The Astronomy Center has provided educational resources to introductory astronomy educators since 2003. Over the past 20 years, the rapid pace of discovery has rendered some of our linked resources obsolete. Thus, the Astronomy Center will be decommissioned on March 1, 2022. Our highest quality resources will be retained on ComPADRE.org.
This is a diagnostic test developed by the Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research (CAER) for astronomy teachers teaching non-science majors at the introductory level. The first twenty one questions are content based and the last twelve collect demographic information. The ADT is generally used as a pre-/post-test. The questions target astronomy content generally taught in the K-12 curriculum. Its purpose is to diagnose the effectiveness of instruction, not the learning capabilities of the students.
Topics covered include: celestial motion, seasons, moon phases, constellations, and the night sky.
The test is free of charge for introductory astronomy faculty members to use, with some agreed upon guidelines. In particular, the test is not to be altered in any way, questions are not to be left out, questions are not to be removed and placed on course quizzes or exams, and the test items are not to be distributed to students lest the items find their way into “student files.” In exchange for using the ADT, the authors respectfully request that you submit scores to the national database.
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/astronomy/items/detail.cfm?ID=1432">Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research. Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) Version 2.0. 2004.</a>
Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research. (2004). Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) Version 2.0. Retrieved March 22, 2025, from https://www.physport.org/assessments/ADT
Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research. Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) Version 2.0. 2004. https://www.physport.org/assessments/ADT (accessed 22 March 2025).
Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research. Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) Version 2.0. 2004. 22 Mar. 2025 <https://www.physport.org/assessments/ADT>.
@misc{
Author = "Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research",
Title = {Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) Version 2.0},
Volume = {2025},
Number = {22 March 2025},
Year = {2004}
}
%Q Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research %T Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) Version 2.0 %D 2004 %U https://www.physport.org/assessments/ADT %O application/pdf
%0 Electronic Source %A Collaboration for Astronomy Education Research, %D 2004 %T Astronomy Diagnostic Test (ADT) Version 2.0 %V 2025 %N 22 March 2025 %9 application/pdf %U https://www.physport.org/assessments/ADT
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