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From the Frontiers of Physics to the Museum Floor via Professional Development for Museum Staff

From the Frontiers of Physics to the Museum Floor via Professional Development for Museum Staff. Randy Landsberg Director Education & Outreach. Could you adopt this model?. Basic Question???:. Why is there a gap between exciting new research & museum content?.

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From the Frontiers of Physics to the Museum Floor via Professional Development for Museum Staff

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  1. From the Frontiers of Physics to the Museum Floor via Professional Development for Museum Staff Randy Landsberg Director Education & Outreach Could you adopt this model?

  2. Basic Question???: Why is there a gap between exciting new research & museum content? • What researchers are excited & passionate about. • What’s in the media & public imagination. Barriers • Timescale to develop museum exhibits ~ yrs • Lack of “standard” story & understanding

  3. One Model to Address this GAP -Short Courses for Museum Staff Outline Motivation/Strategy/Background Preparation Needs Assessment Partners (Faculty Buy-In) Course Key features Outcomes & Observations Comments

  4. Motivation/Strategy GOAL - Bring Modern Cosmology to the Public • Work directly with individuals who interface with the public (i.e., planetarium staff) • Involve in Planning & Development • Exploit Strengths • Researchers • Expertise (Intellectual Godfathers) • Used to Teaching • Resources (e.g., telescopes, data) • Planetarium/Museum Staff • Translators of Science • Pulse of Public • Amplification Factor

  5. Background: Planetarium Numbers • Six-state Great Lakes Planetarium Association (GLPA) region - 295 planetaria • Estimated 4 million visitors a year • 1,503 planetaria in the United States.    • 468 are located in school districts.  • 24,022,389 visitors to U.S. planetaria in 2001. • Internationally ~ 1,482 planetaria (+US) • 66,721,892 visitors worldwide 2001. Source: http://www.lochness.com/pltref/attend.html

  6. Background:KICP Signature Programs Should: Actively Involve Center Scientists (including graduate students) Space Explorers (Cosmology) Short Courses Museum Partnerships Engaging Underrepresented K-12 Minorities in SMET Teaching Teachers about Cosmology & Providing Tools Increasing Public Interest & Excitement

  7. Background: Previous Success The New Cosmology October 26-28, 2001 • Intensive 3-day Short Course • Audience: College Faculty (Non-research) • Highlighted Center Research • (Carlstrom, Carroll, Hu, Landsberg, Meyer, Turner, & Winstein & others) Goal: Improve Undergraduate Science Instruction • Top Rated • By National Director & Participants (Instructors) • Content Made it to the Classroom • Follow-up Survey • Chautauqua Director Requesting Repeat 35 Participants See http://cfcp.uchicago.edu/education/feature/fuzz/

  8. Partner Preparation Not in a vacuum • Partners – From the Start • Needs Assessment • GLPA Executive Committee Survey • Paper at 2002 GLPA Meeting – Cosmology at Planetaria? • Needs Identified by Planetarium Staff • Interest in & Lack of Cosmology Content (except Big Bang) • Visitors Frequently Ask Cosmology Questions • Can’t Keep up/Changing Field - Many Recent Advances • Lack of Existing Professional Development • Practical (Financial Support, 3-Days, at UC…) • Take Home Materials (images, movies, resources) • Participant Preparation – Readings & Show Outlines • NOT Passive • Ownership • ID Interests & Misconceptions Partner

  9. The Course Origin of Structure in the UniverseSept 26-28, 2003 Participants - Planetarium Staff (46) [Hayden to portable domes] Goal: Cosmology in Planetaria From star gazing to modern astrophysics 3-Day KICP Course Provided Knowledge & Tools Experts to Interact With Exposure to Research Tools Resources – CD, DVD & Web (e.g., animations, AMNH Video) url http://cfcp.uchicago.edu/education/course/2003-origin Model For New Type of Professional Development

  10. Lectures Q&A’s Lab Tours Computers Labs Hands On Cosmology Experiments Break Out Sessions Format of 3-Day Intensive Course

