The Night Sky Comes Alive
An Early Interest in Astronomy
Hassan Ergene is a computer science major and "interested in everything," including what's happening in the night's sky. He's been interested in astronomy since middle school when he asked for and received a telescope from his father. In San Jose, where he grew up, and in like most cities, it's difficult to see what's going on in the night sky.
During visits to Turkey, his family's homeland, and far outside its big cities, he's seen the night sky clearer than he's seen it anywhere else. And it wasn't until Eric Sandquist's Astronomy 101 course that he also learned about what was going on up there and why.
Examples of Student Learning Outcomes for Astronomy 101:
Learn to think scientifically
- Students will demonstrate their ability to consider all relevant variables, for example, factoring in size as well as temperature when determining the brightness of a star.
Apply knowledge
of the everyday world
to astronomical phenomena
- Students will relate the different types of light spectra to the visual appearance of objects on Earth.
- Students will identify gravity as the force holding stars and galaxies together.
- Students will contrast the role of the atmophere in setting the surface temperatures of Earth, Venus and Mars.
- Students will create scale models of celestial objects by correctly calculating their relative sizes and the distances between the objectives relative to their size.
A New Perspective
Demonstrations, group work, and opportunities to view the night sky through powerful telescopes opened up astronomy for Hassan. In 2003, when Mars was the closest to the earth it had been in 60,000 years, Hassan and his classmates were able to observe it through the telescope on top of the astronomy building. He could see the planet's surface details invisible to his telescope at home. "Not only do you get to study it and look at pictures in class, you get to look at it with your own eyes."
Hassan has learned about the seasons, the phases of the moon, how the sun generates energy, atoms, eclipses, constellations, the motions of the planets, light, blackbody radiation, star death, the Milky Way, black holes, the surface of the sun, and the end of the universe. He was especially intrigued by the history of the universe, the Big Bang and the formation of the solar system.
"It was really amazing to see it first hand."
An Expanding Universe
Although he could picture the concepts in his mind, Hassan had a hard time verbalizing them during group work. Discussions with his classmates helped him learn how to communicate his ideas and learning to others. By verbalizing concepts to the students he was working with, he understood them better himself. He also appreciated the clarity he gained from their explanations.
"Compared to how much knowledge is out there, I hardly know anything." The course work gave him the opportunity to learn and expand. Someday, Hassan hopes to return to Turkey and look at its clear, rich sky again, "I don't know how someone could look at the sky and not wonder, and want to know more."
Evaluating Astronomy 101 student achievement
- Exams test students' scientific reasoning and understanding of the course material with essay questions that require students to show the reasoning behind their answers.
Evaluating the Astronomy 101 course
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The instructor is dedicated to continually improving Astronomy 101. He uses student feedback and student success on tests and in-class thought questions to evaluate the course.
Making Astronomy 101 better
- Eric Sandquist: "It has been surprisingly challenging and helpful to think deeply about these outcomes."
Click here for more information about the SDSU Astronomy Department.