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Astronomy Education Review / Volume 11 / Issue 1 / RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS

2012, AER, 11 (1), 010106, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2012007

Space to Grow: LCOGT.net and Improving Science Engagement in Schools

Published 14 May 2012

Lena Danaia and David McKinnon

Charles Sturt University, Australia

Quentin Parker

Macquarie University and Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia

Michael Fitzgerald

Macquarie University, Australia

Paul Stenning

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, Australia

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Space to Grow is an Australian Research Council Grant that engages high school students in real science and supports their teachers in implementing inquiry-based approaches using astronomy as the focus. Currently, Grade 9–12 students and their science teachers from three educational jurisdictions in one Australian state are acquiring, and making scientific use of, observational data from the 2-m Faulkes Telescopes owned by Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network. Data are being collected to investigate the impact of the project on students and teachers. Some investigations have led students to work with astronomers to publish their results in the astronomical literature.

© 2012 The American Astronomical Society

KEYWORDS, PACS, and IPC

Keywords

astronomical telescopes, astronomy, computer aided instruction, educational institutions, physics computing, physics education, teaching, Laboratory exercises, 7–9 (or middle school), 10–12 (or high school), Research into teaching/learning

PACS

International Patent Classification (IPC)

  • G06F19/00

    Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific applications

  • G09B5/00

    Electrically-operated educational appliances

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1539-1515 (online)

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef The American Astronomical Society

ARTICLE DATA

History
Received 05 March 2012
Accepted 18 April 2012
Published online 14 May 2012
Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2012007

    References

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Figures (5) Tables (2)

Figures (click on thumbnails to view enlargements)

FIG.1
Example of images that students selected to image in Project 1 and created color versions of in Project 2. (From left: M20, M3, part of the Veil Nebula).

FIG.1 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.2
(Left) Image of NGC654 constructed from project data, (middle) Dereddened data and ZAMS visual fit from a sample of 60 Stars from the cluster measured by students, and (right) Student data overlaid (RED) on data from latest NGC654 photometric CMD study from Pandey et al. (2005)23.

FIG.2 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.3
(Left) A group of teachers collaboratively working together during one of the intensive professional learning days, (right) groups/pairs of students working through Project 2.

FIG.3 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.4
Graph of the equivalent and nonequivalent mean scale sores with 95% confidence levels.

FIG.4 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.5
Two students (Josh Criss and Tom Lukaszewicz) together with project team member Michael Fitzgerald displaying their work on the RR Lyraes in NGC6101 at a school Science Fair.

FIG.5 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

Tables

Table I. Students’ responses to four items from the pre-AKQ that can be mapped to junior secondary science content.

View Table
Table II. Means and standard deviations for equivalent and nonequivalent dependent variables.

View Table


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