Rebuilding the Astronomy Curriculum around Robotic Telescope Observations and Active Learning Exercises

这所大学正在修订天文学课程。这些变化是由最近的物理教育研究结果指导的，这些研究结果强调互动和实践学习策略，以便更好地服务于克莱顿和其他两所当地大学（大都会社区学院和内布拉斯加州大学奥马哈分校）、地区初中和中学以及更大的奥马哈大都会社区的教育需求。这些变化是通过购买、安装和操作一台能够进行远程观测的机器人望远镜实现的，该望远镜正在向当地和区域机构的学生和教师以及该地区的中学生提供。智力优势：利用这一设施，该项目正在将其他机构设计并成功地用于远程望远镜的基于观测的练习纳入天文学入门课程。这些练习是为非科学的天文学入门学生设计的，但也可以很容易地用于高中和初高中的学生。修订的其他内容包括在天文学导论课中介绍物理和天文学教育研究策略，包括增加使用教程和基于问题/研究的学习。一个单独的高级实验部分是为有兴趣的天文学入门学生和可能考虑主修物理的大一新生提供的，以及为理科生提供的高级观测天文学课程。双方都在实施基于项目的学习，重点是先进的观测天文学技术和仪器，包括使用机器人望远镜进行成像、光度测定和光谱分析。目前正在进行全面评估，以衡量学习成果的进展情况和实现项目目标的总体成功情况。更广泛的影响：该项目使大约500名在克莱顿大学学习天文学入门课程的学生和1000名在大都会社区学院和内布拉斯加大学奥马哈分校学习课程的学生受益。此外，该项目还为奥马哈都会区和内布拉斯加州的数千名中学生提供了基于项目的天文学学习机会。该项目在目前天文教育和推广服务不足的地理区域具有广泛的影响。

The university is revising its Astronomy curriculum. The changes are guided by recent physics education research findings that emphasize interactive and hands-on learning strategies in order to better serve the educational needs of Creighton and two other local universities (Metropolitan Community College and the University of Nebraska at Omaha), area middle and secondary schools, and the greater metropolitan Omaha community. The changes are made possible by the purchase, installation, and operation of a robotic telescope capable of remote observations that is being made available to students and faculty at local and regional institutions as well as middle and secondary students in the region. Intellectual merit: Using this facility, the project is adapting observationally-based exercises that have been designed and used successfully at other institutions for use with remote telescopes into the introductory astronomy curriculum. The exercises are designed for non-science, introductory astronomy students but can readily be used with high school and mid-high students. Other components of the revision involve the introduction of physics and astronomy education research strategies in the introductory astronomy lecture, including increased use of tutorials and problem/research based learning. A separate advanced lab section is being offered for interested introductory astronomy students and freshmen who may be considering a physics major, as well as an upper division observational astronomy course for science majors. Both are implementing project-based learning with emphasis on advanced observational astronomy techniques and instrumentation, including imagery, photometry, and spectral analysis using the robotic telescope. A comprehensive evaluation is being undertaken to gauge progress in learning outcomes and overall success in achieving project goals. Broader Impact: The project benefits approximately 500 students who enroll in introductory astronomy at Creighton, and 1000 students who enroll in courses offered at Metropolitan Community College and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. In addition, the project provides project-based learning opportunities in astronomy for thousands of middle/secondary students in the Omaha metro region and state of Nebraska. The project has a broad reach in a geographical area that is currently underserved in astronomy education and outreach.