Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Students have a weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.
The following questions were asked on reading textbook chapters and previewing presentations on Earth's rotation/precession/revolution/tilt, the moon's motions and cycles, and watching two video presentations on the flipped class: "What Is the Flipped Class?" and "How the Flipped Classroom Works."
Selected/edited responses are given below.
Describe something you found interesting from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally interesting for you.
"Using the starwheel in class was cool, seeing how the night sky changes during different times of the year and how quickly it can change in just a few hours."
"The celestial sphere because it's an imaginary sphere that surrounds Earth. The celestial sphere is an example of a scientific model that helps demonstrate how something works by creating a framework to help scientists think about that aspect. This scientific model of the celestial sphere is very beneficial for me because I am taking astronomy for the first time."
"The concept of 'pole wandering' in the presentation slides was interesting to me because I realized that our 'north star' is not always going to be the same star and is just on Polaris at the moment because of Earth's position in its precession cycle."
"From the presentation previews, I definitely found the part about the zodiac interesting. I love everything about zodiacs, and am involved in researching it outside out astrology! I love that the zodiacs can be integrated into this science course, and would love to learn more about the scientific aspects of it."
"How Earth's seasons are based on the tilt in its rotation. And without it we wouldn't have of the four seasons, just one."
"The cycle of the moon phases."
"I'm pretty sure I had waxing and waning backwards. I found it interesting that my perception of the way the moon is illuminated from right to left instead of left to right has been wrong this whole time (never paid too much attention to it)."
"That the 'moonth'--the time it takes the moon to complete one cycle, takes about four weeks which equals a month."
Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.
"The starwheel--although it was entertaining to use, there were times where it would get confusing such as if it was in the correct position or if I'm looking at the correct constellation."
"How to align the starwheel when you knew the alignment of constellations, but didn't know the time."
"I think the starwheel is confusing and I'm not sure how to use it."
"That at one point in history the north star was not Polaris but was rather a different star. I had always thought that the north star was Polaris."
"Waxing, waning, gibbous, crescent are confusing to remember and differentiate from each other."
"All the different moon phases and cycles was kind of confusing because there is a lot to remember, and also the names are kind of confusing and sound weird. I love learning about the moon though, and even have a book called moonology which is all about the moon and its cycles and how it affects us as humans which I am going to read!"
"The new moon identifies the moon when it is absent?"
"Exactly what we were supposed to be reading for the assignment. I eventually figured it out, but it took a second to realize."
"The access of the online stuff because I didn't know a good way of finding the answers, it took me a long time, didn't understand the questions, and I didn't know how it works. I didn't know that the links you give to me for the homework would become questions.
The constellation Virgo is just above the east horizon, as seen by an observer at 11 PM in San Luis Obispo, CA. What date is this? (Ignore daylight saving time.)
February 20. *************** [15] April 25. ** [2] July 4. [0] August 20. * [1] (Unsure/guessing/lost/help!) ******** [8]
Match these cycles with their approximate duration.
(Only correct responses shown.)
Earth's rotation: 24 hours [100%]I believe astrology is able to make accurate predictions about my future. (This is just an opinion question, there are no right answers.)
Earth's revolution: one year [81%]
Earth's precession: 26,000 years [88%]
The moon's revolution: one month [85%]
Strongly disagree. ******* [7] Disagree. ******* [7] Neutral. ********** [10] Agree. ** [2] Strongly agree. [0]
Briefly explain your answer regarding your belief/disbelief in astrology. (This is just an opinion question, there are no right answers.)
"I have to be neutral because I have done zodiac readings and they have been correct. I also don’t think that they can fully predict your future because everyone is so different."
"Although astrology is a very interesting and engaging topic of study, it doesn't apply to what I personally hope to pursue as a career."
"I've had a fair share of eerily creepy zodiac reading, but I fell that they could also be used as a ploy. Like an umbrella term or something that everyone does from time to time."
"I think that while astrology is not 100% accurate, is very thoughtful and has truth since it is intertwined with science. Many people are opposed to astrology but if you see past the gimmicks pop culture places upon it you will be able to see there is truth within it!"
"While I do have fun with astrology, I believe that it holds the accuracy of a Buzzfeed 'What Kind of Pizza are You?' quiz."
"I think its unrealistic to count on stars to predict our futures."
"I don't think the alignment of the stars will predict my future."
