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Teaching & Outreach
I have been inspired to re-aim the
education methodology used in science courses.
I became motivated in this regard because of the
general ineffectiveness and un-inspiring nature
used in most of the science classes that I went
through as an undergraduate physics student.
The material was presented, and presented fairly
well, but nothing about those classes prepared
me for the practice of science that I now
engage in as a graduate student. I plan to
remedy this educational discontinuity, and in
the process provide a stimulating and
motivating classroom experience for students.
One primary aim of my teaching will be to
encourage those who are (or might become)
interested in science at any level.
Inquiry
I have had the good fortune to be involved
in an innovative and engaging style of science education
known as 'Inquiry'. Teaching using the Inquiry method
involves teaching science as science is practiced.
This means the students are engaging in the scientific
method as they struggle to understand and explore the
material. Science is often non-linear and going through
the process itself teaches many skills and attitudes
that are not normally touched on in a standard lab-course,
yet are very important to develop in prospective scientists.
For instance, the ability to interactively generate a
hypothesis while experimenting with the materials gives
a mental freedom and flexibility that is lost in the
archetypal linear 'Scientific Method', or can be
neglected entirely in a worksheet-based lab experience.
Through the
CfAO's educational
venues I've learned the theory and practiced the art
of facilitation student learning in an inquiry setting.
Another great thing about this is that these learning camps
are targeted at low-income and under-represented high school
and community college students interested in science careers.
For example, the Akamai Maui Short Course is
a teaching venue that gives training to Hawaiian students
who are interested in pursuing science and technology careers.
Since the cost of living on their home islands is so high,
it becomes increasingly difficult to live there without
a relatively high paying job. These high paying jobs come almost
exculsively from high-tech industry. So through this program
we work to give native Hawaiians the training required to
compete for those jobs that will allow them to continue
to live on their home islands.
In 2006 I helped design and implement
the Akamai Maui Short Course program which allowed me
to guide 14 college students to an understanding of
light and telescopes over the course of a week long
series of investigations using inquiry based learning
methods.
In 2007 I helped redesign and guide
another inquiry into Light and Optics as part
of the Akamai Maui Short Course - this time focused on
the application of engineering processes.
Also, in 2007, I had the opportunity to lead a team who
designed an inquiry into the nature of Color, Light &
Spectra that was implemented over two days as a part
of the UC COSMOS
Summer program. I also led a small group investigation during
the COSMOS program
in which the students took telescope observations and
after investigating the data correctly modeled (using
both a table-top setup and computer models) the
system of SZ Her - a variable brightness star.
In 2008 I returned to lead the Akamai Maui
Short Course instructor team through the design and
coordination of the program. In addition, I am currently
designing an inquiry investigation into the nature and
components that comprise a galaxy for use in the
Intro to Astronomy course
I'll be teaching this Summer Session.
Teaching Assistance
I've also had the opportunity to interact
with many students as a teaching assistant for introductory
astronomy courses at UCSC. In the process I've gotten
to help many students who felt like they couldn't
do math or that they weren't able to do science
overcome those fears and come to see science as
something they could do if they choose to.
I've gotten to help students peek into this
universe and see some of the mystery and beauty
that surrounds us.
I worked as the TA Trainer for the UCSC Astronomy
department - providing suggestions, support and resources
to the teaching assistants in our department. One product
that I developed are the Astronomy TA
Help Sheets which aim to provide some form of example
for beginning astronomy teaching assistants.
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