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.
written by
Edward E. Prather, Timothy F. Slater, Jeffrey P. Adams, Janelle M. Bailey, Lauren Monowar-Jones, and Jack Dostal
The project produced learner-centered classroom instructional materials for a large-enrollment intro astronomy survey course for non-science majors. Lecture-Tutorials are instructional materials intended for use by collaborative student learning groups, and designed to be integrated into existing courses with conventional lectures. The materials offer classroom-ready learner-centered activities that don't require outside equipment or drastic course revision to implement. Each 15-min Lecture-Tutorial poses a sequence of conceptually challenging, Socratic dialogue-driven questions, with graphs and data tables, designed to encourage students to reason critically about difficult astronomy concepts. Materials are based on research into student beliefs and reasoning difficulties, and use proven instructional strategies. They have been field-tested for effectiveness at various institutions, representing a wide range of student populations and instructional settings. In addition to materials development, a second effort of the project focused on assessment of changes in students' conceptual understanding and attitudes toward learning astronomy as a result of lecture and subsequent use of Lecture-Tutorials. Quantitative and qualitative assessments were completed using a precourse, postlecture, and post-Lecture-Tutorial instrument, with focus group interviews. Collectively, evaluation data illustrate that conventional lectures alone helped students make statistically significant--yet unsatisfactory--gains in understanding (with students scoring at only 50% level postlecture). Further, data illustrate that Lecture-Tutorials helped students achieve statistically significant gains beyond those attained after lecture (with students scoring at 70% level post-Lecture-Tutorial). Quantitative evaluation of student attitudes showed no significant gains over the semester, but students reported they considered Lecture-Tutorials one of the most valuable components of the course.
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/astronomy/items/detail.cfm?ID=15084">Prather, E, T. Slater, J. Adams, J. Bailey, L. Monowar-Jones, and J. Dostal. "Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors." Astron. Educ. Rev. 3, no. 2, (October 1, 2004): 122-136.</a>
E. Prather, T. Slater, J. Adams, J. Bailey, L. Monowar-Jones, and J. Dostal, , Astron. Educ. Rev. 3 (2), 122 (2004), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.3847/AER2004019).
E. Prather, T. Slater, J. Adams, J. Bailey, L. Monowar-Jones, and J. Dostal, Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors, Astron. Educ. Rev. 3 (2), 122 (2004), <https://doi.org/10.3847/AER2004019>.
Prather, E., Slater, T., Adams, J., Bailey, J., Monowar-Jones, L., & Dostal, J. (2004, October 1). Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors. Astron. Educ. Rev., 3(2), 122-136. Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.3847/AER2004019
Prather, E, T. Slater, J. Adams, J. Bailey, L. Monowar-Jones, and J. Dostal. "Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors." Astron. Educ. Rev. 3, no. 2, (October 1, 2004): 122-136, https://doi.org/10.3847/AER2004019 (accessed 10 September 2024).
Prather, Edward, Timothy F. Slater, Jeff Adams, Janelle Bailey, Lauren Monowar-Jones, and Jack Dostal. "Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors." Astron. Educ. Rev. 3.2 (2004): 122-136. 10 Sep. 2024 <https://doi.org/10.3847/AER2004019>.
@article{
Author = "Edward Prather and Timothy F. Slater and Jeff Adams and Janelle Bailey and Lauren Monowar-Jones and Jack Dostal",
Title = {Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors},
Journal = {Astron. Educ. Rev.},
Volume = {3},
Number = {2},
Pages = {122-136},
Month = {October},
Year = {2004}
}
%A Edward Prather %A Timothy F. Slater %A Jeff Adams %A Janelle Bailey %A Lauren Monowar-Jones %A Jack Dostal %T Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors %J Astron. Educ. Rev. %V 3 %N 2 %D October 1, 2004 %P 122-136 %U https://doi.org/10.3847/AER2004019 %O application/pdf
%0 Journal Article %A Prather, Edward %A Slater, Timothy F. %A Adams, Jeff %A Bailey, Janelle %A Monowar-Jones, Lauren %A Dostal, Jack %D October 1, 2004 %T Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors %J Astron. Educ. Rev. %V 3 %N 2 %P 122-136 %8 October 1, 2004 %U https://doi.org/10.3847/AER2004019
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