Nebraska Academy of Sciences Physics Section Keynote

Kevin Lee will be giving the keynote address to the physics section at the Nebraska Academy of Sciences meeting on Friday, April 17 at 1 pm in the Nebraska Wesleyan Planetarium.

• Peer Instruction, Computer Simulations, & ExtraSolar Planets
  

  In 1995 astronomers assumed that planets were common around other stars, but were frustrated by their inability to detect one. Today around 300 extrasolar planets have been detected by radial velocity and transit techniques, and the Kepler project has the potential to greatly increase this number.

  Pedagogy in the college science classroom has undergone a similar renaissance in the last 20 years due to widespread recognition of the importance of interactive engagement techniques. This presentation will survey two computer-based curriculum projects that are very useful for engaging students: ClassAction – a database of visual think-pair-share questions and resources for feedback, and the Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project – a collection of high-quality computer simulations and supporting materials. Examples from both of these projects will be used to illustrate how concepts related to extrasolar planets can be taught in the college science classroom.

  This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants #0231270, #0404988 and #0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS).