Virtual space exploration : observing, modelling and understanding astronomical phenomena

Abstract

There has been a call for the development of modeling and visualization tools as means to promote learners' understanding of scientific concepts and to identify and address learners’ astronomy misconceptions. However, relatively little attention has been paid to how to provide learners with both ordinary and scientific tools for in-depth inquiry practice and astronomy concept formation. Drawing upon previous research on modeling-based inquiry using a 3D computer modeling tool, a 2-day astronomy learning program was designed with the Science Centre, Singapore to explore the role of various modeling modes in secondary aged learners’ change of conceptions about the planetary motions and light, with regard to the Sun-Earth-Moon relationships. Over the two days, data collected included surveys, observations, videos, interviews, and artifacts (i.e., models, drawings and individual computer screen recordings). From such diverse learners’ process data, we found that using various representations beyond 3D computer models greatly help learners to express their ideas and researchers to understand the change of learners’ astronomy concepts. A case is presented to describe the change based on the analysis of various data sources. This study concludes with a discussion of implications for the development of integrated modeling-based inquiry in formal and informal learning contexts.