Flashcard question: texting/social networking in class (spring semester 2014)

Astronomy 210, spring semester 2014
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

"I Forgot My Phone"
Charlene deGuzman and Miles Crawford
http://youtu.be/OINa46HeWg8

After showing a short movie depicting the pervasiveness of smartphone use at the start of the semester, students in introductory astronomy students at Cuesta College were asked a subjective question regarding their attitudes towards texting and social networking smartphone use in class. This is part of a think-pair-share activity using flashcards to answer syllabus quiz questions.

Texting/social networking is acceptable behavior in class.
(A) Strongly disagree.
(B) Disagree.
(C) Neutral.
(D) Agree.
(E) Strongly agree.

Student responses (pre-discussion)
Astronomy 210
Section 30674 (SLO campus)
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 29 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 0 students

Astronomy 210
Section 30676 (NC campus)
(A) : 0 students
(B) : 8 students
(C) : 13 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 0 students

Students were then asked to share their answers and discuss with each other the reasoning behind their choices, and to vote again.

Student responses (post-discussion)
Astronomy 210
Section 30674 (SLO campus)
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 32 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 0 students

Astronomy 210
Section 30676 (NC campus)
(A) : 0 students
(B) : 8 students
(C) : 15 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 0 students

Students were asked to share their responses during the following whole-class discussion. Most responses were along the lines of texting/social networking being "distracting," "inappropriate," and "disrespectful," but some students remarked that emergency contact purposes (or similar circumstances) or looking up information pertinent to lecture might be considered acceptable uses of smartphones. While indiscriminate use of smartphones during instruction would be detrimental to learning, the social norm seems to be that they would be tolerated as long as smartphone use was not disruptive to other students.

These responses and student opinions were then used to set the policy, via consensus, regarding texting and social networking during class time.

Previous posts:

Flashcard question: texting/social networking in class (fall semester 2013).

Flashcard question: texting/social networking in class (fall semester 2011).

Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags

Astronomy 210 In-class activity 1, spring semester 2014
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

140125-cars
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/12141482294/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for astronomy-related car brand names, generated by responses from Astronomy 210 students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA ( http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/7488709/Untitled ).


140125-food-1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/12141482504/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for astronomy-related food brand names available in a supermarket, generated by responses from Astronomy 210 students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA (http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/7488717/Untitled ).


140125-nonfood-1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/12141329353/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for astronomy-related non-food brand names available in a supermarket, generated by responses from Astronomy 210 students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA (http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/7488719/Untitled).


Students find their assigned groups of three to four students, and work cooperatively on an in-class activity worksheet to discuss car brand names, and food and non-food brand names found in supermarkets (adapted from D. Schatz, "Why Should We Care About Exploding Stars?" Universe in the Classroom, no. 8, Spring 1987 (http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/08/stars2.html).

There are many astronomy-related brand names. Consider car brand names (old and new); and brand names for food and non-food items that are typically found in the supermarket. Do not consider titles of TV shows, movies, or books.

List at least five astronomy-related car brand names.

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

Taurus, Aero, Astro, Eclipse, Mercury, Warstar
Saturn, Subaru, Galaxy, Mercury, RangeRover
Astro, Galaxy, Taurus
Saturn, Eclipse, Mercury
Saturn, Mercury, Charger
Mercury, Taurus, Saturn
Nova, Comet, Galaxy, Taurus, Geo
Saturn, Mercury, Comet, Sunfire, Astro
Saturn, Mercury, Subaru, Galaxy
Saturn, Mercury, Eclipse, Stargazer
Astro, Saturn, Mercury, Comet, Eclipse
Saturn, Mercury, Sunfire, Taurus
Astro, Mercury, Saturn, Galaxy, Voyager
Saturn, Mercury, Galaxy, Astro
Nova, Astro, Ram, Saturn, Mercury
Saturn, Infiniti, Mercury, Nova, Galaxy
Galaxy, Saturn, Subaru, LandRover, Aerostar, Infiniti
Mercury, Saturn, Astro, Eclipse, Infiniti
Mercury, Eclipse, Saturn, Taurus, Nova
Saturn, Eclipse, Taurus, Galaxy, Navigator
Saturn, Mercury, Mazda, Explorer, Navigator
Saturn, Mercury, Nova, Infiniti, Solara
Saturn, Mercury, Eclipse
Saturn, Mercury, Astro, Eclipse, Infiniti
Galaxy, Navigator, Saturn, Taurus
Saturn, Astro, Mercury, Galaxy, Eclipse

List at least five astronomy-related food brand names typically found in the supermarket.

