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Full-Text Articles in Education
Spatial Thinking In Astronomy Education Research, Merryn Cole, Cheryl Cole, Jennifer Wilhelm, Rebecca Lindell
Spatial Thinking In Astronomy Education Research, Merryn Cole, Cheryl Cole, Jennifer Wilhelm, Rebecca Lindell
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Faculty Publications
This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Astronomy Education Research.] Multiple studies show that spatial thinking skills contribute to students’ performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The study of astronomy is no different with the understanding of many astronomical phenomena requiring spatial thinking skills. This paper describes traditional and contemporary approaches to characterizing and measuring spatial thinking skills and suggests how they inform research in astronomy education. It summarizes previous literature in astronomy education research and categorizes the research approaches of astronomy education peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings that explicitly consider the role of spatial …
The Universe On A Desktop: Observational Astronomy Simulations In The Instructional Laboratory, Laurence A. Marschall
The Universe On A Desktop: Observational Astronomy Simulations In The Instructional Laboratory, Laurence A. Marschall
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
Though the value of hands-on learning has long been recognised by educators, it is difficult to design laboratories in astronomy classes that present realistic astrophysical techniques to undergraduate students. Unlike most other sciences, astronomy is largely observational, not experimental, and making useful observations involves expensive equipment over time scales inconvenient for pedagogy. In recent years, however, astronomy has gone almost completely digital, and the advent of large on-line databases and fast personal computers has made it possible to realistically simulate the experience of research astrophysics in the laboratory. Since 1992, Project CLEA (Contemporary Laboratory Experiences in Astronomy) has been developing …