development and validation of a learning progression of basic astronomy phenomena

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Development and validation of a Learning Progression of basic astronomy phenomena

Silvia Galano Physics Division, School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, Italy

Supervisors:

Prof. Irene Marzoli Physics Division, School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino ItalyDr. Italo Testa Department of Physics E. Pancini, University of Naples Federico II, Italy

Introduction

Research questions

Theoretical framework

Research design

Methods

Preliminary findings

Future steps

Development and validation of a Learning Progression of basic astronomy phenomena

Introduction

Aim of this study

In last years learning progressions (LPs) have been increasingly used by researchers in science education to describe how students develop their understanding of a given concept across school levels. (Duncan & Hmelo-Silver., 2009; Smith, Wiser, Anderson, & Krajcik, 2006; Stevens, Delgado & Krajcik, 2010; Wilson & Bertenthal, 2006).

Aim of this study

LPs can be useful means to improve teaching practices at different school levels. They can play a key role in order to reform and build coherent curricula and to develop instructional educational materials.

Aim of this study

LPs are usually built around big ideas in science, i. e. core concepts.Corcoran, Mosher & Rogat, 2009)

Big ideas help students connect different phenomena, empirical laws, and explanatory models. (Duschl, Maeng & Sezen, 2011)

Despite increasing attention, up to now, few are the big ideas in astronomy for which LPs have been developed and validated. (Plummer et al., 2015; Plummer & Maynard, 2014)

Astronomical phenomena: Why?

Astronomy increase students interest towards science.

Data on 2014/2015. MIUR (Italian Ministry for Education) - Ufficio di Statistica"; "Fonte: elaborazione su dati MIUR - Ufficio di Statistica

Astronomical phenomena:Why?

Astronomy is one of the most fascinating and charming matter.

Just think about how many astronomical elements you can find in books, TV series, manga, games etc.

The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh 1888



Basic astronomical phenomena (change of seasons, Moon phases, solar and lunar eclipses) influence everyday life.


Previously studies have proved that astronomical topic are difficult to understand for the students

Why do seasons change? Because when its summer we are closer to the Sun while in winter we are faraway from the Sun. Its simple! Which is the cause of solar eclipses?There is a planet between the Earth and the Sun so that it is not possible to see the Sun.Which is the cause of Moon phases?Something, maybe an asteroid, casts his shade on the Moon.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

RQ1: how do students develop their understanding about change of seasons, Moon phases and solar/lunar eclipses from middle school to graduate level? RQ2: drawing on RQ1 findings, which learning progression that describes students cognitive levels about the addressed astronomical phenomena can be hypothesized? RQ3: how well does the hypothesized learning progression actually describe students understanding of the addressed astronomical phenomena across different educational levels? How can it be optimized? RQ4: to what extent a teaching- learning sequence (TLS) based on the optimized learning progression is effective in addressing students misconceptions about the addressed astronomical phenomena?

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Learning Progression

Learning Progression (LP) can be defined as descriptions of the successively more sophisticated ways of thinking about a topic that can follow one another as children learn about and investigate a topic over a broad span of time (NRC, 2007).

LPs are based on a developmental view of learning: the students learn a given science content starting from their intuitive ideas (lower anchor) and progress through subsequent levels of more sophisticated understanding of the topic towards the scientifically correct idea (upper anchor).(Driver, 1994; Posner et al., 1982)

Developing and validating LP

If the alignment is satisfyingPreviously research results, students answers to questionnaire or interviews, well known misconceptions are used to hypothesise a first version of the LP (HLP)

Design a measurement instrument (usually a questionnaire or an interview)Test the alignment between LP and actual students achievementsValidate/reviserd version of LP (RLP)

Yes

No

Revise HLP

Developing and validating LP

To test the alignment between students achievements and LP two methods are used: Qualitative approach data from interviews and open tasks (e,g Krajicik et al., 2010; Shea & Duncan, 2013).

