Explore Alliance Presents: How Do You Know? – Episode #1: What Shape is the Moon?

Dr. Barth elaborates on one of the persistent problems with standards-based STEM curriculum is the emphasis upon the Learn, Believe, Repeat methodology that trains students to pass multiple choice tests rather than to think scientifically and participate in discovery oriented activities.

The result of this successful test emphasis, as opposed to a successful student emphasis, is that students have no understanding of the origin of their knowledge. This feature creep problem results in expanding lists of standards that teacher need to teach – and students’ questions tend to be quashed. “We don’t have time for that!” becomes a common response from the overtaxed teacher. The end result is that students possess facts, but without understanding. This activity, indeed the entire Astronomy For Educators program, is intended to help you fight this trend and help students discover, and value, what they learn in your class.