ASTR 590: Special Topics in AstronomyAstronomy for Teachers

A Recap

Presented by Dr. Harold Gellerhgeller@gmu.edu

Department of Physics and AstronomyGeorge Mason University

What I’ll Talk About

• Astronomy Workshop for Teachers at George Mason University

• What worked• What didn’t work• Assessments• Teacher Comments• Why Important

Astronomy Workshop• What

– A teacher workshop geared for high school earth science teachers

• Who– Run by Harold Geller (George Mason University) and

Lee Ann Hennig (Thomas Jefferson High School)• When

– Two weeks in the Summer of 2006 with 2 meetings in the fall 2006 as follow-up presentations

• Where– George Mason University

From Course Webpage

George Mason University (GMU)College of Science (COS)

Department of Physics and Astronomyand

College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)Office of Adult Learning and Professional Development (OALPD)

ASTR 590: Special Topics in AstronomyAstronomy for Teachers

Summer 2006 (with 2 fall follow-up sessions TBD)MTWHF 10AM-3PM; with evening sessions in observatory as weather permits

August 7-11;14-18; 2 follow-up sessions TBDRoom IN 323 and GMU Observatory (if available)

From Course Webpage

CoInstructor: Harold GellerPhone: 703-993-1276FAX: 703-993-1269E-mail: hgeller@gmu.eduAddress: Department of Physics and Astronomy, MS 3F3

George Mason University4400 University DriveFairfax, VA 22030

CoInstructor: Lee Ann HennigPhone: 703-750-8380FAX: 703-750-5010E-mail: LeeAnn.Hennig@fcps.eduAddress: Astronomy/Planetarium

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology6560 Braddock RoadAlexandria, VA 22312

From Course Webpage

COURSE DESCRIPTION:Participants will review astronomy concepts, focusing on the concepts which appear in the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL). Workshop participants will utilize innovative activities for teaching students physical concepts required of students to comprehend astronomy related natural phenomena such as the appearance of the night time sky,

reasons for the seasons, phases of the Moon, motion of the stars and planets, surface features of the Moon, and nature of eclipses.

COURSE PURPOSE AND INTENDED AUDIENCE:This is an intensive two week long professional development workshop for teachers in

the grades 6-12. There will be two follow-up sessions in the Fall 2006 (dates to be set). This workshop will aid teachers in comprehending and developing lesson plans to address astronomy concepts that are part of the Virginia Standards of Learning.

From Course WebpageCOURSE FORMAT:

The workshop will address astronomy concepts utilizing lectures, group activities, laboratory exercises and open class discussions. Lectures will consist of various forms

of presentation material including videos, computer displays, demonstrations and transparencies. Questions are acceptable at all times. Participants should be alert

during the lecture and prepared to answer queries posed as they arise. Class activities are collaborative efforts of three or four participants. Each participant will hand in a

write-up for each class activity. Class activity sessions will consist of both computer-based exercises and hands-on exercises. Activity reports will be turned in at the

conclusion of each class meeting.OUTCOMES:

After attending this workshop teachers will be able to explain and develop lesson plans for use in their classrooms to explain the appearance of the night time sky; explain the

reasons for the seasons; explain the phases of the Moon; explain the motion of the stars and planets; explain the surface features of the Moon; and explain the nature of eclipses

From Course WebpageREQUIRED TEXT and SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITY MATERIALS:

The required textbook for this course (provided to participants) is Foundations of Astronomy by Michael A. Seeds, 9th edition with Starry Night CD-ROM. Supplemental activity materials for this course (provided to participants) includes the Mag 5 Star Atlas

(from Scientifics Online); a Diffraction Grating Film Sheet 12" x 6" (from Scientifics Online); a Cardboard Spectrometer Kit (from Learning Technologies Inc. (LTI)); a

Celestial Sphere Kit (from LTI); the Cycles Book (from LTI); a Miller Planisphere (from Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)); and a Solar Motion Demonstrator Kit (from

ASP).

