MOOSE: Menu of Outreach Opportunities for Science Education Developed for the AAS Astronomy Ambassadors Program by Andrew Fraknoi
Online: https://aas.org/outreach/moose-menu-outreach-opportunities-science-education
Contents
I. How to Be an AAS Astronomy Ambassador A. Outreach Training Programs at Other Scientific Organizations ...... 2 B. A Few Projects Already Being Done by Young Astronomers ...... 3 C. General Presentation Techniques for Outreach ...... 3 D. Miscellaneous Sites Useful for Outreach ...... 4
II. Where to Be an AAS Astronomy Ambassador A. Types of Places & Finding Aids for Each Type ...... 5 B. Education Pages at Astronomy Organizations ...... 7 C. Examples of Outreach Options at Specific Astronomy Departments ...... 7
III. What to Do as an AAS Astronomy Ambassador A. Where to Find Good Astronomy Activities ...... 8 B. Sites Where Public Astronomy Questions Are Answered ...... 10 C. A Few Selected Sites for Finding Good Astronomical Images ...... 10 D. Some Key Resources to Read About Astronomy Education and Public Outreach ...... 11 E. How to Evaluate Educational Programs ...... 14
January 2019 MOOSE Page 2 of 16
I. How to Be an AAS Astronomy Ambassador
I. A. Outreach Training Programs at Other Scientific Organizations
Ø American Chemical Society • Science Coaches Program (chemists doing outreach) https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/outreach/science-coaches.html Ø American Geological Institute • Visiting Geoscientists: An Educational Outreach Guide for Geoscience Professionals (a useful booklet, with nice checklists for going into classrooms) http://www.agiweb.org/education/aapg Ø American Physical Society • Outreach Guide (ideas and tips for physicists who want to do outreach) https://www.aps.org/programs/outreach/guide/index.cfm Ø Astronomical Society of the Pacific • Project ASTRO (a program to train professional and amateur astronomers to adopt a classroom for a year and partner with 4th – 9th grade teachers) https://www.astrosociety.org/education/k12-educators/project-astro/ • Family ASTRO (trains leaders to work with families using astronomy games and activity kits) https://www.astrosociety.org/education/k12-educators/family-astro/ • Astronomy from the Ground Up (trains museum, nature center, and natural parks educators to do astronomy activities) https://www.astrosociety.org/education/parks- museums/ • Night Sky Network (program to train amateur astronomers to do outreach) https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/ Ø National Academies • Project RISE (Resources for Involving Scientists in Education; no longer active, but with interesting examples) http://www.nationalacademies.org/rise/ • Sharing Science with Children: Survival Tips for Your Classroom Visit (a very nice couple of pages on specific things to think about if you go into a classroom) http://www.nationalacademies.org/rise/roles1a.htm Ø National Girls Collaborative Project (a national network working to encourage girls to get involved in science and math) http://ngcproject.org/ Ø Oceanography Society • Education and Public Outreach (helpful booklet for scientists) http://www.tos.org/epo_guide/epo_guide.pdf
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Ø Pacific Science Center • Portal to the Public (a national project started by the Pacific Science Center on training scientists to be effective outreach partners for science museums) http://popnet.instituteforlearninginnovation.org/ Ø PBS SciGirls Program • SciGirls Seven (a colorful and thought-provoking booklet from the PBS TV program on techniques for getting girls involved in science; the ideas apply to everyone) http://www.scigirlsconnect.org/scigirls/ Ø Sandia National Laboratory • Science Education in Our Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Guide for Technical Professionals Who Want to Help (a comprehensive guide that discusses the realities and pros and cons of different roles for scientists in our schools) http://www.nas.edu/rise/scied.htm Ø Society of Physics Students • Science Outreach Catalyst Kits (SOCKS) Program https://www.spsnational.org/programs/outreach/science-outreach-catalyst-kits Ø TechBridge (a program that connects scientists and girl-scout groups; founded by Chabot Science Center in Oakland) https://techbridgegirls.org/index.php?id=420
I. B. A Few Projects Already Being Done by Young Astronomers
Ø Astronomy Live! (at UCLA) http://www.astro.ucla.edu/content/astronomy-live/ Ø Center for Astrophysics Science Research Mentoring Program (Harvard & Smithsonian) https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/shrimp/people Ø Curious About Astronomy: Ask an Astronomer (Cornell) http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/ (see also the Cornell Graduate Students Network http://dev1.astro.cornell.edu/graduate- student-network.html) Ø Dark Skies, Bright Kids (U. of Virginia) http://faculty.virginia.edu/DSBK/ Ø Engage: The Science Speaker Series and Seminar (U. of Washington) http://courses.washington.edu/engageuw/about/ Ø Evenings Under the Stars (George Mason U.) https://cos.gmu.edu/observatory/
I. C. General Presentation Techniques for Outreach
