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Experiments in Enhancing Student Participation in Introductory Astronomy

Fran BagenalAstrophysical & Planetary Sciences

University of Colorado, BoulderThanks for discussions to:

Kathy Doxas-Garvin, Nick Schneider, Doug Duncan, David Brain, Nick Gnedin, Jason Glenn, Andrew Hamilton, Dick McCray, Erica Ellingson, Josh Collwell

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Background• 1200 non-science majors take Intro Astro per

semester at University of Colorado, Boulder

• 6 sections - 3 Solar System, 3 Stars&Galaxies

• Taught by faculty or post-doctoral researchers

• 21 faculty all take turns in teaching Intro Astro

• Research spans Astrophysical & Planetary Sci.

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Teaching Experiments

1. Student response in lectures• Colored cards• Electronic “Clickers”

2. Classroom activities• Worksheets• e-Tutorials• e-Labs

3. Learning Groups• 5-10 students with UG coach• Group meetings instead of lectures

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1: Student Response in LecturesEric Mazur Technique

• Students ‘vote’ for multiple choice answers during lecture

- Colored cards or electronic “clickers”

• Allows for interactive participation even in the largest classrooms

• Technology records student responses, allowing performance to be graded

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1: Student Response in Lectures• ‘Concept Questions”, identifying important ideas

• Students discuss for ~3 minutes

• Then vote separately

Interaction has multiple advantages

• Identifies misconceptions• Paces instructor better• Engages students

What kind of planet has the thinnest lithosphere (in general)?

A. The planet closest to the Sun

B. The planet farthest from the Sun

C. The largest planetD. The smallest planetE. The planet with the

largest fraction of low-density rock

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1: Student Response in Lectures Electronic Clickers

• ‘Hyper-interactive Teaching Technology’ [www.h-itt.com]

• Each student purchases a ‘clicker stick’ and registers it online, linking the transmitters’ unique ID with their own

• $30 each, bought back at $15.

• Classroom outfitted with receivers, a computer and projector.

• $10k for 250-student lecture hall

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1: Student Response in Lectures

• Students respond to a multiple-choice question with their ‘clickers’

• After the instructor closes the answering period, a histogram of votes appears on the screen (usually a different screen from the question screen)

• The instructor tailors the ensuing discussion around responses, focusing on incorrect responses as appropriate.

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1: Student Response in Lectures Students favor use of clickers Lecture enhanced by focusing on challenging concepts Main complaint: cost - about $30 per student, less resale value Appreciate ‘easy credit’ for attendance Recognize value of staying alert

Percentage of students attending class vs. datefor non-test days

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20

40

60

80

100

19-Feb 1-Mar 11-Mar 21-Mar 31-Mar 10-Apr 20-Apr

Date

Percentage

Instructor morale improved! Higher attendance Satisfaction of student interaction Real-time feedback keeps lectures on track

With Clickers

Without Clickers

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1: Student Response in LecturesAdditional Uses:

1. Attendance

2. Reading comprehension, to

encourage reading before lecture

3. Predicting what will happen in a

demonstration

4. Grading Worksheets completed

during class (in groups)

5. Demographics - who attends, who

is getting what type of answers

right/wrong, who dis/likes what.....

Teaching aid vs. Big Brother?Motivation for learning vs. lab rats?

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2: Classroom Activities• Computer-Based Labs

- 1 section with 2-hour labs- Complements hand-on activities- In-depth exploration with interactive JAVA applets

• Class room Worksheets - paper- Perceived as extra homework- Grading time/cost

• Electronic Tutorials- At home or in class- Needs laptops + ethernet

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EXAMPLE 1: What Controls the Surface Temperature of a Planet?

• Interactive JAVA applet

• Student explores how distance from the Sun affects surface temperature

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EXAMPLE 1: What Controls the Surface Temperature of a Planet?

• Interactive JAVA applet

• Student explores how amount and type of gases control the greenhouse effect

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EXAMPLE 1: What Controls the Surface Temperature of a Planet?