Quantitative approach scoring students answers to a multiple-choice questionnaire (e,g, Hadelfedt et al., 2016; Neumann, Viering, Boone & Fischer, 2013)

LP and big ideas

Researchers have developed many LPs around big ideas from different scientific area:

Energy (Neumann, Viering, Boone & Fischer, 2013)

Matter (Stevens, Delgado & Krajcik, 2010; Hadenfeldt, et al. 2016)

Force and motion (Alonzo & Steedle, 2009)

Water (Gunckel, Covitt, Salinas, & Anderson, 2012)

Modern genetics (Todd & Romine, 2016)

LPs and astronomical topics

Recently, there has been an increasing interest of science education research community towards students difficulties in understanding astronomical topics and there have been some attempts to extend LPs approach to astronomical core concepts:(Plummer, 2014; Plummer 2009; Sneider, Bar & Cavanagh, 2011)Solar System formation (Plummer et al. 2015)

Celestial motion (Plummer & Maynard, 2014; Plummer & Krajcik 2010)

It has to be noted that no LP has yet been validated across all school levels from, middle school up to post graduate.

Misconceptions on changes of seasons

Tilt of Earths axis: The seasons are caused by the tilting of the earths axis toward and away from the sun. While it is winter here, we are farther away from the sun, but some places on earth are closer to the sun so it is summer there. (Atwood & Atwood, 1996)

Earth-Sun distance:Changes in Earth-Sun distance cause changes in seasons. It is summer when the Earth is closer to the Sun. (Baxter, 1989; Naz & Fontaine, 2014)

Misconceptions on Moon phases

Students often confuse lunar eclipses with Moon phases, in particular they are unable to articulate the difference between a full moon and a lunar eclipse and how the role the Earth plays in the occurrence of a lunar eclipse. (Trumper, 2000; Barnett, 2002; Barnett & Morran J., 2002).

Moon phases are due to the Sun periodically blocking the view of the moon from earth (Sun blocking). (Trundle, Atwood, Christopher, 2007)

Moon phases are explained only in terms of the shadows of other planets. (Baxter, 1989)

Misconceptions on lunar/solar eclipses

Many students thought that the Moon must be in its Full phase for there to be a total solar eclipse. (Trumper, 2001)

Many students think that during lunar eclipses the Sun is between the Earth and the Moon so that it is not possible to see the Moon. (Testa et al., 2013)

Students are not able to justify period of eclipses. (Testa et al., 2013)

Spatial reasoning

Spatial reasoning skills may help students in understanding astronomical phenomena.

Motion in three-dimensional reasoning: 3D computational modelling supported students in developing scientifically sound understandings of dynamical astronomical phenomena. (Hansen et al. 2004; Parker & Heywood, 1998)

Changing frames of reference and perspective: there are many difficulties in visualization of three-dimensional position in space and two-dimensional representation of three-dimensional objects. (Parker & Heywood, 1998)

Physics and Astronomy

Many difficulties in understanding astronomical topic can be due to difficulties in understanding physics related topics (e.g. lights property and propagation, Gausss law for flux, energy transfer etc.)

Causes of season strictly depend on Gausss flux law and energy transfers

Light propagation is the main cause of shades that determine eclipses and Moon phases

Understanding reference systems and relative motion is fundamental in order to develop a scientifically correct knowledge of Moon phases and eclipses

RESEARCH DESIGNANDMETHODS

RQ1 and RQ2

We developed an open questionnaire, based on previous studies

Students answers were categorized through a content-based iterative categorization in three levels of understanding:

Informed

Partial

Nave

The emerging categories informed initial LP levels (HLP).

RQ3

To empirically validate the hypothesized LPs, a 48-items mixed true/false, multiple-choice questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire featured 12 two-tier items, for a total of 12 multiple choice questions and 36 true or false statements.

4 items for each phenomenon.

Two versions of the questionnaire were developed, one for the middle school level (q2), the other for secondary school and graduate students (q1).

RQ3

To design q1 questions, we used a modified Ordered Multiple Choice (OMC) model, where each item corresponds to a LP level

OMC items feature a constrained set of response options that can be scored objectively; the potential qualitative richness comes because OMC response options are both designed to correspond to what students might answer in response to an open-ended question and explicitly linked to a discrete level of an underlying learning progression. (Alonzo, & Wenk Gotwal, 2012).

