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ASTR4A/B: Intro to Solar System/Stars and Galaxies

physics, think pair share, active learning

Reflection on Instructional Change:

1: Practice: I implemented the "parking lot". This is an open forum in-class for students to ask questions for the instructor to be addressed later in class anonymously. I did this via a "Mentimeter" quiz where they could use their phones to access the parking lot questionnaire via a QR code on-screen. I did this as I already have them use their phones for quizzes in class via the same software, so this was a natural extension to what I was already doing.

2: Impact: This appeared to be a good way to elicit responses from students that were too shy to ask out loud. I ran this parking lot once a week, and would usually get 5-20 questions from a class attendance of ~70. They were especially open to its use in the lead-up to exams. While some questions were a bit frivolous, others asked for clarity on key topics that I wasn't aware they were having trouble with, so it served its purpose.

3: FLC activities: I found the implementation resources the most beneficial. They clearly laid out the practices and steps to deploy them. Frankly I found all the videos a little obvious and heavy handed, and I could easily have done without the busy work of analysing them. The writing assignments were ok, follow the age-old adage that we learn better by doing rather than reading. I'm not a fan on online discussion forums for faculty (I see them more useful for students), we're all very much adults and these come across as being hand-holding busywork.

4: "Observe and Analyze Session": Honestly there wasn't really a light-bulb moment for me in this session. The improvements fielded by my two colleagues were already being implemented. One suggestion was to do the parking lot every session rather than once a week, but I am less open to that as it takes a good 10min chunk of the class time which would really eat into the week's tuition if done every class.

Evidence of Instructional Change

Parking lot being used in the planetarium

Parking lot being deployed in the planetarium with student input on-screen.

Parking lot behind the scenes on the Mentimeter software

Web interface for the parking lot "Mentimeter" software for analysis of responses after the class.

ACUE document on how to run a parking lot.

ACUE document detailing how to utilise the parking lot technique.

Practice and Reflect on: Checking for Student Understanding

Implementation Reflection Guide.docx

Course Syllabus

2248_A4A_24F_Pettitt.docx

Faculty Bio

Picture of Dr Pettitt outside on Mount Hakodate (函館山) at night.

Faculty Bio: I'm a British astrophysicist who's recently moved to Sac. three years ago. Before this I was living and working in Japan for the past 6 years as an assistant professor (where I was known as Alex-sensei!). Before that I studied for my PhD in Exeter and for my MSc in Durham, both in the U.K. In my research I study the dynamics and internal structure of galaxies using computer simulations, which use many months of computing time running on hundreds of processors.