Building Information Technology Skills through Astronomy (AstroBITS)
On-line Course in Astronomy, Fall 2010
The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) in Tucson will recruit Arizona middle school and high school science and math teachers for an on-line program to help prepare their students for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career pathways. Through the excitement of astronomical image processing, teachers can introduce their students to analytical computer skills, including interpreting graphs, using statistics, and understanding equations. Students can learn to use analysis programs such as Excel, and image processing programs including ImageJ. We will offer the following to the teachers selected for this program:
- On-line Course lasting 6 weeks, beginning fall 2010, that covers both astronomical concepts and analysis
- Spectroscopy and spectra: Wien’s relation, black body and line radiation
- CCD images and analysis; use of filters to create color images
- Measuring stellar temperatures
- Deriving the Hertzsprung Russell (H-R) diagram for stars
- Collaborative work via telecommunication with astronomers and other teachers and on-going connections during the school year
- Stipends for each on-line module completed ($100 per module)
- Upon completion of 6 modules, an invitation to visit Kitt Peak National Observatory to spend a night at a research telescope, daytime tours, and eyepiece observing.
- Stipends for the final three on-line modules after the Kitt Peak visit.
- Suggestions for directed research projects for your students (science fair, etc), support for field trips to Kitt Peak
Applicants must have access to a computer or laptop on which they can easily load software. Preference will be given to teachers in rural areas, and those teaching underserved student populations. This program is only open to teachers in the state of Arizona. We expect to select about 8 teachers for the program.
For more information and notification when the application is posted on-line, contact Dr. Katy Garmany, garmany@noao.edu
