# Presentation: 232721

## 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**

## Pebble Richwine *

_**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*

_**UA Faculty**_

- Tim Slater Ed Prather
- Bruce Johnson

- Chris ImpeyChristopher Harris Ingrid Novodvorsky

**Notes:**
Who we are:  Working as a group with expertise coming from physics, astronomy, lunar and  planetary sciences, teaching and teacher education, and  Instructional Technology has made a  profound impact on the work that we are able to do.  Others are also involved an affiliated with CAPER from other universities, these are just those working at U of A

## 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

## 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.
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
A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning and monitor their own progress.

- 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*
- A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning and monitor their own progress.

**How People Learn**

- [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***

## 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?

- Which star is the brightest start in the sky?
- How many miles in an AU?
- What is the density of Saturn?

- Declarative                    Meaningful Knowledge       VS   Understanding(FACTS)                                 (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?

- 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?

***Can you have one without the other?***

- Declarative                    Meaningful Knowledge       VS   Understanding(FACTS)                                 (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?

- 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?

- Declarative                    Meaningful Knowledge       VS   Understanding(FACTS)                                 (CONCEPTS)

**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*_
- Seasons
- Moon Phases
- 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?

## New Technology Solutions

- What Causes the Seasons?

- _[http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/animations/seasons_ecliptic.swf](http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/animations/seasons_ecliptic.swf)_

## What do students struggle with?

_*The Big Three*_
- Seasons
- Moon Phases
- Gravity

*A Review of Astronomy Education Research*, _Astronomy Education Review_, **2**(2), 2003.  J.M. Bailey and T.F. Slater

## Slide 19

## 	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?

- 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?

- What Causes Moon Phases

- Before Lecture (N=42):  5% correct

## Some New-Untried Technology

- _[http://](http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf)__[astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf](http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/animations/lps.swf)_

## The Big Three
Seasons
Moon Phases
Gravity

- Seasons
- Moon Phases
- Gravity

- What do students struggle with?

## The Big Three
Seasons
Moon Phases
Gravity

- Seasons
- Moon Phases
- Gravity

- _[Learning About the Earth's Shape and Gravity: A Guide for Teachers and Curriculum ](http://aer.noao.edu/AERArticle.php?issue=4&section=2&article=4)__[Developers](http://aer.noao.edu/AERArticle.php?issue=4&section=2&article=4)_, 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*_
- Seasons
- Moon Phases
- 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

## Formation of Stars Starting Questions

- Q1: Describe what you think a star is.
- Q2: Describe where you think stars come from.
- Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.

- One of these question was given prior to instruction to students in the Introductory Astronomy course for non-science majors

***Early work comprising part of Janelle Bailey’s PhD dissertation***

## 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*!

## 	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?
- Region of gas or gas/dust
- Gravitational collapse of material in the region
- Temperature & Pressure increase
- Fusion begins
-  And now we have a star!

## 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....”

- 	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....”

- Preliminary ResultsQ2: Describe where you think stars come from.Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.		(Ntotal = 203)

*Early work comprising part of Janelle Bailey’s PhD dissertation*

## 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.     .”

- 	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.     .”

- Preliminary ResultsQ2: Describe where you think stars come from.Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.		(Ntotal = 203)

*Early work comprising part of Janelle Bailey’s PhD dissertation*

## 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....”

- 	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 ResultsQ2: 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.”

- 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 ResultsQ2: 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

- 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**

- Preliminary ResultsQ2: Describe where you think stars come from.Q3: Describe how you think a star is formed.		(Ntotal = 203)

*Early work comprising part of Janelle Bailey’s PhD dissertation*

## An Example on Life in the Universe

**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

**An Example on Life in the Universe**

## Hundreds of Extra-Solar Planets

- G. Marcy and P. Butler

**Hundreds of Extra-Solar Planets**

## 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 | Non-science Majors
 (N=212) |
| --- | --- |
| Environments with extreme temperatures | 42% |
| No water | 21% |
| Volcanoes/core of the Earth | 9% |
| No oxygen/air | 21% |
| No sunlight | 7% |
| No food/nutrients | 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 Categories | Non-science Majors
 (N=212) |
| --- | --- |
| 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

**An Example on the topic of Cosmology – The Big Bang**

## 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.

- Hints of a Fundamental Misconception in Cosmology*, *_Astronomy Education _
- _Review_, 1, (2), 2002 , Edward E. Prather, Timothy F. Slater and Erika G. Offerdahl

_***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.

## Slide 45

## 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

- Misconception Model

-  Primitives Model

- Adapted from a slide by Rachel Scherr, University of Maryland

## Two Models Of Students’ Understanding

-  Primitives Model

- Adapted from a slide by Rachel Scherr, University of Maryland

- Misconception Model

## 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**

## How Do “Primitive-like” Ideas Impact Teaching and Learning Astronomy?

| CLOSE MEANS MORE | It’s hotter in the summer because we are closer to the Sun |
| --- | --- |
| MOTION REQUIRES FORCE | 
Spaceships need rockets on at all times to keep moving |
| INTERFERENCE | I can’t see all of the Moon because the Earth is in the way |
| OHM’S P-PRIM | All bright stars must be very hot |
| 1-2-3-MORE | 
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?

| CLOSE MEANS MORE | It’s hotter in the summer because we are closer to the Sun |
| --- | --- |
| MOTION REQUIRES FORCE | 
Spaceships need rockets on at all times to keep moving |
| INTERFERENCE | I can’t see all of the Moon because the Earth is in the way |
| CAN’T MAKE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING | 
The Big Bang organized pre-existing matter |
| OHM’S P-PRIM | All bright stars must be very hot |
| 1-2-3-MORE | 
The solar system contains millions of stars