Ø Better Conference Talks (an excellent web page by Emily Lakdawalla of the Planetary Society) http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/04040850-better- conference-talks.html Ø Communicating Science: Tools for Scientists and Engineers (a basic tutorial website from the AAAS) https://www.aaas.org/programs/communicating-science
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Ø Communicating Science: Giving Talks (a booklet full of practical tips on public speaking to a variety of audiences, from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund) https://www.scribd.com/doc/34887738/Communicating-Science-Giving-Talks-Second- Edition Ø Eight Attributes of Highly Successful Postdocs, C. Holden, Science, 3 Sep. 1999, p. 1527 http://science.sciencemag.org/content/285/5433/1527 Ø How to Write a Boring Scientific Paper (hints by a biologist that apply to all scientific writing and presentations) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0030- 1299.2007.15674.x/pdf Ø Talking Science with Journalists, J. Bardi & C. Meyers, Physics Today, May 2015, p. 66 https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/PT.3.2794?journalCode=pto Ø Understanding Science (a nice site about explaining the scientific method to the public by the University of California Museum of Paleontology — but applicable to all science outreach) https://undsci.berkeley.edu/index.php Ø What Makes an Astronomy Story Newsworthy (concise, useful list by Rick Fienberg) https://aas.org/media-press/what-makes-astronomy-story-newsworthy
I. D. Miscellaneous Sites Useful for Outreach
Ø SciStarter Site has a catalog of citizen science projects that are appropriate for school age kids https://scistarter.com/index.html Ø NASA Wavelength (a catalog of NASA education and outreach resources that have been through NASA’s version of peer review) https://science.nasa.gov/learners/wavelength Ø Satisfying the NSF Broader Impacts Criterion (explains some ways that NSF proposals can say that they benefit society at large; this is the selfish reason for being an ambassador) http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf022/bicexamples.pdf Ø Cherilynn Morrow’s Papers for SSI on the Roles Scientists Can Play in Outreach http://www.spacescience.org/Education/extra/resources_scientists_cd/index.html Ø Many Experts, Many Audiences: Public Engagement with Science (and Informal Science Education) (an 83-page report on how to get the public not just interested in, but engaged with, science — especially where there is controversy) https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=eth_fac Ø Surrounded by Science: Learning Science in Informal Environments by Marilyn Fenichel and Heidi A. Schweingruber; 2010, National Academies Press (summarizes research about how best to help people learn science outside the formal classroom) https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12614/surrounded-by-science-learning-science-in-informal- environments Ø How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice (1999, National Academies Press, classic booklet on what research tells us about learning; useful in all kinds of settings) https://www.nap.edu/catalog/9457/how-people-learn-bridging-research-and-practice
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Ø Story Collider (a site where scientists tell stories about their careers and challenges) https://www.storycollider.org/ Ø Science Education Journals (a list of journals covering research and practice) http://www.csun.edu/science/ref/professional_development/sci_ed_journals.html
II. Where to Be an AAS Astronomy Ambassador
II. A. Types of Places, with Finding Aids for Each Type
Ø Elementary schools, middle schools, high schools • To find a school near you, look for your local school district under the local government pages of a phone book or community website Ø Community colleges • They are listed geographically on the American Association of Community Colleges College Finder https://www.aacc.nche.edu/college-finder/ Ø Planetariums • International Planetarium Society Worldwide Planetariums Database http://www.aplf- planetariums.org/en/index.php • Planetarium Compendium from Loch Ness Productions http://www.lochnessproductions.com/ldco/ldco.html • Astronomy Organizations List from Sky & Telescope Magazine https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-clubs-organizations/ Ø Observatories or other research facilities open to the public • These are best found by asking astronomers and astronomy educators in your own area. Ø Science museums • To find a science center/museum near you, see the Association of Science-Technology Centers’ Find a Science Center tool https://www.astc.org/about-astc/about-science- centers/find-a-science-center/ Ø Nature and environmental centers • To find a nature center near you, go to Wikipedia’s list of nature centers in the United States and click on your state’s list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nature_centers_in_the_United_States Ø Science cafés • Website by NOVA and WGBH-TV lets you find a café in your area http://www.sciencecafes.org/ Ø Science festivals • Science Festivals Alliance (lets you find a science festival near you) https://sciencefestivals.org/