GRADING RUBRIC:Description Weighting

Class Activities 60%Final Examination 20%Follow-up Session 20%

From Course WebpageDate Topic/Learning Experiences

In Class ActivityReadings

7 August 2006 Preliminaries:Contract Course Enrollment FormsContract Course Information OverviewPayment and Receipt for PaymentLunch PassesCAER Introductory Astronomy Survey and Pre-testHarvard General Astronomy Pre-Test and SurveyVirginia SOL Astronomy Questions Pre-test

Scale of the Cosmos – Time and Distance MeasuresMathematical Tools ReviewSolar System Scale Model Activity

Chapter 1 and Appendix A

8 August 2006 The Sky – Constellations and the Celestial SphereMiller Planisphere Activity1300 JC Rm G – Astronomy Journal Club (see presentations by graduate students)Telescope Observing Session - weather permitted to observe Jupiter and its Galilean Moons, the Moon, the Ring Nebula, and more

Chapter 2 pages 12-22

9 August 2006 The Sky – The Sun and the SeasonsMag 5 Star AtlasCelestial Sphere ActivitySolar Motion Demonstrator KitGuest Speaker Heather Weir, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Chapter 2 pages 22-27

From Course Webpage10 August 2006 The Sky – Motion of the Planets

Cycles and Starry Night ActivityGuest Speaker, Greg Redfern, NASA JPL Planetary AmbassadorTelescope Observing Session (weather will not permit - cancelled)

Chapter 2 pages 25-32

11 August 2006 Cycles of the Moon – The PhasesGuest Speaker Steve Berr, Learning Technologies Inc. (demonstration of StarLab Planetariums)

Chapter 3 pages 36-41

14 August 2006 Cycles of the Moon – EclipsesCyclesMoons of Jupiter Activity

Chapter 3 pages 42-55

15 August 2006 Origins of Modern AstronomyGuest Speaker Art Poland, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (retired), former Project Scientist SOHO, research faculty, GMUGMU Observing Session (weather not permitting - CANCELLED)

Chapter 4

16 August 2006 Newton, Einstein and GravityGeller Presentation and complete activity (Jupiter’s Moons)Guest Speaker Bob Ehrlich, author and physics professor, GMU

Chapter 5

From Course Webpage17 August 2006 Light and Telescopes

Reflection ActivityRefraction ActivityDiffraction Grating HandoutsGMU Observing Session (starting at 8:30 PM)

Chapter 6 pages 108-122

18 August 2006 Light and TelescopesSpectrometer ActivityClosing PaperworkCAER Introductory Astronomy Survey and Post-testHarvard General Astronomy Post-Test and SurveyVirginia SOL Astronomy Questions Post-testCourse Evaluations

Chapter 6 pages 122-135

14 October 2006

Saturday Fall Follow-up SessionWorkshop participant presentations

Lesson plan presentations developed by participants

2 December 2006

Saturday Fall Follow-up SessionWorkshop participant presentations

Student results from lesson plans used in class (pre-and post- test results)

From Course Webpage• Also on course webpage

– http://physics.gmu.edu/~hgeller/TeacherWorkshop/• Links to all of the vendors that provided the

handout materials• Links to the presentations made during the two

week summer period of the class• Links to additional web-pages that may be

useful to the participants• Links to the tests used as pre-tests and post-

tests

What Worked Especially Well• Free handouts to the teachers• Guest speakers (from NASA GSFC, JPL, and

GMU)• Activities (some were more difficult than others)• Team work with Lee Ann Hennig and me• Use of pre- and post- tests from Harvard, CAER

and UVa excerpts from SOLs• Starlab portable planetarium demonstration• Computer laboratory exercises

