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This research concerns the development and testing of a new type of introductory astronomy curriculum material called ranking tasks. Ranking tasks are a novel form of conceptual exercise in which students are presented with (usually) pictures or diagrams that describe up to six slightly different variations of a basic physical situation. Students are then asked to make a comparative judgment identifying the order or ranking of the various situations based on some physical outcome or result. These exercises are easily incorporated as collaborative group activities into the traditional lecture-based classroom. This study developed design guidelines for ranking tasks based on several learning theories and classroom pilot studies. A single-group repeated measures experiment was then conducted using eight key introductory astronomy topics with 250 students at the University of Arizona in the Fall of 2004. Our research questions were: * Do in-class collaborative ranking task exercises result in student conceptual gains when incorporated into traditional lecture-based instruction? * Are these gains significant in terms of effect size measures commonly used in education research? * What value do students perceive in the use of in-class ranking tasks exercises? The study found that average assessment test scores across the eight astronomy topics increased from 32% on the start-of-semester pretest to 61% after traditional lecture, to 77% after the ranking task exercises. A mixed factors ANOVA confirmed a significant rise in test scores after the ranking tasks (alpha = 0.05). The average normalized gain on the post-ranking task tests was 0.41, with a Cohen’s d effect size of 0.62 which is described in the literature as moderately large. Interestingly, we found that the normalized gain from the ranking tasks was equal to the entire previous gain from traditional instruction. A repeated-factor ANOVA found that the use of ranking tasks equally benefited both genders and also both high and low-scoring median groups on the pretest. A Lickert-scale attitude survey found that 83% of the students participating in the 16 week study believed that the ranking task exercises helped their understanding of core astronomy concepts. Based on these results, we assert that adding collaborative ranking task exercises to a traditional classroom instruction can significantly improve student understanding of key introductory astronomy concepts. / Mathematical Sciences / Ph. D. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (Astronomy Education))

The present study was a systematic investigation of developmental skill sequences in the early science domain. Three developmental sequences in the area of astronomy were investigated; knowledge about earth, light and motion. Test items were developed reflecting developmental sequences based on the cognitive processes that are necessary for understanding each task. Data were collected from 1595 kindergarten children from six geographically diverse areas. Latent trait models were constructed to reflect the hypothesized developmental sequences by allowing discrimination and difficulty parameters to vary or by constraining them to equal. Preferred models were obtained by statistical comparison with other models. The knowledge about light and motion were in the hypothesized developmental sequence. Astronomical events that contradicted personal experience, required causal explanations and consisted of extended causal chains were the most difficult for kindergarten children to understand. Investigations concerning the mechanism for conceptual change are necessary.

This research concerns the development and testing of a new type of introductory astronomy curriculum material called ranking tasks. Ranking tasks are a novel form of conceptual exercise in which students are presented with (usually) pictures or diagrams that describe up to six slightly different variations of a basic physical situation. Students are then asked to make a comparative judgment identifying the order or ranking of the various situations based on some physical outcome or result. These exercises are easily incorporated as collaborative group activities into the traditional lecture-based classroom. This study developed design guidelines for ranking tasks based on several learning theories and classroom pilot studies. A single-group repeated measures experiment was then conducted using eight key introductory astronomy topics with 250 students at the University of Arizona in the Fall of 2004. Our research questions were: * Do in-class collaborative ranking task exercises result in student conceptual gains when incorporated into traditional lecture-based instruction? * Are these gains significant in terms of effect size measures commonly used in education research? * What value do students perceive in the use of in-class ranking tasks exercises? The study found that average assessment test scores across the eight astronomy topics increased from 32% on the start-of-semester pretest to 61% after traditional lecture, to 77% after the ranking task exercises. A mixed factors ANOVA confirmed a significant rise in test scores after the ranking tasks (alpha = 0.05). The average normalized gain on the post-ranking task tests was 0.41, with a Cohen’s d effect size of 0.62 which is described in the literature as moderately large. Interestingly, we found that the normalized gain from the ranking tasks was equal to the entire previous gain from traditional instruction. A repeated-factor ANOVA found that the use of ranking tasks equally benefited both genders and also both high and low-scoring median groups on the pretest. A Lickert-scale attitude survey found that 83% of the students participating in the 16 week study believed that the ranking task exercises helped their understanding of core astronomy concepts. Based on these results, we assert that adding collaborative ranking task exercises to a traditional classroom instruction can significantly improve student understanding of key introductory astronomy concepts. / Mathematical Sciences / Ph. D. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (Astronomy Education))