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Ø Scouts, 4H clubs, and other youth groups • Girl Scouts of America https://www.girlscouts.org/en/about-girl-scouts/join/council- finder.html • Boy Scouts (scroll down to see groups for different ages) https://beascout.scouting.org/ • Girls, Inc. https://girlsinc.org/find-girls-inc/ • 4H Clubs https://4-h.org/get-involved/volunteer/ Ø National, state, and regional parks (some have, some want evening sky/astronomy programs) • Find-a-Park Page of the National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm • National Parks with Night Sky Programs https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/stargaze.htm • Locator for State Parks, State by State https://www.stateparks.com/index.html#findPark Ø Summer camps • Astronomy Camp at the University of Arizona http://www.astronomycamp.org/ • Astrocamp in Idyllwild, California http://astrocampschool.org/ • There are also a number of space-oriented camps around the country, although they tend to be more about astronauts than astronomers. Ø Afterschool programs • The Afterschool Alliance lists activities by state http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/policyStateMap.cfm • NASA Afterschool Universe (has resources and training) https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/educators/programs/au/ Ø Amateur astronomy clubs • Night Sky Network Club Finder https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/club-map.cfm • Sky & Telescope Magazine Club Finder https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy- clubs-organizations/ • Astronomy Magazine Club Finder http://www.astronomy.com/groups.aspx • Astronomical League Club Directory https://www.astroleague.org/societies/all • Go-Astronomy Club Search https://www.go-astronomy.com/astro-club-search.htm Ø Service clubs • Service clubs sponsor weekly gatherings for business and other professionals, with speakers giving 20-minute talks. They are often looking for speakers who can give accessible public talks on a topic of general interest. To find a club near you, see, for example: § Rotary Club Directory https://my.rotary.org/en/search/club-finder § Lions Clubs Directory https://directory.lionsclubs.org/
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§ Kiwanis Club Locator http://locator.kiwanis.org/FindAClub § Elks Club Lodge Directory https://www.elks.org/lodges/ Ø Public libraries • State-by-state listing of public library systems (click on blue “State Public Libraries” button) https://publiclibraries.com/state/ • STARNet Libraries Project at Space Science Institute (science programs for public libraries) https://www.starnetlibraries.org/ • NASAScience4Girls (NASA project with libraries) https://smdepo.org/topic/5705 Ø School or regional science fairs • Virtual Library of Science Fairs http://physics.usc.edu/~gould/ScienceFairs/
II. B. Education Pages at Astronomy Organizations
Ø American Astronomical Society https://aas.org/education Ø American Geophysical Union https://education.agu.org/ Ø Astronomical Society of the Pacific https://www.astrosociety.org/education/programs/ Ø Canadian Astronomical Society https://casca.ca/?page_id=155 Ø Center for Astronomy Education (University of Arizona and NASA/JPL-Caltech) https://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/ Ø Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society https://dps.aas.org/education Ø International Astronomical Union Commission C1, Astronomy Education & Development http://iaucc1.frm.utn.edu.ar/ Ø International Astronomical Union Commission C2, Communicating Astronomy with the Public https://www.communicatingastronomy.org/ Ø International Dark-Sky Association https://www.darksky.org/our-work/grassroots- advocacy/education-and-outreach/ Ø National Optical Astronomy Observatory https://www.noao.edu/education/ Ø Royal Astronomical Society of Canada http://www.rasc.ca/education-public-outreach Ø Royal Astronomical Society (UK) https://ras.ac.uk/education-and-careers/education Ø Society of Physics Students https://www.spsnational.org/programs/socks
II. C. Examples of Outreach Options at Specific Astronomy Departments
Ø Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii (a good list as a sample of what such institutions can do) http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/ifa2/outreach.shtml Ø University of Texas Graduate Student Outreach Opportunities http://www.as.utexas.edu/astronomy/education/outreach.html
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Ø Public Outreach at the University of Virginia Astronomy Dept. http://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/public_outreach Ø New Mexico State University Graduate Student Public Outreach http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/agso/obsout.html Ø Columbia University Astronomy Dept. Public Outreach http://outreach.astro.columbia.edu/index.html Ø University of Chicago Dept. of Astronomy & Astrophysics Outreach Programs http://astro.uchicago.edu/outreach/programs.php Ø University of Wisconsin Astronomy Dept. Outreach http://www.astro.wisc.edu/the-public/ Ø Indiana University Astronomy Dept. Outreach http://www.astro.indiana.edu/outreach.shtml Ø University of Washington Astronomy Dept. Outreach http://depts.washington.edu/astron/outreach/ Ø Ohio State University Astronomy Dept. Outreach https://astronomy.osu.edu/outreach Ø Penn State University Astronomy Dept. Outreach http://astro.psu.edu/public-outreach
