Abstract
The lecture is a common method used in college instruction, but many teachers are questioning its effectiveness. For this study, two successive spring semester sections of introductory astronomy for non-science majors were studied. The spring 1999 semester was the instructor's first attempt to incorporate innovative instructional techniques to include “hands-on, minds-on” instruction within the lecture setting. The educational research involved classroom observations, personal interviews, and pre-instruction/post-instruction administration of the Texas Attitude Survey and the Astronomy Diagnostic Test. During the spring 2000 semester, the instructor modified instruction to respond to student concerns from the previous semester. Student scores for the second course showed significant improvement in astronomy content and the institutional course survey, but not in student self-efficacy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Deming, G. L., Miller, S. T., & Trasco, J. D. (1997). Cooperative Learning Activities in Introduction Astronomy for Non-Science Majors, University of Maryland, College Park.
Escalada, L. T., & Zollman D. A. (1997). An investigation on the effects of using interactive digital video in a physics classroom on student learning and attitudes. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 34, 467–489.
Goglin, L., & Swartz, F. (1992). A quantitative and qualitative inquiry into the attitudes toward science of non-science college students. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29, 487–504.
Hufnagel, B. (2000). Private communication.
Hufnagel, B., & Deming, G. (2000). Selected post-course results from the Astronomy Diagnostic Test. AAPT Announcer, 29(4), 97.
Hufnagel, B., Slater, T., Deming, G. L., Adams, J., Adrian, R. L., Brick, C, & Zeilik, M. (2000). Pre-Course Results from the Astronomy Diagnostic Test. Electronic Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia 17(2) www.atnf.csiro.au/pasa/17_2
Moore, R. W., & Foy, R. L. H. (1997). Science attitude inventory: A revision (SAI II). Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 34, 327–336.
Orzechowski, R. F. (1995). Factors to consider before introducing active learning into a large, lecture based course. Journal of College Science Teaching, (24) 347–349.
Parajes, F. (1996). Self-efficacy beliefs in academic settings. Review of Educational Research 66(4): 543–578.
Richardson, D., & Birge B. (1995). Teaching physiology by combined passive (pedagogical) and active (andragogical) methods. Advances in Physiology Education, 13(1), s66–s74.
Snider, J. L. (1995) Solar Motion Demonstrator. The universe at your fingertips: Astronomy activity and resource notebook, B53–62, San Francisco, CA: Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
Straits, W. J., & Wilke, R. R. (2000). Students' views of an activity-based astronomy course and its effects on learner characteristics. Paper presented at the national meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans, LA.
Vernon, D. T. A., & Blake, R. L. (1993). Does problem-based learning work? A metaanalysis of evaluative research. Academic Medicine, 68, 550–563.
Zeilik, M., Schau, C., Mattern, N., Hall, S., Teague, K.W., & Bisard, W. (1997). Conceptual astronomy: A novel model for teaching post-secondary science courses. American Journal of Physics, 65, 987–996.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hemenway, M.K., Straits, W.J., Wilke, R.R. et al. Educational Research in an Introductory Astronomy Course. Innovative Higher Education 26, 271–280 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015881030221
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015881030221