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

MoonPies, AstroPops, Starburst, Orbit, MarsBars, ChickenandStars, sunflowerseeds, Corona
Orbit, Starbucks, Starburst, MilkyWay, MoonPies
Rocketcheesecracker, StarCrunch, MilkyWay, MarsBars, Astronautfood, AstroPops, starfruit, SunnyD, Sunkist, Moonpies
MoonPies, StarCrunch, Starburst, AstroPops, MilkyWay, MarsBars
LunaBars, MilkyWay, Starburst
MilkyWay, MarsBars, MoonPies, starfruit, Starburst
MoonPie, SunChips, Starburst, MilkyWay, MarBars, Orbit, SunnyD, SunMaid, Sunkist, StarKisttuna
LuckyCharms, Starbucks, MoonPies, MilkyWay
MilkyWay, Orbit, MoonPies, Starburst, Starbucks
MilkyWay, MoonPies, Starburst, AstroPuffs, Orbit, Eclipse, MarsBars
MilkyWay, sunflowerseeds, SunChips, Starbucks, Starburst, SunnyD
LunaBars, Cosmicbrownies, SunnyD, CapriSun
BlueMoon, Moonshine, LunaBars, Skyyvodka, MilkyWay
BlueMoon, MoonPies, Sunkist, Starburst, MarsBars
Starburst, MilkyWay, MarsBars, Sunkist, LunaBars
MarsBars, MilkyWay, Tang, Starburst, Sunkist, SunnyD
Rockstar, MilkyWay, Starburst, MarsBars, Orbit
MilkyWay, Sunkist, Starfruit, Starburst, CapriSun, SunChips, SunnyD
Starburst, StarKisttuna, MarsBars, Sunkist, SunDrop, MilkyWay
MilkyWay, MarsBars, SunnyD, MoonPies
Starburst, BlueMoon, Sunkist, MilkyWay, SunChips
MoonPies, MilkyWay, Orbit, Starburst, Mooncake
LunaBars, SunChips, StarFarms, MilkyWay, Starburst
MoonPies, AstroPops, SunnyD, Starburst, MilkyWay
Starburst, MilkyWay, Orbit, Starbucks, MoonPies
Starburst, MilkyWay, MarsBars, Sunkist, SunnyD

List at least five astronomy-related non-food brand names typically found in the supermarket.

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

Tide, Cosmomagazine, Starmagazine, moonflowers, morningglories
Crest, Scope
Constellationwinery, ColgateGalaxy, sunscreen, spacethemepartydecorations
FiveStarnotebooks
BlueMoon, Rockstar, Orbit, SamsungGalaxy, Comet
BlueMoon, MillerLite
Comet, Geo, Sun, SiriusXM
BlueMoon, babymobile, SamsungGalaxy, calendars
Crest, BlueMoon, CoorsLight, BudLight
BlueMoon, sunflowers, Cosmomagazine, venusflytrap, Venusrazors
BlueMoon, Moonshine, Skyyvodka
Astroglide, Comet, FiveStarnotebooks, ZiplocSpaceBags
Comet, Sunburst, BlueMoon
Comet, Venusrazors, Starmagazine, Rockstar, FiveStarnotebooks
Comet, Cosmomagazine, ConstantCommenttea, Venusrazors, Starmagazine, FiveStarnotebooks
BlueMoon, Moonshine, Comet, Tide, sunscreen
BlueMoon, UVBlue, Skyyvodka, Moonshine, Comet
Venusrazors, Comet, Orbit
Venusrazors, Comet, Orbit
BlueMoon, Comet, BuzzLightyear, Moonshine, SamsungGalaxy
Venusrazors, BlueMoon, Skyyvodka, MoonShoes
MoonShoes, BlueMoon, Skyyvodka, Venusrazors
Comet, Venusrazors
Cosmomagazine, BlueMoon, Comet, Skyyvodka, Venusrazors

Previous posts:

• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, fall semester 2012)
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, spring semester 2012).
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, fall semester 2011).
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, fall semester 2010).
• Astronomy in-class activity: astronomy in the marketplace tags (Cuesta College, spring semester 2010).

Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting

Astronomy 210 In-class activity 6 v.14.01.10, spring semester 2014
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students find their assigned groups of three to four students, and work cooperatively on an in-class activity worksheet to determine where in the sky each naked-eye planet will be observed on a given date (here, February 6, 2014).



Previous posts:

• Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
  fall semester 2013 (September 5, 2013).
• Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
  spring semester 2013 (February 6, 2013).
• Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
  fall semester 2012 (September 6, 2012).
• Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
  spring semester 2012 (February 2, 2012).
Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
fall semester 2011 (September 1, 2011).
• Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
  spring semester 2011 (February 2, 2011).
• Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
  fall semester 2010 (September 2, 2010).
• Astronomy in-class activity: planet-hunting
  spring semester 2010 (February 4, 2010).