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Astronomy Education Review / Volume 9 / Issue 1 / RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS

2010, AER, 9 (1), 010101, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2009043

Using Visual Assessments and Tutorials to Teach Solar System Concepts in Introductory Astronomy

Published 26 January 2010

Michael C. LoPresto

Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan 48128

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Visual assessments and tutorials are instruments that rely on student construction and/or examination of pictures and/or diagrams rather than multiple choice and/or short answer questions. Being a very visual subject, astronomy lends itself to assessments and tutorials of this type. What follows is a report on the results of the use of visual assessments and tutorials for instruction on two specific solar system topics in introductory astronomy: the orbits of comets and extrasolar planets.

© 2010 The American Astronomical Society

KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

astronomy, celestial mechanics, comets, extrasolar planets, physics education, solar system, college nonmajors, solar system, extrasolar planets, research into teaching/learning, hands-on activities, teaching approaches, demonstrations, cooperative group activities, assessment

PACS

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1539-1515 (online)

Publisher

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

ARTICLE DATA

History
Received 06 June 2009
Accepted 21 September 2009
Published online 26 January 2010
Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2009043

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  6. Prather, E. and Brissenden, G. 2009, “Lecture Tutorials `How-To',” N.A.S.A., J.P.L., Center for Astronomy Education; Teaching Strategies, http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/tips/index.cfm?TeachingID=63.
  7. Prather, E., Slater, T. J., Bailey, J., Jones, L. V., and Dostal, J. A. 2004, “Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non-Science Majors,” Astronomy Education Review, 3, 122.
  8. Weimer, M. 2002, Learner Centered Teaching, New York: Wiley, 129.

Figures (8) Tables (4)

Figures (click on thumbnails to view enlargements)

FIG.1
The diagram of a comet’s orbit that was given to students at the beginning of the class period in which comets were to be covered and at the beginning of the next class period after instruction. The following instructions were included; Figure 1 shows the portion of a comet’s highly eccentric orbit that is close to the Sun. At each numbered position of the comet’s nucleus draw the comet’s coma (head) and tail. Make sure that your drawing clearly shows any differences between the size of the coma and length of the tail and the direction the tail is pointing

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

FIG.2
Student drawing showing the common misconception that a comet always travels head first and tail last

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

FIG.3
Figure in tutorial that students were asked to match each numbered position in Figure 1 with the arrow that best represented the direction of the comet’s tail

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

FIG.4
Student drawing showing correct variations in size of the coma and tail as well as correct orientations of the tail. Note that all students were taught in lectures that there are two tails on a comet but this was not considered part of this exercise (some students however did include two tails in their drawings)

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

FIG.5
Percentage of correct drawings for each “item” the diagnostic assessment (blue) and formative assessment in lecture sections (red) and in tutorials sections (yellow). “Item” 1 is the relative sizes of the coma, 2 the relative sizes of the tail and 3 is the directions of the tail. Item 4 is the percentage in each group that made a drawing like Figure 2, head first, tail last

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

FIG.6
Normalized gains, g, on items from the diagnostic to the formative assessment in the lecture sections (blue), and in tutorial sections (red)

FIG.6 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.7
Visual assessment used prior to and after instruction on detection of extrasolar planets (see Note 2)

FIG.7 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.8
Percentage of correct responses on the diagnostic, formative, and summative exoplanet visual assessment for students given a lecture (blue) and doing a tutorial (red) on extrasolar planets

FIG.8 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

Tables

Table I. Percentages of students drawing the coma and tail size and tail direction correctly on Figure 1 before and after instruction by lecture and tutorial

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Table II. Percentages of students correctly answering multiple choice items from the Solar System Survey on comet tail direction and on what part of the comet does not change in size before and after instruction by lecture and tutorial

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Table III. Comparison of percentages of students drawing the coma and tail size and tail direction correctly on Figure 1 in a formative assessment the next class period after instruction to summative assessments in sections taught by lecture and tutorial showing greater retention in the sections taught by tutorial

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Table IV. Comparison of percentage scores on the extrasolar planets visual assessment shown in Figure 7 on diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments in sections taught by lecture and tutorial showing greater gains and retention in the sections taught by tutorial

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