Literaturnachweis - Detailanzeige
Autor/inn/en | Rajpaul, Vinesh; Allie, Saalih; Blyth, Sarah-Louise |
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Titel | Introductory Astronomy Course at the University of Cape Town: Probing Student Perspectives |
Quelle | In: Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research, 10 (2014) 2, S.020126-1 (20 Seiten)
PDF als Volltext |
Sprache | englisch |
Dokumenttyp | gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz |
ISSN | 1554-9178 |
DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.10.020126 |
Schlagwörter | Introductory Courses; Astronomy; Student Attitudes; Instructional Improvement; Learner Engagement; Student Participation; Questionnaires; Psychometrics; Pretests Posttests; Student Motivation; Expectation; Course Content; World Views; Teaching Methods; Course Descriptions; Student Educational Objectives; Difficulty Level; Scientific Literacy; College Programs; Foreign Countries; South Africa Einführungskurs; Astronomie; Schülerverhalten; Unterrichtsqualität; Schülermitarbeit; Schülermitwirkung; Studentische Mitbestimmung; Fragebogen; Psychometry; Psychometrie; Schulische Motivation; Expectancy; Erwartung; Kursprogramm; World view; Weltanschauung; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Kursstrukturplan; Schwierigkeitsgrad; Studienprogramm; Ausland; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik |
Abstract | We report on research carried out to improve teaching and student engagement in the introductory astronomy course at the University of Cape Town. This course is taken by a diverse range of students, including many from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. We describe the development of an instrument, the Introductory Astronomy Questionnaire (IAQ), which we administered as pre- and posttests to students enrolled in the course. The instrument comprised a small number of questions which probed three areas of interest: student motivation and expectations, astronomy content, and worldview. Amongst our findings were that learning gains were made in several conceptual areas, and that students appeared to develop a more nuanced view of the nature of astronomy. There was some evidence that the course had a positive impact on students' worldviews, particularly their attitudes towards science. We also identified a promising predictor of course success that could in the future be used to identify students requiring special teaching intervention. (As Provided). |
Anmerkungen | American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: http://prst-per.aps.org |
Erfasst von | ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC |
Update | 2017/4/10 |