Virtual ASP Meeting on Astronomy Education and Outreach
Joycelin Craig Andrew Fraknoi
Astronomical Society of the Pacific Fromm Institute, Univ. of San Francisco
The 2020 annual meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) will be held online 3-5 December. Its theme is "Embracing the Future: Astronomy Teaching and Public Engagement." More than 100 contributors will present talks, give workshops, and participate in panel discussions. Registration is still open, and some scholarships are still available.
This meeting gives everyone working in astronomy education and outreach a chance to share information, tips, and tools at this complex time. Plenary and contributed speakers have been confirmed from around the US and several other countries.
Among other sessions, we have organized a series of panels and presentations on the challenges of teaching introductory (Astro 101) classes virtually. We'll have “progress reports” about best practices in online teaching and learning, including course design, assessment, labs, simulations, gamifying your class, observing, and general survival. More than 65 talks, panels, and papers are scheduled for this thread, including some of the key people in our community with deep experience in online education.
A modest number of scholarships (paying the registration fee) will be available for instructors (including part-timers) in community colleges, high schools, and other institutions that do not have professional development funds. Apply ASAP, before all the funding is gone.
The sessions will also be recorded for future viewing, but ONLY for registered attendees. So even if you are teaching on those days, busy grading final papers, or meeting with institutional administrators, it’s worth your while to register and then to enjoy what your colleagues were sharing, at your leisure.
Other topics highlighted at the meeting:
- Planetaria and Science Museums: Creative Adaptation During a Pandemic
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Astronomers' Responses to Climate Change and Contributions to Climate Change Education
- Working Remotely with Children and Families
Bonus! Almost all the editors and authors of the two AAS-IOP ebooks on astronomy education will be speaking. There will be a special meeting price for the ebooks during the meeting. Learn more: