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

2012, AER, 11 (1), 010110, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2012020

A Life in the Universe Survey

Published 30 August 2012

Michael C. LoPresto and Jennifer Hubble-Zdanowski

Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan 48128

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The “Life in the Universe Survey” is a twelve-question assessment instrument. Largely based on the factors of the Drake equation, it is designed to survey students’ initial estimates of its factors and to gauge how estimates change with instruction. The survey was used in sections of a seminar course focusing specifically on life in the universe where it was designed and validated as well as in sections of introductory astronomy where life in the universe is only a single topic covered at the end of the semester.

© 2012 The American Astronomical Society

KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

cosmology, extraterrestrial life, physics education

PACS

  • 01.50.-i

    Educational aids

  • 95.90.+v

    Historical astronomy and archaeoastronomy; and other topics in fundamental astronomy and astrophysics; instrumentation, techniques, and astronomical observations

  • 98.80.-k

    Cosmology

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1539-1515 (online)

Publisher

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

ARTICLE DATA

History
Received 17 May 2012
Accepted 26 July 2012
Published online 30 August 2012
Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2012020

    References

  1. LoPresto, M. C., Murrell, S. R., and Kirchner, B. 2010, “Assessment of a Solar-System Walk,” The Physics Teacher 48, 236PHTEAH000048000004000236000001.
  2. Sagan, C. 1985, Contact, New York: Pocket Books.
  3. Staff Editor 1994, “Life in the Universe,” Scientific American, 271, 4, http://www.sciamdigital.com/index.cfm?fa=Products.ViewIssue&ISSUEID_CHAR=02112B5E-6C9E-4874-8C1E-C0571C08A54.
  4. Staff Editor 2002, “The Search for Alien Life,” Scientific American, special online issue no. 4, http://www.sciamdigital.com/index.cfm?fa=Products.ViewIssue&ISSUEID_CHAR=65D8C880-EB6D-4DDB-A64B-5999F15E59A

Figures (click on thumbnails to view enlargements)

FIG.1
Histogram used to select choices for item 4; median = between 50/60; mean = 52, modes = 0 and 100

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

FIG.2
Histogram of responses to item 8 in the survey compared to the distribution of estimates of the final product “N” of the Drake equation from student term papers. The distributions are similar, with a peak in the middle and with lesser values on either side tailing off toward larger estimates

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

FIG.3
Almost all students in the honor’s seminar course correctly identified the approximate number of stars in the galaxy after instruction

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

FIG.4
Estimates of the number of stars with planets increased after instruction

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

FIG.5
The majority estimated very few habitable planets per system before instruction, but estimates increased after instruction

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

FIG.6
Estimates of the chances of the origin and evolution of life and development of civilization on a habitable planet were more optimistic after instruction (histograms for items 4 and 6 were similar to that for item 5)

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FIG.7
A small shift after instruction toward pessimism in the chance of communication

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FIG.8
There was very little change before and after instruction in introductory astronomy in items pertaining to the Drake equation.

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FIG.9
Instruction in introductory astronomy resulted in less students responding that contact already has happened in item 8 and that contact would be too dangerous in item 12. Also in item 12, instruction resulted in a large increase in students choosing scientists as the ones who should speak for Earth

FIG.9 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.10
Comparison of this histogram with the item 12 histogram in Figure 9 shows that when the survey was given right before and right after coverage of life in the universe in introductory astronomy, the changes in the number of students selecting scientists to speak for Earth and that contact is too dangerous appears to have occurred prior to explicit instruction on life in the universe

FIG.10 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint



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