Research on Teaching Astronomy in the Planetarium

Slater, Timothy F.; Tatge, Coty B.

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-57202-4

Cited by 9 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…research (AER) community to further investigate the connection between success in learning astronomy and extrapolating three dimensionality [76,78,90,[93][94][95]. Here, virtual and augmented reality, and planetaria, are found to offer new possibilities for approaching this [96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103]. However, such resources must be used with considerations; Tversky et al [104] say, "Like all good things, animation must be used with care" (p. 258).…”

Section: The Multidimensionality Hierarchy and Extrapolating Threementioning

confidence: 99%

Disciplinary discernment: Reading the sky in astronomy education

Eriksson

2019

Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res.

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This theoretical paper introduces a new way to view and characterize learning astronomy. It describes a framework, based on results from empirical data, analyzed through standard qualitative research methodology, in which a theoretical model for a vital competency of learning astronomy is proposed: reading the sky, a broad description under with various skills and competencies are included. This model takes into account not only disciplinary knowledge but also disciplinary discernment and extrapolating three dimensionality. Together, these constitute the foundation for the competency referred to as reading the sky. In this paper, these competencies are described and discussed and merged to form a new framework vital for learning astronomy to better match the challenges students face when entering the discipline of astronomy.

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Section: The Multidimensionality Hierarchy and Extrapolating Threementioning

confidence: 99%

Disciplinary discernment: Reading the sky in astronomy education

Eriksson

2019

Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res.

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“…For this study, we will consider "general astronomy" to be a loose category of material that includes topics like sky motions, lunar phases, constellations, seasons, and naked-eye observations. We would also like to note that many studies in the past that concern planetarium learning have their topical focus within this category [3,37]. The data for the remaining subjects suggest that material shown to students in a planetarium not under the umbrella of astronomy would likely belong to one of the natural sciences like Earth or physical sciences.…”

Section: B Construct 2: Subject Materials and Projector-dependent Vamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our review of the existing research suggests that most, if not all, past investigations into planetarium learning rests upon a common assumption: a planetarium is a learning environment for astronomy [1][2][3]. The exclusion of other disciplines like physics or Earth science was sound when planetariums were first constructed around analog star ball projectors, but the progressive incorporation of full or hybrid digital systems operating with dome mounted projectors may have expanded the set of possible material appropriate for a planetarium environment [7,10,12].…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Numerous studies have measured the benefits of the planetarium [1,3], but to our knowledge none have specifically explored how a planetarium's darkness may impact learning. We will accept the darkened environment as existentially necessary to the operation of a formal planetarium environment, and exploration of if or how lighting conditions impact planetarium learning warrants further investigation.…”

Section: Construct 3: Interactivity Strategies and Perceived Envirmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The extant literature for astronomy education research has shown that groups of students are able to improve their understanding of astronomical concepts in planetarium settings [1][2][3]. The planetarium environment, in both formal [4,5] and informal contexts [6], uniquely provides an immersive visual experience that translates into greater learning for younger, elementary learners [7,8] as well as more experienced, collegiate learners [4,5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Survey of the academic use of planetariums for undergraduate education

Everding

Keller

2020

Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res.

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We present the analysis of the planetarium usage survey (PLUS), a two-part, mixed-methods initial study investigating planetarium use in the U.S. by undergraduate learners. Seventy-seven planetariums situated on college or university campuses within the U.S. completed an online survey during the fall of 2018 with 11 of those participating in online or phone interviews during the summer of 2019. Planetarium representatives described how their facilities were being used, types of subject materials that were being taught, what content styles are used, and how often learners are attending lessons in the planetarium. Results suggest that undergraduate learners in a planetarium environment are primarily novice, non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majoring students, learning principally astronomy content, receiving instruction from a live presenter approximately once per month within a given course, for the purpose of receiving visualization-based scaffolding. Audience response systems like iClickers do not appear to be in widespread use in collegiate planetariums, and presented subject matter shows greater variety in planetariums with digital projector capacity as opposed to those with only analog projectors. Refinements to PLUS and future research plans are described.

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Periodicity and change: Talking about time inside the planetarium dome

et al. 2021

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Time is a central concept for astronomy, yet how it is communicated in educational contexts has received insufficient attention in the literature. This study explores how time-related concepts are communicated in the planetarium, by analyzing 34 different planetarium sessions held in a diversity of Portuguese institutions. Sessions were video and audio recorded. From 26 hrs of recordings, 163 excerpts related to time were identified. Studying instances of actual events with a naturalistic approach informed by ethnomethodology allowed for the identification of ordinary methods and strategies that are used by guides to teach time-related concepts. This study details these methods and strategies, and how guides take advantage of the characteristics of the planetarium. Our analysis reveals that change over time and periodicity are the most recurrent time-related themes in planetarium sessions. The majority of the excerpts relate to the rotation and revolution of the Earth, but time-related aspects of the revolution of other celestial bodies are also present in the data. We found that guides use strategies grounded both in geocentric and allocentric (view from space) perspectives when communicating about time, and we highlight how an allocentric perspective can be demonstrated without sophisticated, immersive simulations. Moreover, we found that strategies bringing time to the personal level, for instance by using birthdays and the age of members of the public as baseline measures, and other engagement techniques, are widely used. Findings have important implications for research and communication about time in practice.

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Research on Teaching Astronomy in the Planetarium

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Disciplinary discernment: Reading the sky in astronomy education

Disciplinary discernment: Reading the sky in astronomy education

Survey of the academic use of planetariums for undergraduate education

Periodicity and change: Talking about time inside the planetarium dome

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