– CLEA and Starry Night especially so

What Didn’t Work Too Well• Some teachers wanted more technical• Some teachers wanted more specific to SOL

questions• Observing sessions held at night

– Observatory not available• Teachers did get to see Moon and planets

• Some teachers felt they traveled too far• Some teachers didn’t like the requirement of two

follow-up sessions– GMU Education department has data that they are

necessary

Assessments• Based upon a combination of three standard

tests– CAER Introductory Astronomy Survey (formerly the

Astronomy Diagnostic Tool version 2.0)– Harvard General Astronomy Test– Virginia SOL Questions related to astronomy

• Pre-test average of scores was 72%• Post-test average of scores was 82%• EVERY INDIVIDUAL SCORE INCREASED from

pre-testing compared to post-testing– See graphic on next slide

Assessment of Teacher Learning in Workshop From Pre-tests and Post-tests

0.00%

10.00%

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40.00%

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60.00%

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90.00%

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Student Number

Pre-test Grade Post-test Grade

Teacher Comments• Teacher feedback via standard George Mason

University course evaluations• Scored on a Likert scale of 1-5

– Instructor preparation Mean Score 4.93 /5– Course organization Mean Score 4.81 /5– Instructor motivation Mean Score 4.69 /5– Intellectual challenge Mean Score 4.20 /5– Instructor fairness Mean Score 4.94 /5– Overall course rating Mean Score 4.75 /5

• Room on course evaluations for comments– (see next slides)

Teacher Comments (Positive)

• Positive– Great speakers– Great resources– Kept target audience in mind– Organization of learning– Visualizations and hands-on learning– Good activities to demonstrate concepts– Excellent team teaching approach– Provided hands on materials to use in class

Teacher Comments (Negative)• Negative

– Gear more to Virginia SOLs• Add more content from SOL ES.14• Correlate better with Virginia earth science material

– Start later in day so no need to return for observing sessions in the evening

– Have more night time observing sessions– Make it more of a challenge

• Make it more intellectually challenging– Have a review specifically for the final– Have better test questions

Results from Fall Follow Up #1• Teachers presented their lesson plans• Not all teachers present

– Hard to find date that all can be present– Those not in attendance had to videotape their presentation and

send it in to me• Wide variance in efforts in lesson plans• One in particular was cause for concern

– Would lead students to believe that phases of Moon caused by shadow

– Teacher response was “I don’t care if they understand the abstract concept, I just want them to get it right on the SOLs and this will help them do just that”

• Follow up session #2 will have teachers present results of their use of their prepared lesson plans with pre- and post-test results from their students

Views of Professional Development

• Contradictions in Professional Development– Professional development courses are “key

mechanisms for providing teachers with ongoing training opportunities”

– Most professional development courses have a short term effect and lack adequate follow-up

• Conclusions from two studies sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education– “Formal professional development typically lasts for

the equivalent of 1 day”– This point was highlighted by Donna Sterling– Not a particularly new issue, as it was highlighted by

Thomas Guskey over 20 years ago

Views of Professional Development

• More conclusions from NCES– “teachers were most likely to have participated in

professional development that focused on state or district curriculum and performance standards”

– “the extent to which teachers felt that participation in the activity improved their teaching depended on whether that activity was followed by various school-based activities,”

• The VESC workshops were focused on the Virginia Standards of Learning.

• There must be two distinct follow-up sessions in the ensuing fall semester for the summer workshop in spite of the lack of time teachers have to participate

Some Parting Thoughts• More workshops are needed and they ideally should be

over a longer period of time– This flies in the face that teachers don’t have time available

• Teachers as students– Can’t gear one workshop for all teachers

• Many are at different levels themselves

• Need both hands-on activities and lecture format– Teachers like students have different learning styles

• If time is short don’t build materials during activities, let teachers take home and use the already built materials that are available in the astronomy lab (if available)

• Don’t count on promises of contractors– Construction of observatory and conference room is going to be

one year late– Total construction is $1.7 Million overbudget (~10% of building

cost)