  11. Partner Course Schedule FRIDAY: SEPTEMBER 26, 2003 8:30-10:00 AM Lecture: Overview (C. Pryke) 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Lecture: Observations of Large Scale Structure (J. Frieman) 1:00-2:30 PM Lecture: Simulations of Structure Formation (A. Kravtsov) 3:30 PM Lecture: Clusters and Superclusters (R. Kron)@ Adler 4:15 PM SDSS Demo M SubbaRao & Tour Cosmo Gallery E. Gate G. Gyuk 6-8PM Adler Dinner SATURDAY: SEPTEMBER 27, 2003 9:00 - 10:30 AM Lecture: CMB (W. Hu) 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM Break-out Session Jennie Chen, 1:00-2:30 PM Lab Tours (Collar/Swordy) 3:00-6:00 PM CMB Experiments (J. Carlstrom, B. Winstein) SUNDAY: SEPTEMBER 28, 2003 8:30 AM Coffee Q & A Session 9:00-10:00 AM Lecture: Inflation (R. Kolb) 10:30 - 11:30 AM Lecture: Dark Matter (A. Olinto) 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lecture: Dark Energy (M. Turner) 1:30-2:30 PM Informal Q & A; Close-out (M. Turner & R.Kolb) October 22, 2003 –3-6pm Follow Up Session @ GLPA (B. Winstein & R. Landsberg) Familiar to More Abstract

  12. Key Ingredients • Foundation/Basics – Cogent Story • Experts • From the Horse’s Mouth- (to new for text, “thrill”) • Personalities & Contention • Disentangle Complexities • Partners/Collaborators - Inside Advice • Unstructured Time for Interactions • Resources - Eye on the Prize • For Use at Home Institutions • Authentic

  13. Excellent Poor <Average> Outcomes - data Evaluation of Usefulness of Course

  14. Outcomes Goal - Evaluation Data The goal of this course is to incorporate modern cosmology into planetarium programming. Do you think it will be met? Do you think this course will directly affect the contents of your planetarium shows?

  15. Outcomes Another Course? Should this Course be Offered Again? 100% Yes Would you recommend futurecourses for planetarians on modern astrophysical topics? 100% Yes Categorize your interest in a short course on high energy astrophysics:

  16. Outcomes - Comments • My after-the-show audience discussion will be affected immediately. I am now planning at least two new public shows, and a series of lessons for the high school astronomy class. • Cosmology is the most exciting science out there right now. Nobody understands it and it is time for all of us to try and help. Your course provided us with the knowledge to get going • This field has changed so much recently that I needed this course. • It has helped my own, personal understanding of cosmology and this (hopefully) in turn will help me explain it better to my students and patrons. All visuals on the CD will be very useful!

  17. Outcomes • Participants Report Cosmology Shows & In Shows • Hubble’s Edge of the Universe (Fentress) • Show in Japan (Ito) • Universe Unseen (2yrs away) • Many Others – Components & Whole Shows • International Planetarium Society (IPS) Forum on Professional Development (Valencia) • Origins Course will be featured • GLPA Executive Committee • Plans Collective Cosmology Show • Collaborative Network • Visitors to KICP • Next - Extreme Astronomy @ the Planetarium • September 24-26, 2004 http://cfcp.uchicago.edu/education/course

  18. Partners Closing Notes • Start in Comfort Zone • e.g., Course for College Faculty • Establish Intellectual Framework • Less is More • Filter • Research- If you offer it will they come? • What is out there? • What is needed? • Partnerships • Understand Your Audience • Established Networks (e.g., ASTC) • Could this work for: Particle Physics? Condensed Matter Physics? Other?

  19. References • Planetarium Attendance Statistics Source: http://www.lochness.com/pltref/attend.html • Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics E&O Programs http://cfcp.uchicago.edu/education/index.html • Cosmology at Planetaria?(R. Landsberg) Paper Presented at the Great Lakes Planetarium Association (GLPA), 10/24/02 http://cfcp.uchicago.edu/education/resources/index.html • Cosmology Short Course for College Faculty http://cfcp.uchicago.edu/education/feature/fuzz/index.html • Origin of Structure in the Universe - Cosmology Short Course for Planetarium Staff http://cfcp.uchicago.edu/education/course/2003-origin

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