| 1. |
- Linder, Cedric, et al.
(author)
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The overlooked challenge of learning to extrapolate three-dimensionality
- 2013
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In: Book of Abstracts. - : Charles University.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Learning astronomy has many learning challenges due to the highly diverse, conceptual, and theoretical thinking used in the discipline. One taken for granted challenge is the learning to extrapolate three-dimensionality. Although we have the ability to see our surroundings in threedimensional terms, beyond a distance of about 200m this ability quickly becomes very limited. So, when looking up at the night sky, learning to discern critical features that are embedded in dimensionality does not come easily. There have been several articles addressing how fruitful 3D simulations are for astronomy education, but they do not address what students discern, nor the nature of that discernment. Taking the concept of discernment to be about noticing something and assigning meaning to it, our research question is: In terms of dimensionality, what do astronomy/physics students and professors discern when engaging with a simulated video flythrough of our Galaxy and beyond?A web-based questionnaire was designed using links to video clips drawn from a well-regarded simulation-video of travel through our galaxy and beyond. 137 physics and astronomy university students and teaching professors, who were drawn from nine countries, completed the questionnaire. The descriptions provided by them were used to formulate six categories of discernment in relation to multidimensionality. These results are used to make the case that astronomy learning that aims at developing the ability to extrapolate three-dimensionality needs to be grounded in the creation of meaningful motion parallax experiences. Teaching and learning implications are discussed.
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| 2. |
- Eriksson, Urban, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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Disciplinary discernment from Hertzsprung-Russell-diagrams
- 2017
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper aim at investigating what astronomy students and experts discern from the multitude of different disciplinary affordances available in Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams. HR-diagrams are central to all of astronomy and astrophysics and used extensively in teaching. However, knowledge about what students and experts discern from these disciplinary representations are not well known at present. HR-diagrams include many disciplinary affordances that may be hidden to the novice student, hence we aim at investigating and describing what astronomy students at different university levels (introductory, undergraduate, graduate), and astronomy educators/professors, discern from such representation – referred to as disciplinary discernment (Eriksson, Linder, Airey, & Redfors, 2014). Data from a web based questionnaire were analysed using the Anatomy of Disciplinary Discernment (ADD) framework by Eriksson et al. (2014). Preliminary results show (1) the developmental nature of disciplinary discernment from the HR-diagram by the participants and (2) the large discrepancy between disciplinary discernment by the astronomy educators and their students. We describe and discuss the qualitative nature of these differences and how this can have implications for teaching and learning astronomy.
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| 3. |
- Eriksson, Urban, 1968-, et al.
(author)
-
Disciplinary discernment in astronomy education : Hertzsprung-Russell-diagrams
- 2017
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper aim at investigating what astronomy students and experts discern from the multitude of different disciplinary affordances available in Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams. HR-diagrams are central to all of astronomy and astrophysics and used extensively in teaching. However, knowledge about what students and experts discern from these disciplinary representations are not well known at present. HR-diagrams include many disciplinary affordances that may be hidden to the novice student, hence we aim at investigating and describing what astronomy students at different university levels (introductory, undergraduate, graduate), and astronomy educators/professors, discern from such representation – referred to as disciplinary discernment. Data from a web based questionnaire were analysed using the Anatomy of Disciplinary Discernment (ADD) framework by Eriksson et al.(2014). Preliminary results show (1) the developmental nature of disciplinary discernment from the HR-diagram by the participants and (2) the large discrepancy between disciplinary discernment by the astronomy educators and their students. We describe and discuss the qualitative nature of these differences and implications for teaching and learning astronomy.
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| 4. |
- Redfors, Andreas, 1961-, et al.
(author)
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The Fe II excitation mechanism in KQ Puppis
- 2000
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 364:2, s. 646-654
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We discuss different excitation processes behind the Fe II emission lines in the IUE spectrum of KQ Puppis (Boss 1985), a VV Cephei type of spectroscopic binary. Several pa pers have been published on the subject suggesting a number of processes behind the strong Fe II emission lines. We propose that there are two processes operating: selective photoexcitation by continuum radiation (PCR) from the B-star companion, and photoexcitation by accidental resonance (PAR) by the H Ly alpha radiation field. We suggest excitation channels for each of the Fe II emission lines identified in the spectrum.
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| 5. |
- Eriksson, Urban, et al.
(author)
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Who needs 3D when the Universe is flat?