Acompanha: Objetos de aprendizagem: para o ensino de astronomia / O presente trabalho propõe uma sequência didática embasada na utilização de objetos de aprendizagem, para trabalhar conceitos astronômicos, sobretudo enfocando a alternância das estações do ano. Tal proposta foi aplicada a uma turma do sexto ano de uma escola do campo em um município paranaense. Foram dez aulas em ambientes como a sala de aula, o pátio da escola e áreas externas ao estabelecimento de ensino, demonstrando, simulando, observando e investigando por meio de modelos didáticos os movimentos da esfera celeste e sua relação com a alternância sazonal. Para coleta de dados foram aplicados um questionário prévio e outro final. A análise destes instrumentos direcionada por meio da análise de discurso confirmou que os educandos possuíam concepções alternativas, tais como: entendiam a alternância das estações do ano devido a aproximação e afastamento da Terra ao Sol; compreendiam um sistema geocêntrico; afirmavam que o Sol “movimentava-se” na esfera celeste em trajetória fixa durante todo o ano, nascendo a leste e pondo-se a oeste. Estas e outras concepções errôneas foram trabalhadas na sequência didática, obtendo ao final do trabalho importantes resultados que validaram a utilização dos recursos didáticos produzidos e utilizados junto aos educandos. Dentre os resultados é destacável discursos que salientaram a órbita terrestre com baixa excentricidade e o Sol nascendo e pondo-se em diferentes posições do horizonte ao longo do ano. No entanto, mesmo com as intervenções deste trabalho alguns alunos mantiveram suas concepções ressaltando a necessidade de novos trabalhos que abordem outras metodologias, ou mesmo, reutilizem os objetos aqui expostos com outros enfoques. / This paper proposes a didactic sequence grounded in the use of learning objects, astronomical concepts to work, especially focusing on the alternation of the seasons. The proposal was applied to a class of sixth year of a field school in a city in Paraná. For ten classes in environments such as the classroom, the schoolyard and areas outside the educational establishment, demonstrating, simulating, observing and investigating through didactic models the apparent motions of the celestial sphere and its relationship with alternating climate. For data collection a questionnaire were applied prior and the other end. The analysis of these instruments directed through discourse analysis confirmed that the students had misconceptions, such as: understand the alternation of the seasons because the approach and retraction of the Earth to the Sun; comprised a geocentric system, said the Sun "moved up "on the celestial sphere in fixed path throughout the year, rising east and setting in the west. These and other misconceptions were worked in the instructional sequence, obtaining at the end of the work important results that validated the use of educational resources produced and used together with the students. Among the results is detachable speeches that stressed the orbit with low eccentricity and the sun rising and setting at different positions of the horizon throughout the year. However, even with assistance this work some students kept their conceptions emphasizing the need for further work to address other methodologies, or even reuse the objects shown here with other approaches.

The problem of this study was to measure the effects of differing curricular patterns involving the use of planetarium centered activities on the affective domain of high-,middle-, and low-achieving secondary school students. Two different curricular patterns were studied. At each achievement level, one group viewed two planetarium lessons in conjunction with their classroom work in astronomy. Also, at each achievement level, two groups viewed the planetarium lessons as review activities which followed their completion of classroom work in astronomy earlier in the school year. The following conclusions were made with respect to the planetarium-related curricula studied. 1. Two exposures to planetarium lessons as a review activity caused a significant decline in the attitude toward astronomy among high-achieving students. 2. Two exposures to planetarium lessons did not significantly improve students' attitudes toward astronomy at any achievement level or with either curricular pattern studied. 3. Middle- and low-achieving students' attitudes were not significantly affected by two exposures to the planetarium lessons. Varying the manner of employing the planetarium in relation to classroom work in astronomy, in the manner studied, made no significant differences in the attitudes of students at either of these achievement levels.

