Retirement is looming. Each day ticking by comes with a thought that I might not ever give that specific lecture again, and with a nagging feeling that I still—after more than 30 years—didn’t perfectly nail it. And with that thought, each day ahead becomes even more important, bringing butterflies to my stomach, and questions like: What can I do differently this time? What can I do to really make an impact, to help make the next class even more effective?
Category: Astronomy
Reaching Every Student in Your General Education Class
I know just how difficult it can be to stand in front of a large classroom of diverse students —most there just to fulfill a credit requirement—and wonder how you will facilitate their learning. My college, Weber State University in Utah, is an open enrollment institution that provides accessible educational opportunities and high-quality degrees to the students seeking them. What that means for my classroom is that I usually have students at all different levels of experience and all kinds of backgrounds.
Teaching Interplanetary Distances Using a Human Solar System
Dr. Michael Dunham is an assistant professor in the physics department at SUNY Fredonia. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and a B.S. in physics and astronomy from the University of Rochester. In this post, he shares how he shows students the size and scale …
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Classroom Resources: Two Active-Learning Explorations for Introductory Astronomy
What activities do you incorporate to flip your classroom? Tabitha Buehler, Associate Professor (Lecturer), Physics And Astronomy at the University of Utah, shares one hands-on activity she incorporates into her intro astronomy classroom. This post originally appeared in Teaching Astronomy by Doing Astronomy. I consider my introductory astronomy class ("The Universe") at the University of …
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Making Science Accessible: A Conversation with Astronomy Author Adam Frank
Astronomy: At Play in the Cosmos author Adam Frank sat down with the astronomy team to tell us a little about his research and why he is passionate about getting nonscientists excited about science. Adam is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester. Norton Astronomy: Why did you want to write a textbook for …
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Orchestrating Active Learning in a Less-than-Ideal Environment
Stacy Palen is an award-winning professor in the physics department and director of the Ott Planetarium at Weber State University. Dr. Palen is passionate about teaching astronomy, and presents tips on creating an active learning environment below. Image Credit: Zac Williams Somehow or other, classroom architects in the 1960s, 1970s, and as far along as …
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