Time Efficient and Motivational Material For Studies in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Nigel McFarlane

Kingtide Innovations

nrm@kingtide.com.au

This Talk

Introduces you to a new resource

Identifies some– information savings– time savings– student motivators

No rocket science. Early Lunch!

Why I Am Here

An adult educator for ages 15-60. I write books, tutorials and other pieces. I pop up in lots of places.

I publish posters. I have an astronomy poster to talk about and to sell today.

Two B.Sc’s covering 3 majors: Physics, Mathematics, Software.

Poster Sponsored By

Faculty Of Science Tech & Eng.

How I Connect To You.

We share issues collecting material.– It’s a treasure hunt.

We share issues delivering material.– Teaching techniques eases learning.

I provide introductory astronomy material with local validity.– We don’t live in the US.

My material is extensively tested

Types of Introductory Source Material

Point Solutions• Stories• Rhetoric• Fragments

Systematic Solutions• Topic Maps (FB diagrams, mind maps, table of

contents, indexes)• Standard Problems

Not helpful at the very beginning

Samplers

A good poster is a Sampler: a diversity of ideas tied to a theme.

More than a periodic table or a butterfly display.

Samplers promote creativity via exploration. Faster than the Web when searching is open-ended.

Sampler 1

Local jump-offs

Sampler 2

Subject jump-offs

interferometry

ionosphere

N-body problem

gravity

radio physics

gamma rays

black holes

analemmic sundials

star navigation

comets

Sampler 3

People

Tebbutt Cook

Places

Things

William Dawes

H.C. Russell

William Bradfield

E.J. Hartung

Parkes, Antarctica, Torquay (or Hamilton), Singleton, every state, Sun, Earth, planets, star clusters, galaxies.

...

Poster Design

I’ve tried to combine all of these samplers into an information-dense poster that is very accessible. It’s as complex as a small book.

Science concepts are hidden inside images, maps and text that are simple and easy to relate to. One look and you’re hooked.

Suggested Uses

Unit Planning Student Detailed Study Design

Use during Unit Planning

Telescope Issues– looking isn’t measuring– looking isn’t imaging– automation

Segmenting Harder & Easier Topics– mathematics vs

history and philosophy of science Segmenting to Avoid Plagiarism

– 20 topics are easy to find

Use by Students

Igniting Enthusiasm– A simple, time efficient filtering system.– Market experience bears this out.

Shopping for Projects– Favourites lead directly to study subjects– Most poster text blocks raise or describe at

least one topic Influencing Decisions

– Enthusiasm + Teacher = Outcomes

Does it work?

Teachers like it– “Choc full of excellent information”– “A good reference for students” - NHS.

Astronomy educators like it– Prominently displayed at the Parkes Visitors’

Center, used regularly by the CSIRO. the public likes it

– An astronomy poster bestseller.

Not A Complicated Talk.

– Good luck in 2004.