Project CLEA in the 21st Century

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Project CLEA (Contemporary Laboratory Exercises in Astronomy) is building on its experience developing software for astronomy labs to do two things: (1) Complete development of VIREO, the Virtual Educational Observatory, a simulated multiwavelength observatory with a variety of instrumentation and analysis tools. VIREO involves the creation of software and student workbooks and the adaptation of astronomical databases to meet the pedagogical requirements of astronomy classes. CLEA is producing a book-length user's manual for VIREO, so that it can serve as an environment for the development of astronomy exercises by the community of astronomy educators. (2) Develop several new astronomy exercises utilizing VIREO, at both the introductory and advanced undergraduate level, including exercises that emphasize observing strategies and current problems in astrophysics such as the search for high-z QSOs, discovering extrasolar planets, and multi-wavelength imaging of star-forming regions. CLEA is building on its associations with researchers at other institutions as it did in its recently released Solar Rotation exercise with the GONG project. CLEA materials are available on the dedicated CLEA website, and are also being distributed by CD-ROM and DVD upon request. CLEA is promulgating its materials vigorously at national and regional teachers' meetings. A summer training workshop on astronomical research techniques for college teachers will be held on the Gettysburg College campus in June, 2006. Evaluation of the curricular impact and pedagogical effectiveness of these materials is being conducted through on-line questionnaires to faculty, pre- and post- tests to students, and site visits by an external evaluator. The intellectual merit of the project lies in its development of astronomy labs that are connected to contemporary astronomical discoveries. The broader impact is on the large number of astronomy students, almost all non-science students, at all kinds of institutions, who use the materials.