A comet is a tiny galaxy
 |

## How Do “Primitive-like” Ideas Impact Teaching and Learning Astronomy?

| CLOSE MEANS MORE | It’s hotter in the summer because we are closer to the Sun |
| --- | --- |
| MOTION REQUIRES FORCE | 
Spaceships need rockets on at all times to keep moving |
| INTERFERENCE | I can’t see all of the Moon because the Earth is in the way |
| CAN’T MAKE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING | The Big Bang organized pre-existing matter

There is no air on the Moon so there cannot be gravity on the Moon |
| OHM’S P-PRIM | All bright stars must be very hot |
| 1-2-3-MORE | 
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

**Not All of These Are Deeply Held Ideas**

## 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, quasi-experimental 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)

**Notes:**
Not a classic “CASE STUDEY” with two treatments and a randomized population of participants.

## Celestial Motion of Objects 

*The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy*, Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., _Astronomy Education Review_ (2004)

## Celestial Motion of Objects 

- Before Lecture (N=42):  2% correct

*The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy*, Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., _Astronomy Education Review_ (2004)

## Celestial Motion of Objects 

- Before Lecture (N=42):  2% correct
- After Lecture (N = 135):  19% correct

*The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy*, Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., _Astronomy Education Review_ (2004)

## 	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?

- What Causes Moon Phases

*The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy*, Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., _Astronomy Education Review_ (2004)

## 	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?

- What Causes Moon Phases

- Before Lecture (N=42):  5% correct

*The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy*, Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., _Astronomy Education Review_ (2004)

## 	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?

- What Causes Moon Phases

- 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)

## 	The graph at right shows the blackbody spectra for three different stars.  Which of the stars is at the highest temperature?
a)  Star A 
b)  Star B
c)  Star C

- a)  Star A
- b)  Star B
- c)  Star C

- Blackbody Radiation LT

*The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy*, Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., _Astronomy Education Review_ (2004)

## 	The graph at right shows the blackbody spectra for three different stars.  Which of the stars is at the highest temperature?
a)  Star A 
b)  Star B
c)  Star C

- a)  Star A
- b)  Star B
- c)  Star C

- Blackbody Radiation LT

- Before Lecture (N=42):  12% correct

*The Effectiveness of Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Introductory Astronomy*, Prather, Slater, Adams, et. al., _Astronomy Education Review_ (2004)

## 	The graph at right shows the blackbody spectra for three different stars.  Which of the stars is at the highest temperature?
a)  Star A 
b)  Star B
c)  Star C

- a)  Star A
- b)  Star B
- c)  Star C

- Blackbody Radiation LT

- Before Lecture (N=42):  12% correct
- After Lecture (N=120):  16% correct

## 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)

**Notes:**
Not a classic “CASE STUDEY” with control groups and two treatments using a randomized population of participants.

## 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)

**Notes:**
Not a classic “CASE STUDEY” with control groups and two treatments using a randomized population of participants.

## 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,                     Adapted from  J*oe Reddish, **Calvin and Hobbs                 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

- Nice, but largely insufficent

## So What Can You Do About It?

- Lecture more loudly?

## 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

*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 *T**HEIR* 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.

- <date/time>

**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.

- <date/time>

**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.				

- <date/time>

**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.				

- <date/time>

**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.				

- <date/time>

**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.				

- <date/time>

**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				

- <date/time>

**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				

- <date/time>

**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

**Notes:**
Not a classic “CASE STUDEY” with control groups and two treatments using a randomized population of participants.

## 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

**Notes:**
Not a classic “CASE STUDEY” with control groups and two treatments using a randomized population of participants.

## Qualitative Results(focus group)

- Students believe that the tutorials are one of the greatest strength of the class
*“**We are able to discuss topics with other students and therefore, we help each other!”*
*“**Why don’t all professors use tutorials during class?”*
*“**The tutorials were definitely a big part of my learning in the class.”*

*The Effectiveness of a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Instruction*, _Astronomy Education Review_, 2004.  Prather, Slater, Adams, Bailey, Dostal & Jones

## 	“And then the tutorials? I don’t know who ever thought of that. But it’s really how classes should be taught....The tutorials [review concepts] because they break it down. You start with something so simple...and then it slowly gets to more.”   –Marti

- Qualitative Results(interview)

*The Effectiveness of a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Instruction*, _Astronomy Education Review_, 2004.  Prather, Slater, Adams, Bailey, Dostal & Jones

## 	“I know the worksheets are real helpful. I found it sometimes hard to talk to as many people as I wanted to talk to and finish the worksheet in time.” – Joe

- Qualitative Results(interviews)

*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  or   activity 

- _a_**ctivity**  = Just having students DO STUFF
*OR*
_**A**_**ctivity  = Repeatedly intellectually engage students with meaningful phenomena to create deep conceptual understanding**

## Activity  or   activity 

- _a_**ctivity**  = Just having students DO STUFF
***HOW DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?***
_**A**_**ctivity  = 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.)*

- are students really different
-  as a result of these activities?

## 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.

- The educational effectiveness of activities must be meaningfully evaluated both to make improvements and for our community to make progress.

_**A**_**ctivity  or   **_a_**ctivity**

## 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) 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?**

## Slide 118

## Slide 119

## Slide 120

## Slide 121

## Slide 122

## Slide 123

## Vocabulary in Context

## Slide 125

## Slide 126

## Slide 127

## Slide 128

## 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 astroed_news-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
- 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**