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Developing the "Multiwavelength Astronomy: Galaxies in a Different Light" Activity

Mary Kay Hemenway, Shardha Jogee, Kyle Fricke, and Randi Worhatch

University of Texas, Dept. of Astronomy, 1 University Station C1400, Austin, TX 78712, USA

Laurie Ruberg

Wheeling Jesuit University, Center for Educational Technologies, 316 Washington Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003, USA

Abstract. "Multiwavelength Astronomy" is designed to lead high school students to understand astronomers’ use of different wavelengths in studying the nature of galaxies. When developing the activity we followed the NASA-funded Virtual Design Center guidelines. With the project rationale and standards-alignment analysis completed, we surveyed high school students from several classes about their knowledge and interest in topics related to galaxy research. Their responses, and later pilot tests with secondary teachers and students, informed the development team's efforts. Topics included are the electromagnetic spectrum, false-color imaging, image resolution, Wien's law, and galaxy morphology. These were chosen to serve as prerequisites for future computer-intensive activities, which would involve students with data sets from the HST GEMS survey, one of the widest-area galaxy surveys conducted in two filters to date. Our description of the development process illustrates how we integrated topics of student interest into the activity while adhering to the design goal of incrementally augmenting student conceptual learning through a series of successive activities. Products for this activity include student and teacher guides, series of galaxy images in different wavelengths, a PowerPoint presentation, and sample materials for student assessment and evaluation of the activities.

Goals and procedures:

The goal of this project was to produce a series of activities on research of galaxy evolution for students at several levels and varying abilities. Five consecutive activities are planned, including an initial activity to sort galaxies using visual images (for example, CERES[1]) followed by this activity on multi-wavelength inspection of galaxies. The third activity covers stellar color and evolution – key concepts for understanding galactic evolution. The two final activities will use the Galaxies and Cosmos Explorer Tool (GCET[2]), which uses an Internet interface, to examine very distant galaxies and how they differ with redshift. After receiving EPO awards (PI: Jogee) to develop these activities, the education team at Texas began to work with the NASA Virtual Design Center (VDC[3]) created by the Classroom of the Future program of the Center for Educational Technologies at Wheeling Jesuit University. The VDC process is to identify the areas of greatest need and how these align with project goals, identify education standards, focus on the investigative question and activity structure that engages students, and develop a product using best practices in science education, including assessment and uses of learning technologies. As part of this process, we surveyed high school classes in September 2006 with questions designed to probe their knowledge and interest in areas related to galaxy research. The results showed high student interest in multi-wavelength observations, which drove the team to create this activity to engage and prepare students for activities using GCET.

The Activity and Evaluation:

The multi-wavelength activity includes a teacher guide, a set of student worksheets, a PowerPoint presentation, an exercise in false colors/resolution, and a set of galaxy images in visible, ultraviolet, and radio wavelengths (from the Cool Cosmos website[4]). Important concepts covered in this unit address radiation, resolution, and abilities of telescopes/instruments to receive different wavelengths.

At various stages of development, the activity was pilot-tested with groups of teachers or classes of students (grades 9-12). Interactions with the VDC took place through conference calls, a videoconference, and at least two face-to-face meetings. The VDC led the team to consider enhancing the students' problem solving skills while piquing their curiosity. This prompted improvements in the activity such as requiring students to justify their solutions (i.e., writing explanations they could defend in their teams), and providing information about the telescopes used to gather the images. VDC advice helped the development team focus on increased student learning and objectives, which changed the development process by initiating a procedure to test and refine the investigation question before writing the activity.

In the evaluation, student responses were reviewed to see if the activity prompted scientific thinking and retention of important concepts. In general, the higher grade-level students were applying critical thinking and problem solving skills, whereas the grade 9 students were not. However, a vast majority of the students recognized the important concepts. Evaluation and development for further activities is continuing.

The VDC interactions and pilot testing resulted in an educationally well-structured activity that met most of the VDC goals and the team’s educational goals.

The authors wish to thank Manetta Calinger and Sandra Preston for their help with this project. Support from NASA grants NAG5-13063 and NNG-06GB99G and NSF grant AST- 0607748 is gratefully acknowledged.

[1] http://btc.montana.edu/CERES/html/Galaxy/gal1.html, accessed 20 Sept 2006

[2] http://www.as.utexas.edu/gcet/, accessed 1 Aug 2007

[3] http://vdc.cet.edu, accessed 25 Sept 2006

[4] http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu, accessed 30 Sept 2006