What can astronomy education learn from physics education research?

Outline

Preamble

What we have learned: Extracting the core

A barrier

A Model of Student Learning

This model may look ridiculous, but we often behave as we believe it!

A better model
from cognitive science

Learning is about building long-term memory

Key implications

This is a …?

Try it properly oriented!

Which picture has more information? 
Which is easier to interpret?

Implications

Physical reasoning maps primitive elements onto specific situations

Organization of Long-Term Memory: Schemas

Resources

A small problem:
What is 3 ½ divided by ¼?

Summary:
Basic cognitive principles

Summary:
Instructional implications

An example from astronomy

Analysis

Possible goals

Resource analysis

Designing a course:
A question

Designing a course: Premise

Designing a course:
Choosing goals

Designing a course:
Some cognitive goals

Designing a course
to achieve these goals

Designing a course:
A few specifics

Designing a course:
Some details

Summary