III. What to Do as an AAS Astronomy Ambassador
III. A. Where to Find Good Astronomy Activities
Beyond the ASP’s The Universe at Your Fingertips 2.0 (https://myasp.astrosociety.org/product/DV122/the-universe-at-your-fingertips-20-dvd-rom which includes 133 selected activities) and More Universe at Your Fingertips (https://myasp.astrosociety.org/product/BO123/more-universe-at-your-fingertips which contains 25 additional activities), there are many other collections available on the Web. If you are looking for good activities to use in a K-12 classroom, open night, museum, fair, or family outreach setting, check out this sampling:
Ø American Association of Variable Star Observers Activities https://www.aavso.org/education Ø Andrew Fraknoi’s Activities http://www.fraknoi.com/articles-books/classroom-activities- on-astronomy/ Ø Astronomical Society of the Pacific Hands-on Activities on the Web https://www.astrosociety.org/education/hands-on-astronomy-activities/ Ø Blue Marble Matches (Earth and planet comparisons) https://www.windows2universe.org/teacher_resources/AGU- NESTA_GIFT/2012/Graff/2012_GIFT_BlueMarble.pdf Ø Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Resources https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/resources/educators.html Ø CERES Project (U. of Montana) http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/EdActivities.html Ø Dennis Schatz’s Activities http://dennisschatz.org/activities.html
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Ø Everyday Classroom Tools (Center for Astrophysics) http://hea- www.harvard.edu/ECT/thrcontents.html Ø Exploratorium Hands-on Activities https://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/activities Ø Exploring Planets in the Classroom (U. of Hawaii) http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/ Ø Galileoscope Education Resources (for use with the Galileoscope refractor kit) http://galileoscope.org/resources/ Ø Hands-on Optics Project http://spie.org/education/education-outreach-resources/hands- on-optics?SSO=1 Ø How to Smile (an oddly named guide to activities from various educational organizations) https://www.howtosmile.org/topics/astronomy Ø Kepler Mission Educators Activities https://www.nasa.gov/kepler/education/formal Ø Kinesthetic Astronomy (Morrow & Zawaski) http://www.spacescience.org/eduresources/kinesthetic.php Ø Lunar & Planetary Institute Activities https://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/resources/ Ø Mars Exploration Activities https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/marsforeducators/ Ø McDonald Observatory Activities (U. of Texas) http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/teachers/classroom Ø Modeling the Universe Activities (CfA) https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seuforum/mtu/ Ø NASA List of Educational Publications (including Educator Guides) https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/A-Z_Pubs.html#I Ø National Optical Astronomy Observatory Activities https://www.noao.edu/education/teachers.php Ø Night Sky Network Demos and Activities https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-list.cfm Ø Paper Plate Education (“Serving the Universe on a Paper Plate”) http://analyzer.depaul.edu/paperplate/activities.htm Ø Planetarium Activities for Successful Shows (Lawrence Hall of Science) http://www.planetarium-activities.org/ Ø Practical Uses of Math and Science (NASA) https://pumas.gsfc.nasa.gov/examples/index.php Ø Science Education Gateway (Space Sciences Lab, U. of California, Berkeley) http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/SegwayEd/index.html Ø Seeing in the Dark Activities (PBS-TV) http://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/for-teachers/ Ø Solar Science (by Schatz & Fraknoi) Sample Activities http://static.nsta.org/pdfs/samples/PB403Xweb.pdf Ø Space Telescope Science Institute Amazing Space http://amazingspace.org/resource/topic Ø Stanford Solar Center Activities About the Sun http://solar-center.stanford.edu/teachers/ Ø Stardust Mission Comet Activities https://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/classroom/guides.html
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Ø Sun-Earth Day Activities (U. of California, Berkeley Space Sciences Lab) https://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2008/getinvolved/maketake.php Ø Zooniverse (Citizen Science) Education https://www.zooniverse.org/projects?discipline=astronomy
III. B. Sites Where Public Astronomy Questions are Answered