O presente trabalho avalia a implementação de Unidades de Ensino Potencialmente Significativas (UEPS) de Astronomia na disciplina de ciências em quatro turmas do sexto ao nono ano do ensino fundamental em uma escola do campo da rede estadual de ensino de Caxias do Sul. O principal motivador educacional deste trabalho foi propiciar aos estudantes o envolvimento em uma estratégia de caráter observacional e experimental como uma possibilidade de qualificar o processo de ensino e aprendizagem de ciências. O embasamento teórico do trabalho é a Teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa. Nessa teoria, o conhecimento prévio é a variável isolada mais importante para a aprendizagem significativa de novos conhecimentos. Portanto, a identificação dos conhecimentos prévios dos estudantes é um requisito essencial para elaborar sequências didáticas com potencial para promover a ocorrência da aprendizagem significativa. A pesquisa desenvolvida neste trabalho é de natureza aplicada com abordagem qualitativa e a análise dos dados qualitativos utilizou a técnica de análise textual discursiva. Quanto aos objetivos, a investigação é descritiva e interpretativa e os procedimentos técnicos são do tipo pesquisa participante. As quatro UEPS aplicadas abordaram aspectos relacionados às fases da Lua, estrelas e constelações, estações do ano e planetas. Diferentes instrumentos avaliativos foram utilizados, como a avaliação diagnóstica aplicada antes e após o desenvolvimento das atividades, registros coletados pelo professor durante as atividades acerca de atitudes e concepções dos estudantes e materiais produzidos pelos estudantes ao longo das atividades, como modelos didáticos e materiais escritos. Os resultados obtidos revelam que os estudantes, de forma geral, demonstraram melhorias significativas na predisposição em aprender e a compreensão dos conceitos estudados, pois conseguiram identificá-los, diferenciá-los progressivamente e reconciliá-los de modo a aplicar os conhecimentos relacionados à Astronomia em novos contextos. Os dados levantados são, portanto, indícios da ocorrência de aprendizagem significativa. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2016-02-22T16:40:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Daiana Pellenz.pdf: 4099816 bytes, checksum: 7c030636406c9e8c77b25aa97cab34a0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-22T16:40:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Daiana Pellenz.pdf: 4099816 bytes, checksum: 7c030636406c9e8c77b25aa97cab34a0 (MD5) / This study evaluates the implementation of Potentially Meaningful Teaching Unit (PMTU) of Astronomy in the discipline of science in four classes of sixth-ninth year of elementary school in a field school of the state of Caxias do Sul. The primary motivator this work is to provide education to students engaging in a observational and experimental strategy as an opportunity to qualify the teaching and learning of science. The theoretical basis of the work is the Theory of Meaningful Learning. In this theory, prior knowledge is the single most important variable for the significant learning of new knowledge. Therefore, identification of prior knowledge of the students is an essential requirement to develop teaching sequences with the potential to promote the occurrence of meaningful learning. The research developed in this work is of applied nature with a qualitative approach and analysis of qualitative data used the technique of discursive textual analysis. As to the objectives, research is descriptive and interpretive and technical procedures are of the research participant. The four PTMU applied aspects relating to the phases of the moon, stars and constellations, seasons of the year and planets. Different evaluation tools were used as the diagnostic evaluation applied before and after the development of activities, records collected by the teacher during activities about attitudes and conceptions of students and materials produced by the students over the activities such as teaching models and written materials. The results show that students, in general, demonstrated significant improvements in the predisposition to learn and to understand the concepts studied, because they could identify them, differentiate them progressively and reconcile them in order to apply the knowledge related to astronomy in new contexts. The data collected are thus evidence of the occurrence of meaningful learning.