n=25)
4% correct
Post-lecture (n=97)
51% correct
Post-tutorial (n=78)
67% correct
Assumption #1 - Lecture is largely
ineffective at promoting deep
conceptual change
• Instrument used: A 68 items research based
multiple choice questionnaire
• Pre-Course: two forms, A&B, which each
contained a subset of questions
Pre-Course mean: 30% (nA=39,nB=42)
Post-Lecture mean: 52% (n ~ 100)
The Effectiveness of a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Instruction, Astronomy
Education Review, 2004. Prather, Slater, Adams, Bailey, Dostal & Jones
Assumption #1 - Lecture is largely
ineffective at promoting deep
conceptual change
• Instrument used: A 68 items research based
multiple choice questionnaire
• Pre-Course: two forms, A&B, which each
contained a subset of questions
Pre-Course mean: 30% (nA=39,nB=42)
Post-Lecture mean: 52% (n ~ 100)
Post-Lecture Tutorial: 72% (n ~ 100)
The Effectiveness of a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Instruction, Astronomy
Education Review, 2004. Prather, Slater, Adams, Bailey, Dostal & Jones
Don’t forget …
Its not what the
instructor does that
matters; rather, it is
what the students
do!
Learner-Centered Astronomy Teaching: Strategies for ASTRO 101. Slater &
Adams, Prentice Hall Publishing, 2002.
Activity
activity
or activity
= Just having students DO STUFF
OR
Activity
= Repeatedly intellectually
engage students with meaningful
phenomena to create deep conceptual
understanding
Activity
activity
or activity
= Just having students DO STUFF
HOW DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?
Activity
= Repeatedly intellectually
engage students with meaningful
phenomena to create deep conceptual
understanding
Activity
or activity
Rigorous evaluation
– We made this stuff, they liked it, they had a
good time, they manipulated data and got
reasonable results
Activity
or activity
Rigorous evaluation
– We made this stuff, they liked it, they had a
good time, they manipulated data and got
reasonable results
– Assessment of pre-existing student ideas and
reasoning difficulties learners bring to the table
– Repeated evaluation of pre- to –post learning
gains cause interactive improvements
– Triangulated with other data (other diagnostics,
interviews, observations, etc.)
Activity
or activity
Rigorous evaluation
– We made this stuff, they liked it, they had a
good time, they manipulated data and got
reasonable results
– Assessment of pre-existing student ideas and
reasoning difficulties learners bring to the table
– Repeated evaluation of pre- to –post learning
gains cause interactive improvements
– Triangulated with other data (other diagnostics,
interviews, observations, etc.)
Activity
or activity
• Active learning is when students take active
responsibility for participating in and
monitoring of their own learning by
engaging in critical reasoning about the
ideas presented in the class.
• The educational effectiveness of activities
must be meaningfully evaluated both to
make improvements and for our community
to make progress.
So what?
• Research results are impacting the
creation of new activities
• Ranking Tasks
• Sorting Tasks
• Vocabulary in Context
Example Ranking Task….
The figure below shows the faces of six people (A – G).
Rank these people by AGE from least to greatest.
Least ____, ____, ____, ____, ____, ____ Greatest
Example: Scale of the Universe
Description: Consider the images of six different astronomical objects
(A-F) below.
A. The Moon
B. The Sun
C. Spiral Galaxy
F. The Solar System
D. Neutron Star
E. Nebula
A) Ranking Instructions: Rank the objects in terms of SIZE from smallest to
largest. Assume that objects are a “typical” size for that type of object.
Ranking Order: Smallest 1 ___, 2 ____, 3 ____, 4 ____ 5, ____, 6____ Largest
B) Ranking Instructions: Rank the objects in terms of MASS from least to most.
Assume that objects are a “typical” mass for that type of object.
Ranking Order: Least 1 ___, 2 ____, 3 ____, 4 ____ 5, ____, 6____ Most
Example: Phases of the Moon
Description: In each figure below (A – D) the Moon is shown in a particular phase along with
the position in the sky that the Moon would have at one time during the day (or night). The
dark areas on each moon figure show the unlit portions of the Moon visible from Earth at
that time. Assume that sunset occurs at 6 pm and that sunrise occurs at 6 am.
Ranking Instructions: Use the time each Moon phase (A – D) would appear as
shown to rank the figures (from earliest to latest), starting from sunrise (6 am).
Ranking Order: Earliest (about 6 am) 1 ___ 2 ____ 3 ____ 4 ____ Latest
Sorting Tasks Task….
The figure below shows the faces of six people (A – G).
Which are males and which are females?
Vocabulary in Context
New Tools to Measure Impact
• Astronomy Diagnostic Test
• Lunar Phases Concept Inventory
• Stars and Star Formation Concept
Inventory
• Global Warming Concept Inventory
• Light and Spectra Concept Inventory
Light and Spectra Concept Inventory
How Do I Keep Up With It All?
• Astronomy Education Review
– http://aer.noao.edu
• ASP/AAE AstroEd_News
– Send blank email to [email protected]
• National Digital Libraries
– DLESE.org and AstronomyCenter.org
• What else?
Using Research on How
Students Learn Astronomy to
Improve Teaching
Tim Slater
University of Arizona
Department of Astronomy
Conceptual Astronomy and Physics
Education Research (CAPER) Team
http://caperteam.as.arizona.edu
Project BETA – July 26, 2007 – NASA Goddard