Ø Ask an Astronomer at Lick Observatory (Graduate students and staff members at this California observatory answered selected astronomy questions, particularly from high school students.) http://www.ucolick.org/~mountain/AAA/ Ø Ask an Astronomer (A site that was run by Caltech’s center for infrared astronomy; it let kids submit questions and read the answers to questions other kids have asked. Does not accept new questions.) http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/asks Ø Ask the Astronomer (This site, run by astronomer Sten Odenwald, is no longer active but lists 3,001 answers to questions asked in the mid-1990s, nicely organized by topic.) http://sten.astronomycafe.net/faqs/ Ø Ask the Experts at PhysLink (Lots of physics questions answered, with some astronomy as well, at this physics education site. Most answers are by physics teachers, not astronomers. Still taking new questions.) https://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/index.cfm Ø Curious About Astronomy (An ask-an-astronomer site run by graduate students and professors of astronomy at Cornell University. Has searchable archives and is still answering new questions.) http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/ Ø Ask an Astrophysicist (Questions and answers at NASA’s Laboratory for High-Energy Astrophysics focus on x-ray and gamma-ray astronomy, and such objects as black holes, quasars, and supernovae.) https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/ask_astro/index.html Ø Ask an Astrobiologist (On this site from the National Astrobiology Institute at NASA, astronomer David Morrison answers questions about the search for life on other planets, the origin of life on Earth, and many other topics.) https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an- astrobiologist/ Ø Ask an Infrared Astronomer (A site from Caltech, with an archive focusing on infrared (heat-ray) astronomy and the discoveries it makes about cool objects in the universe. No longer taking new questions.) http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ask_astronomer/faq/index.shtml Ø Ask the Space Scientist (An archive of questions about the Sun and its interactions with the Earth, answered by astronomer Sten Odenwald. Not accepting new questions.) https://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/ask/askmag.html
III. C. A Few Selected Sites for Finding Good Astronomical Images
Ø Astronomy Picture of the Day https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html Ø Hubble Space Telescope Images http://hubblesite.org/categories/news (See also the European Space Agency’s Hubble page: https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/)
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Ø National Optical Astronomy Observatory Image Gallery https://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/ (See also the photos from NOAO’s Advanced Observing Program for nonprofessional guest observers: https://www.noao.edu/kpvc/observers/bestof.html) Ø NASA Planetary Photojournal https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html Ø European Southern Observatory Photo Gallery https://www.eso.org/public/images/ Ø Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes Image Gallery http://www.ing.iac.es/PR/images_index.html Ø Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Images (Some remarkable color images from a major telescope on top of the Maunakea peak in Hawaii.) http://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/HawaiianStarlight/HawaiianStarlight-Archive.html Ø Spitzer Infrared Space Telescope Image Gallery http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images Ø Chandra X-ray Observatory Images (Growing collection of images that show the universe as seen through “x-ray eyes.”) http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/category.html Ø Gemini Observatory Images https://www.gemini.edu/gallery?option=com_gallery Ø National Radio Astronomy Observatory Image Gallery https://public.nrao.edu/gallery/ Ø Multiwavelength Astronomy Gallery (Shows same astronomical objects in different bands of the spectrum.) http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/multiwavelength_astronomy/multi wavelength_museum/gallery.html Ø NASA Human Spaceflight Image Gallery on Flickr (Here is where to find the great astronaut images from the different missions.) https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/albums Ø NASA Images https://images.nasa.gov/ (See also the NASA Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasacommons/albums) Ø Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei (From astronomer William Keel at the University of Alabama.) http://pages.astronomy.ua.edu/keel/agn/ Ø SOHO Satellite Images of the Sun https://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/ Ø Solar Dynamics Observatory Images of the Sun https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/main/ Ø TRACE Satellite Images of the Sun https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/main/
III. D. Some Key Resources to Read About Astronomy Education and Public Outreach
Books & E-Books
Ø Asbell-Clarke, Jodi, et al., Investigating Astronomy (https://ia.terc.edu). 2010, It’s About Time Publishers. This is an activity-based high-school astronomy textbook, which Suzy Gurton (now at NRAO, formerly at the ASP) had a hand in developing. Put together by TERC, a non-profit educational organization, and supported by the National Science Foundation.