"Frankly, the statements provided are so general they fit anyone looking to be fit into a box or category.I do not believe that the date and time you were born can determine things like personal characteristics, traits, and attributes. I think that some of the things published are coincidence's and people read way into it."
"I believe that you can predict about the future weather/station, etc. I am Catholic, so I believe that God is the only one that can tell us our future."
"I do not think that astrology gives accurate predictions yet some predictions dealing with planet cycles seem somewhat accurate."
"I don't personally believe that the stars have any more impact than they give them on a person behaviors or future."
"I am neutral because I don't know enough about astrology to agree or disagree, however I do think it is interesting."
"I don't believe the stars could tell someones future because the stars are balls of gas emitting radiation from light years away. Although they can tell the future in the sense that you'll know when the next super blood moon will be or when its gonna be summer or winter but not someones personal life."
"No empirical evidence."
"I don't know a lot about the subject so I don't believe have enough knowledge to give my opinion on the subject."
"I never believed in astrology. Growing up it never made sense to me that the formation of the universe could determine something about everyone with the same astrological sign because everyone is so different. I had a friend that could not go a day without knowing her 'daily horoscope' and would tell all of us ours. Once I got annoyed I did research of my own and discovered it was pseudoscience. Which are just claims that are portrayed as being true without any real evidence or scientific research that uses the scientific method."
"I believe neutral because it depends on the date and time. I don't really have a strong opinion on astrology and don't notice too well of the time. I was confused of what it means."
"I believe the information regarding astronomy and what is learned is definitely useful, but to say that it will shape my future seems like a stretch."
"I don't really know a lot about astrology so I'm not sure what to say."
"I don't believe astrology has any pertinence over anything as specific as an individuals' personal life but I do believe that the positions of the planets could have some large scale (possibly subtle) effects on the solar system which may effect Earth."
"I personally don't think that anything can predict a persons future, and I also have found that most of the time the predictions that are given about one's future are just very general statements such as you will have a happy life and so on."
"I have been into astrology since my junior year of high school and I have accumulated multiple books on theories and ideas based around astrology beyond sun signs and I conclude that it paints an accurate picture of people's personalities and what their life holds for them."
"While I do believe that any and all superstitions come from a basis of truth, I find it difficult to blindly believe without some form of evidence that I can find somewhat reliable."
"I've honestly not had any experience with astrology in that way."
"I don't really know, I haven't had many experiences with it predicting my future."
Place these moon phases in chronological order in their cycle (starting with new moon).
(Only correct responses shown, in unscrambled order.)
New moon: first [88%]
Waxing crescent: second [77%]
First quarter: third [88%]
Waxing gibbous: fourth [77%]
Full moon: fifth [84%]
Waning gibbous: sixth [73%]
Third quarter: seventh [73%]
Waning crescent: eighth [81%]
Explain what is different about homework in a flipped class.
"While there is normal homework like a conventional class, a good amount is reading and looking over things like the powerpoint that will be talked about in the following class. This prepares the student for the next class and also frees up time so students can work in small groups together."
"The student comes to class prepared and ready to ask questions or share comments."
"You learn the material at home before class, then come to class and practice it and the teacher has more time to help people individually if they didn't understand it from the night before."
"A conventional class is generally just a teacher lecturing for the entire class. A flipped class is when students learn about the lecture online, so when students come to class they can ask questions and apply what they learned at home in class."
"In a flipped class, homework is accessing the lectures and being able to see the material as many times as you need. In a conventional class, homework is to study material or work on an assignment alone."
"In a conventional class, homework is based on the lecture given during the previous class. In a flipped classroom, the homework can be done more effectively because the class time is used more towards answering questions rather than learning new concepts. "
Describe where/when most student learning occurs in a flipped class.
"Where most student learning should occur in a flipped class is at home, this learning should happen after each class (or before each class, depends how you think about it)."
"The learning in a flipped class happens when a student performs the task of preparing the information before the contact period and the instructor digs into the information that the student dug up further, whereas in the conventional class the students learning is said to have occurred after the test is finished."
"Students should be able to be learning before class. That way they can clear things up during class."
"Most students should be learning outside of class just as much as they are learning inside of the class. They are two halves to the whole lesson."
Pick one piece of student advice from the previous semester, and discuss why you agree (or disagree) with it.