RQ3

Example of items for q1 questionnaireIndicate, for each of the following statements, if it is true or falseQ13 Earth's motion around the Sun is a periodic motion on a closed orbitQ14 Earth' s orbit around the Sun is a very eccentric ellipseQ15 Season periodicity is due to the revolution of the Earth around the SunQ16 Which of the following statements best explains the phenomenon of the different seasons? (please indicate the correct one)(i) During the revolution, the distance between the Earth and the Sun changes so, in a certain places of the Earth, solar rays do not always have the same incidence on the surface (ii) During the revolution, the direction of the Earths axis changes so, in a certain place of the Earth, solar rays do not always have the same incidence on the surface(iii) During the revolution, Earths axis remains parallel to itself so, in a certain place of the Earth, solar rays do not always have the same incidence on the surface(iv) During revolution, Earths axis is always perpendicular to the orbit plane so, in a certain place of the Earth, solar rays do not always have the same incidence on the surface

RQ3

The total score for q1 was 48.

Students answers to q1 were analysed using a dychotomous model Rasch analysis.

Using Rasch analysis, it will be possible to lump together the two different forms of the questionnaire.

Comparing difficulties of the items allowed us to compare also levels of the HLP and to revise them according to actual students achievements.

RQ4

A TLS focused on change of season and based on the validated version of the LP was designed and validated through cycles of school implementations with students of secondary school (14-18 ys).Questions of q1 targeting change of seasons have been used as pre- and post- test to test the efficacy of the TLS. (Testa et al., 2015; Galano, 2016)

Development of the TLS

From the RLP for seasons, it emerged that the role of the Earths axis on the change of seasons was the most difficult to understand for the students.

From the analysis of students answers to q1 it emerged that students often know facts related to astronomical phenomena but find difficult to connect them in order give a scientifically correct explanation of changes of seasons. This may be due to misconceptions in the physics related topics.


We chose to focus on the relationships between the energy received by the Earth and the different conditions under which Solar light hits the Earths surface.

We choose to explicitly deal with physics topic related to changes of season: Gauss flux law, energy transfer etc.


The main aim is to guide students to understand the mathematical relationships between the flow across a surface and:the angle between the normal to the surface and the direction of the incident radiation (cosine law)

the distance between the surface and a point-like source (inverse square distance law)

Sample

Preliminary study (RQ1 and RQ2):

189 students at the beginning (13-14 years old) and the end (18-19 years old)

10 university students

Main study (RQ3):

10 Prospective secondary physics teachers

10 Prospective primary teachers

80 Prospective middle school science teachers

140 Secondary school students (18-19 years old)


Main study (RQ4):


PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

RQ1: example of incorrect answer

First Learning Progressions on basic astronomical phenomena

First Learning Progressions on basic astronomical phenomena

PhenomenonLevelq1 items Progress indicator: The students know that

Seasons(1) Lower anchor Q5 - Q8Student know that season are due to inclination of solar rays that changes during the year

2Q1 - Q4Level 1 + the revolution of Earth around the Sun

3Q9 - Q12Level 2 + tilt of Earths axis

(4) Upper anchor Q13 - Q16Level 3 + Earths axis constant direction in space

Eclipses(1) Lower anchorQ33 - Q36Sun and Moon eclipses are due to alignment between the Sun, Moon, and Earth

2Q41 - Q48Level 1 + alignment happens in a 3D space

(3) Upper anchor Q36 - Q40 Level 2 + relative inclination of Moon and Earth orbits planes

Moon phases(1) Lower anchorQ17 - Q20Moon phases are due to revolution of the Moon around Earth