- 2014
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In: Science Education. - : Wiley. - 0036-8326 .- 1098-237X. ; 98:3, s. 412-442
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An overlooked feature in astronomy education is the need for students to learn to extrapolate three-dimensionality and the challenges that this may involve. Discerning critical features in the night sky that are embedded in dimensionality is a long-term learning process. Several articles have addressed the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) simulations in astronomy education, but they have neither addressed what students discern nor the nature of that discernment. A Web-based questionnaire was designed using links to video clips drawn from a simulation video of travel through our galaxy and beyond. The questionnaire was completed by 137 participants from nine countries across a broad span of astronomy education. The descriptions provided by the participants were analyzed using hermeneutics in combination with a constant comparative approach to formulate six categories of discernment in relation to multidimensionality. These results are used to make the case that the ability to extrapolate three-dimensionality calls for the creation of meaningful motion parallax experiences.
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| 6. |
- Eriksson, Urban
(author)
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Reading the Sky : From Starspots to Spotting Stars
- 2014
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis encompasses two research fields in astronomy: astrometry and astronomy education and they are discussed in two parts. These parts represent two sides of a coin; astrometry, which is about constructing 3D representations of the Universe, and AER, where for this thesis, the goal is to investigate university students’ and lecturers’ disciplinary discernment vis-à-vis the structure of the Universe and extrapolating three-dimensionality.Part I presents an investigation of stellar surface structures influence on ultra-high-precision astrometry. The expected effects in different regions of the HR-diagram were quantified. I also investigated the astrometric effect of exoplanets, since astrometric detection will become possible with projects such as Gaia. Stellar surface structures produce small brightness variations, influencing integrated properties such as the total flux, radial velocity and photocenter position. These properties were modelled and statistical relations between the variations of the different properties were derived. From the models it is clear that for most stellar types the astrometric jitter due to stellar surface structures is expected to be of order 10 μAU or greater. This is more than the astrometric displacement typically caused by an Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone, which is about 1–4 μAU, making astrometric detection difficult.Part II presents an investigation of disciplinary discernment at the university level. Astronomy education is a particularly challenging experience for students because discernment of the ‘real’ Universe is problematic, making interpretation of the many disciplinary-specific representations used an important educational issue. The ability to ‘fluently’ discern the disciplinary affordances of these representations becomes crucial for the effective learning of astronomy. To understand the Universe I conclude that specific experiences are called. Simulations could offer these experiences, where parallax motion is a crucial component. In a qualitative study, I have analysed students’ and lecturers’ discernment while watching a simulation video, and found hierarchies that characterize the discernment in terms of three-dimensionality extrapolation and an Anatomy of Disciplinary Discernment. I combined these to define a new construct: Reading the Sky. I conclude that this is a vital competency needed for learning astronomy and suggest strategies for how to implement this in astronomy education.
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| 7. |
- Eriksson, Urban, et al.
(author)
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Tell me what you see : Differences in what is discerned when professors and students view the same disciplinary semiotic resource
- 2014
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In: The 5th international 360° conference: Encompassing the Multimodality of Knowledge, May 8-10 2014, Aarhus.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Traditionally, astronomy and physics have been viewed as difficult subjects to master. The movement from everyday conceptions of the world around us to a disciplinary interpretation is fraught with pitfalls and problems. What characterises a disciplinary insider’s discernment of phenomena in astronomy and how does it compare to the views of newcomers to the field? In this paper we report on a study into what students and professors discern (cf. Eriksson et al, in press) from the same disciplinary semiotic resource and use this to propose an Anatomy of Disciplinary Discernment (ADD) as an overarching characterization of disciplinary learning.Students and professors in astronomy and physics were asked to describe what they could discern from a simulation video of travel through our Galaxy and beyond (Tully, 2012). In all, 137 people from nine countries participated. The descriptions were analysed using a hermeneutic, constant comparison approach (Seebohm, 2004; Strauss, 1987). Analysis culminated in the formulation of five hierarchically arranged, qualitatively different categories of discernment. This ADD modelling of the data consists of one non-disciplinary category and four levels of disciplinary discernment: Identification, Explanation, Appreciation, and Evaluation. Our analysis demonstrates a clear relationship between educational level and the level of disciplinary discernment.The analytic outcomes of the study suggest that teachers may create more effective learning environments by explicitly crafting their teaching to support the discernment of various aspects of disciplinary semiotic resources in order to facilitate the crossing of boundaries in the ADD model.