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Ø Barnes, Jonathan, et al., eds., Science Education and Outreach: Forging a Path to the Future (http://www.aspbooks.org/a/volumes/table_of_contents/?book_id=473). 2010, Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series vol. 431. (ASP conference summaries are a good place to see the wide range of EPO projects and collaborations around the U.S. — and sometimes beyond.) Ø Christensen, Lars, The Hands-on Guide for Science Communicators: A Step by Step Approach to Public Outreach (https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9780387263243). 2007, Springer. (A wonderful book of nuts and bolts, with ideas for both beginning and experienced public- information staff, from the head of communications for Hubble Europe and the IAU.) Ø Fenichel, Marilyn & Schweingruber, Heidi, Surrounded by Science: Learning Science in Informal Environments (https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12614/surrounded-by-science- learning-science-in-informal-environments). 2010, National Academies Press. (Many case studies for understanding and evaluating science learning in museums, parks, and other informal settings.) Ø Garmany, Catharine, et al., eds., EPO and a Changing World: Creating Linkages and Expanding Partnerships (http://www.aspbooks.org/a/volumes/table_of_contents/?book_id=426). 2008, Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series vol. 389. Ø Gibbs, Michael, et al., eds., Preparing for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy: A Hands-on Symposium (http://www.aspbooks.org/a/volumes/table_of_contents/?book_id=433). 2008, Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series vol. 400. (Focus on projects to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the telescope.) Ø Impey, Chris & Matthew Wenger, eds., Astronomy Education Volume 1: Online Formal and Informal Learning (https://iopscience.iop.org/bookListInfo/aas-iop-astronomy). Institute of Physics/American Astronomical Society e-book, April 2019. Part of a new series of overviews in astronomy, this volume has papers on many aspects of doing outreach online. Ø Impey, Chris & Sanlyn Buxner, eds., Astronomy Education Volume 2: A Practitioner’s Guide to the Research (https://iopscience.iop.org/bookListInfo/aas-iop-astronomy). Institute of Physics/American Astronomical Society e-book, April 2019. Ø Jensen, Joseph, et al., eds., Connecting People to Science: A National Conference on Science Education and Public Outreach (http://www.aspbooks.org/a/volumes/table_of_contents/?book_id=519). 2012, Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series vol. 457. (A 2011 conference about astronomy EPO, despite its more general title. Has a number of good papers on encouraging more young women in space science.) Ø Keeley, Page & Sneider, Cary, Uncovering Student Ideas in Astronomy: 45 New Formative Assessment Probes (https://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781936137381). 2012, National Science Teachers Association. A collection of thought-provoking activities to gauge what students already know and what misconceptions they have about astronomy.
