Educator Program

While I was teaching introductory astronomy and physics in college I had students tell me that they did not have a "scientific mind". After some thought I determined that one of two explanations existed for this deficiency. (1) There are some brains, due to genetics, that are physically incapable of thinking scientifically. If this is the case, perhaps a blood test of some type could be administered at some point in the child's life and used to divert them from taking science courses. This would save both the student and the teacher considerable grief. (2) Science is an acquired critical thinking skill that the schools, for a variety of reasons, are failing to instill prior to graduation in a large number of cases.

I do not believe explanation number one for a second. I think a major reason behind number two is that science curricula are laid out around quantified objectives that are testable. These objectives are "rote" intensive, which by definition means: without thought of the meaning. The courses end up teaching the current state of our knowledge of science, which is merely a modern history course, and should not be confused or substituted for science. I firmly believe that science is about the study of questions and the methodology of pursuing answers, rather than being just about answers. A broad foundation of basic currently supported facts aids in providing an essential reference for further progress but is often used as an instructional end point rather than as a context. To adhere to a strict regimen of "answers before questions", intending to introduce methods of scientific thought later, misleads a number of students into thinking that science can be learned by memorizing the glossary. A disturbing number of students bring this attitude and deficiency to college.

While all of the Astronomical Adventures programs are designed to offer a continuing education opportunity in science, the Educator Program is the most academic. I will provide instruction that will cover: the planets and solar system, the Sun, stars (formation, evolution, composition, distribution, dynamics), the Milky Way (structure, dynamics, evolution, composition), galaxies, clusters of galaxies, cosmology, cosmic particles, and general physical processes (including thermodynamics, el ectromagnetism, nucleosynthesis, Newtonian mechanics, relativity, and gas law theory). These topics will be presented to the maximum extent possible while we are looking at an object, telescopically or in the field, that highlights that point. I will attempt an interdisciplinary link to concepts, common experiences and general applications when possible. These presentations will stress concepts and a hands-on (or "eyes-on") approach. I will facilitate discussions that will focus on the nature of formulating questions, and then how the scientific method applies in pursuit of answers. The primary beneficiary will be the teacher him/herself with classroom exportable applications secondary. Curriculum development time and assistance will conclude the program.

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