No abstract

Details of the London pilot of the 'Discovery Project' are presented, where university-based astronomers were given the chance to pass on some real and applied knowledge of astronomy to a group of selected secondary school pupils. It was aimed at students in Key Stage 3 of their education, allowing them to be involved in real astronomical research at an early stage of their education, the chance to become the official discoverer of a new variable star, and to be listed in the International Variable Star Index database[1], all while learning and practising research-level skills. Future plans are discussed.

Supporting the active learning process of the 21st century student is one of the main goals of the Learning Commons at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Building and maintaining effective student learning spaces and academic services requires proactive assessment of University climate, pedagogical direction, and curriculum development. Increasingly instructors are using active, group, and participatory teaching methods and are offering students opportunities to opt in to more creative assignments requiring the use of advanced technologies in support of multimedia projects. The UMass Libraries aim to anticipate the needs of instructors and students by tailoring student spaces to support teaching and learning goals. Collaboration with campus partners is essential in providing a holistic approach to meeting student need; the Office of Information Technologies (OIT) is one of the strongest partners in this collaboration, helping to form the teams that work to research, implement, and assess new academic projects.

No abstract

No abstract