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| 8. |
- Eriksson, Urban, et al.
(author)
-
What do teachers of astronomy need to think about?
- 2013
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Learning astronomy has exciting prospects for many students; learning about the stars in thesky, the planets, galaxies, etc., is often very inspiring and sets the mind on the really bigaspects of astronomy as a science; the Universe. At the same time, learning astronomy can bea challenging endeavor for many students. One of the most difficult things to come tounderstand is how big the Universe is. Despite seeming trivial, size and distances, togetherwith the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the Universe, probably present some of thebiggest challenges in the teaching and learning of astronomy(Eriksson, Linder, Airey, &Redfors, in preparation; Lelliott & Rollnick, 2010). This is the starting point for everyastronomy educator. From here, an educationally critical question to ask is: how can we bestapproach the teaching of astronomy to optimize the potential for our students attaining aholistic understanding about the nature of the Universe?Resent research indicates that to develop students’ understanding about the structure of theUniverse, computer generated 3D simulations can be used to provide the students with anexperience that other representations cannot easily provide (Eriksson et al., in preparation;Joseph, 2011). These simulations offer disciplinary affordance* through the generation ofmotion parallax for the viewer. Using this background we will present the results of a recentinvestigation that we completed looking at what students’ discern (notice with meaning)about the multidimensionality of the Universe. Implications for astronomy education will bediscussed and exemplified.*[T]he inherent potential of [a] representation to provide access to disciplinary knowledge(Fredlund, Airey, & Linder, 2012, p. 658)Eriksson, U., Linder, C., Airey, J., & Redfors, A. (in preparation). Who needs 3D when theUniverse is flat?Fredlund, T., Airey, J., & Linder, C. (2012). Exploring the role of physics representations: anillustrative example from students sharing knowledge about refraction. EuropeanJournal of Physics, 33(3), 657.Joseph, N. M. (2011). Stereoscopic Visualization as a Tool For Learning AstronomyConcepts. (Master of Science), Purdue University, Purdue University Press Journals.Lelliott, A., & Rollnick, M. (2010). Big Ideas: A review of astronomy education research1974--2008. International Journal of Science Education, 32(13), 1771–1799
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| 9. |
- Eriksson, Urban, et al.
(author)
-
Disciplinary discernment from Hertzsprung-Russell-diagrams
- 2017
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper aim at investigating what astronomy students and experts discern from the multitude of different disciplinary affordances available in Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams. HR-diagrams are central to all of astronomy and astrophysics and used extensively in teaching. However, knowledge about what students and experts discern from these disciplinary representations are not well known at present. HR-diagrams include many disciplinary affordances that may be hidden to the novice student, hence we aim at investigating and describing what astronomy students at different university levels (introductory, undergraduate, graduate), and astronomy educators/professors, discern from such representation – referred to as disciplinary discernment (Eriksson, Linder, Airey, & Redfors, 2014). Data from a web based questionnaire were analysed using the Anatomy of Disciplinary Discernment (ADD) framework by Eriksson et al. (2014). Preliminary results show (1) the developmental nature of disciplinary discernment from the HR-diagram by the participants and (2) the large discrepancy between disciplinary discernment by the astronomy educators and their students. We describe and discuss the qualitative nature of these differences and how this can have implications for teaching and learning astronomy.
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| 10. |
- Eriksson, Urban, et al.
(author)
-
Disciplinary discernment in astronomy education : Hertzsprung-Russell-diagrams
- 2017
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper aim at investigating what astronomy students and experts discern from the multitude of different disciplinary affordances available in Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams. HR-diagrams are central to all of astronomy and astrophysics and used extensively in teaching. However, knowledge about what students and experts discern from these disciplinary representations are not well known at present. HR-diagrams include many disciplinary affordances that may be hidden to the novice student, hence we aim at investigating and describing what astronomy students at different university levels (introductory, undergraduate, graduate), and astronomy educators/professors, discern from such representation – referred to as disciplinary discernment. Data from a web based questionnaire were analysed using the Anatomy of Disciplinary Discernment (ADD) framework by Eriksson et al.(2014). Preliminary results show (1) the developmental nature of disciplinary discernment from the HR-diagram by the participants and (2) the large discrepancy between disciplinary discernment by the astronomy educators and their students. We describe and discuss the qualitative nature of these differences and implications for teaching and learning astronomy.
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