Interactive Simulation Environments for Inquiry Astronomy Teaching

我们的项目是开发一套高质量的JAVA小程序，可视化地模拟各种天体物理现象。 这些模拟是为100级普通教育大学天文学课程的教学使用而设计的，但也适用于200级大学课程和高级高中课程。 模拟使用JAVA SWING库，它允许构建上级图形用户界面，使用户能够方便，直观地与模拟交互。 模拟伴随着广泛的支持材料，包括学生指南，教师指南，背景材料，和概念测试同伴教学。 这些材料允许模拟在各种教学格式中使用，包括计算机化实验室，家庭作业和课堂演示。 每个小程序还包括学生评估的形式，在基于网络的评估引擎EDU（由Brownstone Learning销售）的前测试和后测试。 该程序允许将小程序纳入问题中，以便评估可以利用小程序的功能。 教师可以在EDU系统中为学生申请帐户，并下载学生评估结果的统计报告。 除了通知教师和教育学生，使用这种内置的评估将收集大量的信息，学生如何从模拟学习和互动。 这些信息可用于编制今后的网络材料。 所有项目材料都将在网上免费公开提供，并由McGraw-Hill出版社以光盘形式分发。

Our project is developing a suite of high-quality JAVA applets that visually simulate a variety of astrophysical phenomena. The simulations are designed for instructional use in 100-level general education college astronomy courses, but will be appropriate for 200-level college courses as well as advanced high school classes. The simulations make use of the JAVA SWING library, which allows construction of superior graphical user interfaces enabling users to conveniently and intuitively interact with simulations. The simulations are accompanied by extensive supporting materials including student guides, instructor guides, background material, and concept tests for peer instruction. These materials allow the simulations to be used in a variety of instructional formats, including computerized laboratories, homework assignments, and in-class demonstrations. Each applet also includes student assessment in the form of a pre-test and a post-test in the web-based assessment engine EDU (marketed by Brownstone Learning). This program allows applets to be incorporated into questions so that assessment can take advantage of applet capabilities. Instructors can request accounts for their students in the EDU system and download statistical reports of their student's assessment results. In addition to informing teachers and educating students, use of this built-in assessment will gather considerable information on how students learn from and interact with simulations. This information can be used in developing future web-based materials. All project materials will be publicly available at no cost on the web and also disseminated by McGraw-Hill Publishing on CD-ROM.