• Interactive JAVA applet

• Student explores how water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane control the amount of IR absorbed by the atmosphere

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EXAMPLE 1: What Controls the Surface Temperature of a Planet?

• JAVA applets are based on physical model

• Math is hidden - unless you ask to see it

• Modules on Kepler’s Laws and the Greenhouse Effect available at http://solarsystem.colorado.edu

• Developed by Isidoros Doxas and Fran Bagenal

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2: Classroom Activities

Bring-Your-Laptop-to-Class-Fridays

• 72-student section

• Wired class room

• 4 laptops provided, ~4 students brought laptops, remainder used computer lab across the hall

• 10 class activities, 1% attendance grade each

• Electronic tutorials - part of Astronomy Place website accompanying the Cosmic Perspectives text published by Addison Wesley

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EXAMPLE 2: What Causes the Seasons?

• Interactive electronic tutorial

• Student is guided by questions on processes controlling the seasons

• In class activity or home study

From Astronomy Place - website accompanying Cosmic Perspectives - Addison Wesley

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EXAMPLE 2: What Causes the Seasons?

• Multi-part lessons

• Animations and interactives (using Flash)

From Astronomy Place - website accompanying Cosmic Perspectives - Addison Wesley

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EXAMPLE 2: What Causes the Seasons?

• When the student moves the person (right) around the globe, the view of the Sun (left) changes

• Feedback on in/correct answers

From Astronomy Place - website accompanying Cosmic Perspectives - Addison Wesley

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EXAMPLE 2: What Causes the Seasons?

• Learning reinforced through application to a different situation

• Exercises allow student to confirm understanding of concept

From Astronomy Place - website accompanying Cosmic Perspectives - Addison Wesley

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2: Classroom Activities

“I really liked the surface temperature tutorial - actually fun to do the whole thing - I played with the animations and really understood what I was reading. The animations played a great part in my understanding - through manipulation of the planet’s situation and conditions”

Pros:• Student engagement

with material• Group learning• Instructor gets chance to

talk with smaller groups

Cons:• Less material “covered”• Limited to smaller classes?• Technology intensive• Limited to interactives

developed to date

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3: Learning Groups• Assigned learning groups of 5-10 students• Groups meet in computer lab each week instead of a lecture• Each group has an undergraduate TA - “coach”• Weekly assignments involve working with online text and interactives

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3: Learning Groups• Interactives developed elsewhere - posted by colleagues on web

• Assignments require students to address specific questions

• Group answers submitted via web

• Assignments discussed “Oprah-style” in class where groups defend their answer

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3: Learning Groups

• Started by Dick McCray

• 3 other faculty trying variations

• Funded by Pew Trust, NSF

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3: Learning GroupsPros:• Student engagement

with material• Group learning• UG coaches popular• Valuable experience for

UG coaches• Project-based assessment

Cons:• Less material “covered”• Extensive organization of

learning groups• Discussion sessions

depend on style of instructor• Maintenance/development

of software takes time/funds

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Lessons Learned - 1

• Hard - for both students and Hard - for both students and teachers - to change culture of teachers - to change culture of large lecture classeslarge lecture classes

• HUGE improvements in morale HUGE improvements in morale of both students and facultyof both students and faculty

• In reality, requires changing In reality, requires changing classrooms classrooms - not just a website- not just a website

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Lessons Learned - 2

Getting Department Buy-In:Getting Department Buy-In:

• Senior faculty advocate helpsSenior faculty advocate helps

• Multiple approaches Multiple approaches not top-down, experiments, not top-down, experiments, sharing resultssharing results

• Flexible, modular tools more Flexible, modular tools more sustainable than whole coursesustainable than whole course

• Encouraging different styles of teachingEncouraging different styles of teaching

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Lessons Learned - 3

What We Don’t Know:What We Don’t Know:

• Do students learn more? Do students learn more? Is Is this the right question?this the right question?

• Will the novelty wear off?Will the novelty wear off?

• How to fund continued How to fund continued development?development?

• Whither technology?Whither technology?