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Ø Levine, Alaina, Networking for Nerds: Find, Access, and Land Hidden Game-Changing Career Opportunities Everywhere (https://www.amazon.com/Networking-Nerds-Game-Changing- Opportunities-Everywhere/dp/1118663586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417728792&sr=8- 1&keywords=alaina+levine). 2015, Wiley. Mostly about jobs, but a bit about doing outreach to further your reputation. Ø Michaels, Sarah, Ready, Set, Science: Putting Research to Work in K-8 Science Classrooms (https://www.nap.edu/catalog/11882/ready-set-science-putting-research-to-work-in-k-8). 2007, National Academies Press. (Explores, with case studies, how new research on how students learn can inform the effective teaching of basic science in our schools.) Ø Pasachoff, Jay, & Percy, John, eds., Teaching and Learning of Astronomy: Effective Strategies for Educators Worldwide (https://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/physics/astronomy-general/teaching- and-learning-astronomy-effective-strategies-educators-worldwide?format=PB). 2005, Cambridge University Press. (A book elaborated from the proceedings of a special session on astronomy education held at the 2003 International Astronomical Union’s General Assembly in Sydney, Australia.) Ø Portal to the Public Project Implementation Manual (https://popnet.wpengine.com/implementation-manual). 2018
Online Articles
Ø American Astronomical Society Astronomy Education Board, “An Ancient Universe: How Astronomers Know the Vast Scale of Cosmic Time” (Booklet for teachers and those who work with them on how we have measured the age of the cosmos and how to respond to religious claims that the Earth and the universe are much younger.) https://aas.org/files/resources/An_Ancient_Universe.pdf Ø Fraknoi, Andrew, “Astronomy Education and Public Outreach: Steps and Missteps Toward an Emerging Profession” in Mercury magazine, Sep/Oct. 2005. (A review of where the EPO profession in astronomy stands and what still remains to be done so that it earns higher status in the community of astronomers.) https://www.astrosociety.org/wp- content/uploads/2014/06/epo.pdf Ø Fraknoi, Andrew, “Unheard Voices: The Astronomy of Many Cultures” (a compilation of resources to teach about the astronomy of non-western cultures.) http://multiverse.ssl.berkeley.edu/multicultural Ø Helfand, David, “Surviving the Misinformation Age” from Skeptical Inquirer, May/June 2017. (Former AAS President Helfand writes eloquently and angrily about how to deal with times when alternate facts and realities seem to get lots of public affirmation.) https://www.csicop.org/si/show/surviving_the_misinformation_age Ø Impey, Chris, et al., “Non-Scientific Beliefs Among Undergraduate Students” in Astronomy Education Review, 2012. (A multiyear, multicampus study of over 11,000 undergraduates underscores how resistant they are to changing beliefs that we would consider to be outside the bounds of science.) http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2012016
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Ø Morrison, David, “Twelve Bad Words (in Science)” in Astronomy Education Review, 2012. (Op-ed piece highlighting words that scientists use differently from the public.) http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2002010 Ø Palen, Stacy & Proctor, AmyJo, “Astronomy in the K-8 Curriculum: A Survey of State Requirements Nationwide” in Astronomy Education Review, 2006. (Overview of state standards.) http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2006002 Ø Sneider, Cary, et al., “Learning About Seasons: A Guide for Teachers and Curriculum Developers” in Astronomy Education Review, 2011. (One of a series of papers giving an overview of studies about student understanding of key topics in elementary astronomy; others, cited in the paper, include gravity and Moon phases.) http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2010035 Ø Entradas, Marta & Bauer, Martin, “Bustling Public Communication by Astronomers Around the World Driven by Personal and Contextual Factors” in Nature Astronomy, 26 Nov. 2018. (A survey of 2,600 members of the IAU about their outreach work. Not free, but often available through academic libraries. We include this because it may help you to show a supervisor or oversight committee that outreach is more accepted as part of what astronomers do than some may suppose.) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-018- 0633-7
Online Journals/Magazines/Newsletters
Ø Astronomy Education Review (journal formerly published by the AAS; link points to an index of the 255 papers published over its 12-year run) https://aas.org/teach/subject- index-papers-astronomy-education-review-2001-2013 Ø Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal (published by the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach) https://www.capjournal.org/ Ø The Universe in the Classroom (the ASP newsletter on teaching astronomy in grades 3-12) https://www.astrosociety.org/publication/universe-in-the-classroom/ Ø Resource Guides for Astronomy Education and Outreach (from Andrew Fraknoi) http://www.fraknoi.com/resource-guides-on-astronomy-education/ Ø Journal of Astronomy and Earth Sciences Education (as of 2014, a journal that publishes refereed papers that significantly contribute to the scholarly understanding of cutting-edge issues across science education) http://clutejournals.com/index.php/JAESE
III. E. How to Evaluate Educational Programs