"'Do your readings and show up everyday to class because it helps so much more than thinking you can just read the book and be good.' I agree with this piece of student advice because staying on top of reading and showing up to class everyday is essential to succeed in college classes."
"'Do your readings and show up everyday to class because it helps so much more than thinking you can just read the book and be good.' Doing the homework and all reading assignments before class seems common sense since this is a flipped classroom setting. I like the idea because I'll have more time to ask P-dog questions when I'm stuck."
"'Do your readings and show up everyday to class because it helps so much more than thinking you can just read the book and be good.' I agree with this because I tried this in one of my classes last semester and it did not work well at all."
"'The most important thing to know in order to succeed is to follow @Patrick_M_Len on Twitter. He also posts everything on blogs, from former test questions with correct answers, along with the reading assignments and basically everything related to the course.' One student said to follow you on twitter because you post old midterm review questions a long with lectures, diagrams, and things from you online presentation blogs, I find this to be a peculiar but useful tip and will be following you ASAP to see if it is helpful for me this semester."
"'Preview the presentation slides online so you can be the more confident while being in class or with in-class activities.' I totally agree that if you know the material you will be more confident and comfortable in the class."
"'Be curious and ask questions.' I'm not one to ask questions on stuff that I know or love to learn about (like astronomy), but I need to start asking questions if I'm going to help my academic habits."
"'Do the homework.' To me this is so obvious but many times it becomes so easy to slack and miss homework! Homework can act as a cushion to help propel your grades upward or downward, so being on top of it really makes a huge difference."
"'DO THE READING ASSIGNMENTS. ATTEND EVERY LECTURE. BE AMAZED BY SPACE.' One of the most impactful factors on a grade for class is the interest level on the subject. When someone allows themselves to be amazed by space they will learn more because they are more invested in learning."
"'Don't get behind on the reading and ask a lot of questions.' This is a piece of advice I think majority of students should try to remember. Reading is an easy thing to forget and procrastinate on, and in a flipped class setting, I think students found it easy to dismiss or forget about. And in regards to asking questions, THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT THE INSTRUCTOR IS THERE FOR. Most students feel awkward or uncomfortable, for whatever reason, to ask for clarification, but asking questions not only helps you out, it also allows for you to easily and quickly move on to the next piece of learning material, now that you've been cleared on what was confusing."
Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"I was wondering if the starwheels change for different parts on the world. I would imagine they do, and it think it would be interesting to line up several for across the us and compare where the same constellation would be visible during different parts of the year." (Here's a link to an online starwheel for Paso Robles (note that it will be slightly different than the starwheel from the bookstore, which is only approximately correct for our part of the U.S.); you can use this website to also change your location in the settings and see what the sky will look like anywhere else in the world.)
"I like the flipped class method you use. I feel like I can come more prepared to class and have my questions ready rather than taking my questions home after class."
"Regarding the flipped classroom format, from what it sounds like, internet access is a MUST-HAVE, but how does this affect students with minimal access to internet, or from internet blackouts? Additionally, does this mean the student is 100% responsible for finding the material, or does the instructor give them instructions on how to access their videos, readings, etc.?" (I don't want you to stress out about spending a lot of time/bandwidth online, or stress out about finding the correct answers all the time. You're graded for completing the assignment at whatever engagement level you feel comfortable with, whether it is skimming or hardcore understanding. We'll go over the material much more comprehensively in class, so just "preview" it before coming to class.)
"Is it possible to get more of a reminder about upcoming homework in class please?" (I'll give you guys a verbal reminder at the end of class on Thursday, and the homework links will always be at the bottom of Thursday's webpage announcements, and also at the top of the next week's webpage announcements. Also set a notification alarm on your phone, and/or find a classmate "accountability buddy.")
"What do you think is the most interesting subject to learn in astronomy?" (The birth, life, and death of stars. Especially the death part.)
"When the full moon is out it, isn't always blocked by Earth's shadow?" (Usually the full moon "misses" going completely behind Earth--we'll learn more about this next week, as to why not every full moon is a total lunar eclipse.)
"Has there ever been a mission to the dark side of the moon?" (Well, the side of the moon facing away from Earth ("the far side") isn't always dark. Also China's Chang'e 4 spacecraft landed there earlier this year, and sprouted some plants inside its housing to see if they would germinate. Afterwards, the plants died.)
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