2Q25 - Q28Level 1 + periodicity of the phases

3Q21 - Q24Level 2 + Sun illumination

(4) Upper anchorQ29 - Q32Level 3 +relative positions of Earth, Moon, and the Sun

Rasch statistics

Item Statistics

Mean INFIT MNSQ 1,00

Mean OUTFIT MNSQ 0,97

MODEL RMSE0,13

SEPARATION 7,12

ITEM RELIABILITY0,98

Person Statistics

Mean INFIT MNSQ 1,00

Mean OUTFIT MNSQ 0,97

MODEL RMSE0,34

SEPARATION 1,90

PERSON RELIABILITY .0,78

CRONBACH ALPHA0,78

KR-20 (Cronbach Alpha) is an index of the repeatability of raw scores, misinterpreted as linear measures. KR-20 overstates the reliability of the test-independent, generalizable measures the test is intended to imply. For inference beyond the test, Rasch reliability is more conservative and less misleading.Separation is the signal-to-noise ratio in the data. Specifically, the separation coefficient gives us the square root value of the ratio between the true person variance and the error variance in the data (Linacre, 2012 ). Separation can range from 0 to infinity; thus, there is no ceiling to this index. For purposes of an introductory analysis, a higher value is better than a lower value.Reasonable Mean-Square Fit Values. In general, a range between 0.5 and 1.5 suggests a reasonable fit of the data to the model.Fit describes how well data conform to the Rasch model. Person fit looks at how a person answered all the items on a survey or test, but those answers are reviewed in light of the persons measure, which is computed using all of the respondents answers compared to the difficulty level of the items. Person Infit is a statistic that gives more weight to responses on items near a persons measure. Person Outfit is a statistic that gives more weight to responses on items far away from a persons measure.Model RMSEErrore medio sulle difficolt degli itemErrore medio sulle abilit (ovviamente la distribuzione pi ampia)

RQ3: q1 Wright map

As expected multiple choice questions resulted to be more difficult than true/false questions.

Knowledge of astronomical facts is not sufficient to build up a coherent scientific explanation for astronomical phenomena

Position of Earth, Sun and Moon during eclipses, eccentricity of Earth's orbitRQ3: q1 Wright map

Moon's orbit period, Moon phases' shapeTilt of Earth's axis, Earth's revolution, relative inclination of orbit plansRelationship between the tilt of Earth's axis and the inclination of sun rays; consequences of Earth, Sun and Moon relative motion

Earths axis remains parallel to itself, three body motion in 3D spaceCausal reasoning

Basic facts

Spatial reasoning

RQ3: q1 Wright map

On average, prospective teachers have a more informed knowledge of astronomical phenomena than students

Prospective primary teachers have the same ability of secondary school students

From the distribution of the sample on the Wright map, we can identify two different Gaussian distributions, one centred at about 0,5 and one at 1,6. This reflects an important feature of our sample: teachers are on average at an upper stage of our LP

RQ3: revision of LP on seasons

LevelSeasons: first version of LPSeasons: revised LP

(4) Upper anchorLevel 3 + Earths axis constant direction in spaceLevel 3 + revolution of Earth around the Sun and constant tilt of Earths axis w.r.t. orbits plane

3Level 2 + tilt of Earths axisLevel 2 + constant direction in space of the Earths axis

2Level 1 + the revolution of Earth around the SunLevel 1 + the inclination of solar rays changes during the year

(1) Lower anchorStudent know that season are due to inclination of solar rays that changes during the yearSeasons are due to Earths axis inclination w.r.t. the orbits plane

RQ3: revision of LP on Moon phases

LevelMoon phases: first version of LPMoon phases: revised LP

(4) Upper anchorLevel 3 + relative positions of Earth, Moon, and the SunLevel 3 + the same phase is visible from every Earth locations that can see the Moon (which is a consequence of illumination conditions of the Moon Surface).

3Level 2 + Sun illuminationLevel 2 + Sun illumination

2Level 1 + periodicity of the phasesLevel 1 + periodicity of the phases

(1) Lower anchorMoon phases are due to revolution of the Moon around EarthMoon phases are due to relative positions of Earth, Moon, and the Sun

RQ3: revision of LP on eclipses

LevelSolar/lunar eclipses: first version of LPSolar/lunar eclipses: revised LP

(3) Upper anchorLevel 2 + relative inclination of Moon and Earth orbits planesLevel 2 + frequency of eclipses and the fact that they are visible only from a small portion of Earths surface as consequence of relative inclination of Moon and Earth orbits plan and scale of the Sun-Moon-Earth system.