Key Documents [start with these]
Ø Friedman, Alan, ed., Framework for Evaluating Impacts of Informal Science Education Projects (http://informalscience.org/framework-evaluating-impacts-informal-science- education-projects). 2008, National Science Foundation. (This guide is full of practical hints
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and specific ideas and includes chapters on evaluating exhibits, mass media, youth and community programs, learning technologies, and collaborations.) Ø Frechtling, Joy, et al., The User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02057/start.htm). 2002, National Science Foundation. (A more general introduction to evaluation from the education division of NSF.) Ø Elements of a Program Evaluation (A concise introduction to and checklist for evaluation, from the NASA IDEAS Program.) http://ideas.stsci.edu/Evaluation.shtml Ø Managing Evaluation in Informal STEM Education Projects: A Principal Investigator’s Guide (http://informalscience.org/principal-investigators-guide-managing-evaluation-informal- stem-education-projects-pi-guide). 2011, National Science Foundation. (A longer document from the Council for the Advancement of Informal Science Education and the Visitor Studies Association to help those working on grant-funded projects include evaluators and evaluative studies from the very beginning.) Ø Tisdal, C. “Websites: A Guiding Framework for Focusing Website Evaluations” https://visa.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/2015/BISE/websites%20final.pdf
Specific Web-based Articles Related to Astronomy Evaluation
Ø Bailey, Janelle & Slater, Timothy, “Finding the Forest Amid the Trees: Tools for Evaluating Astronomy Education and Public Outreach Projects” in Astronomy Education Review, vol. 3, issue 2, p. 47. (Although the examples in this nice primer are drawn from evaluating teacher training workshops, there is basic information here on evaluation that can be useful for other kinds of projects as well.) http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2004016 Ø Brogt, Eric, et al., “Regulations and Ethical Considerations for Astronomy Education Research” (3-part article) in Astronomy Education Review, vol. 6, issue 1, p. 43 (http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2007004); vol. 6, issue 2, p. 99 (http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2007021); vol. 7, issue 2, p. 57 (http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2008020). (Under recent law, important issues arise when you interview or observe human subjects in any kind of research. This article sets out the issues and gives examples, including one from an informal learning setting.) Ø Dussault, Mary, “How Do Visitors Understand the Universe?” (Some studies testing the understanding of astronomical concepts — rather than mere factoids — by museum visitors.) http://www.astc.org/resource/visitors/universe.htm See also: • Atlas, Toby, et al., “Front-End Evaluation for Cosmic Questions Exhibit” http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seuforum/download/Cosmic_front_end_eval_2000.pdf • Karp, J., et al., “Summative Evaluation for Cosmic Questions” http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seuforum/download/CQ_Exec_Sum_Final_2003.pdf Ø Goodman Research Group, “Evaluation of the Origins: NOVA Mini-series (and Its Outreach)” 2005, National Science Foundation. http://informalscience.org/evaluation/ic- 000-000-007-412/Origins_of_the_Universe_Final_Evaluation_Report
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Ø Norland, Emma, “Evaluation of Youth Astronomy Apprenticeships at MIT’s Kavli Institute” 2009, National Science Foundation. http://informalscience.org/youth-astronomy- apprenticeship-initiative-promote-science-learning-among-urban-youth-and-their Ø Phillips, Michelle, “Evaluation of the Maya Skies Planetarium Show at Chabot Space and Science Center” 2010, National Science Foundation. http://informalscience.org/maya- skies-external-evaluation-report Ø Storksdieck, M., et al., “Amateur Astronomers as Informal Science Ambassadors: Results of an Online Survey” http://www.astrosociety.org/edu/resources/ResultsofSurvey_FinalReport.pdf Ø Stroud, Nicholas, et al., “Toward a Methodology for Informal Astronomy Education Research” in Astronomy Education Review, vol. 5, issue 2, p. 146 (http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2006023). (Proposes a technique called “action evaluation” and shows how it can be used in museums.)
A Few Useful General Websites on Science Education Evaluation
Ø Informal Science Website Evaluation Page (This is a website for informal science education professionals, funded by NSF. Their evaluation page has a number of good general resources and a number of finished evaluation reports specific to astronomy and physical science.) http://www.informalscience.org/evaluation/ Ø National Girls Collaborative Project: Evaluation and Assessment (This page summarizes and points to a variety of resources for evaluation.) https://ngcproject.org/evaluation- assessment Ø Online Evaluation Resource Library (Funded by NSF, this is a repository of documents and plans for evaluation professionals.) https://oerl.sri.com/ Ø Visitor Studies Association Archives (This is a place you can search the past publications of this organization, devoted to the systematic study of how their audiences perceive and use museums.) http://vsa.matrix.msu.edu/index.php
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AAS Astronomy Ambassadors Program