2Level 1 + alignment happens in a 3D spaceLevel 1 + alignment happens in a 3D space

(1) Lower anchorSun and Moon eclipses are due to alignment between the Sun, Moon, and EarthSun and Moon eclipses are due to alignment between the Sun, Moon, and Earth

RQ3: RLPs

LevelSeasonsSolar/Lunar eclipsesMoon Phases

Upper anchor(4)Level 3 + revolution of Earth around the Sun and constant tilt of Earths axis w.r.t. orbits planeLevel 2 + frequency of eclipses and the fact that they are visible only from a small portion of Earths surface as consequence of relative inclination of Moon and Earth orbits plan and scale of the Sun-Moon-Earth system.Level 3 + the same phase is visible from every Earth locations that can see the Moon (which is a consequence of illumination conditions of the Moon Surface).

3Level 2 + constant direction in space of the Earths axisLevel 2 + Sun illumination

2Level 1 + the inclination of solar rays changes during the yearLevel 1 + alignment happens in a 3D spaceLevel 1 + periodicity of the phases

Lower anchor(1)Seasons are due to Earths axis inclination w.r.t. the orbits planeSun and Moon eclipses are due to alignment between the Sun, Moon, and EarthMoon phases are due to relative positions of Earth, Moon, and the Sun

Upper anchor of the three LP have in common that students need to master skill of spatial reasoning

Students explanation of astronomical phenomena are based on causal reasoning

RQ3: LP on Celestial Motion

Revised Learning Progression on Celestial Motion

LevelProgressor Indicator

(4)Upper AnchorExplanations showing more complex reasoning: Knowledge of 3D geometrical features of the Sun, Moon, and Earth motion, and of how change of the observers perspective may change the description of the phenomena.

3Explanations with simple implications from basic facts: Knowledge of Earths surface illumination conditions, and of the frequency of Moon phases and eclipses phenomena.

2Explanations from basic facts: Knowledge of plane geometry conditions, and of E-S-Mpositions and motion.

(1)Lower AnchorExplanations based on nave ideas: Lack or insufficient knowledge about Earth-Sun distance, and about the motion of the Moon around the Earth and the Sun.

RQ4

RLP levelq1 itemq1 questionsProgress indicator: the students know that

(4)Upper anchorI2Q1 - Q4Level 3 + revolution of Earth around the Sun and constant tilt of Earths axis w.r.t. orbits plane

3I4Q13 - Q16Level 2 + constant direction in space of the Earths axis

2I1Q5 - Q8Level 1 + the inclination of solar rays changes during the year

(1)Lower anchorI3Q9 - Q12Seasons are due to Earths axis inclination w.r.t. the orbits plane

RQ4: pre- and post- test results

Future steps

Validation of the LP

We submitted the questionnaire q2 to 173 students of middle school and we are going to analyse their answers and drawing.

We will lump together the two different forms of the questionnaire q1 and q2 to validate LP for students from 13 years old to post graduate students

We will extend our sample to in-service teachers and university students.

We will include in our sample lay people without a scientific degree and students of the last year of elementary school.

Thank you for the [email protected]

Supplementarymaterials

RQ1: example of correct answer

RQ3

Example of items for q2 questionnaire

Q4: Explain why it is colder in winter than in summer. You can answer making a draw.

Q5: The main reason for change of seasons is:changes of the distance between the Earth and the Sun

the Earths rotation

change in the duration of day

changes in the inclination of solar rays on the Earth surface during the year

Overview of the teaching module Causes of seasons

Activity What students doIntended objectives

1Discuss about the possible factors underlying the cause of seasons. Design an experiment to show the relevance of the identified factors.To elicit students ideas about the change of seasons. To reinforce students skills in selecting control variables in experiments.

2Measure the output power of a photovoltaic panel illuminated by an incandescent lamp when changing the source - panel distance and the inclination of the panel with respect to the direction of the incoming radiation.To introduce the cosine and inverse square laws of the incident radiation flow on a surface. To reinforce students skills in dealing with analysis and fitting methods.

3Estimate the solar radiation flow at different locations of the Earth at a fixed time of the year and at a fixed location of the Earth overthe year using the models constructed in the previous activity. Estimate the radiation flow at perihelion and aphelion.To exploit mathematical models to describe experimental evidences.

4Measure the specific heat of the sand. Discuss about the role of the environment on the temperature of a given location on Earths surface.To relate the temperature of a location to the heat transfers between radiation and the environment.

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