ASTRONOMY & PHYSICS PROFESSOR- DR. CHANDRA VANAJAKSHI, Teaching Methods & Style
What To Expect In Class:
Astronomy is Wonderful!
In my courses – which are all currently online, asynchronous – my main goal is to give you a chance to see how absolutely wonderful and breathtaking our universe is. In the process of learning this you will learn how science and the scientific method work, hone your critical thinking skills and also learn to work collaboratively with your classmates, which is highly recommended to prepare you for future careers where working with your work colleagues will be an essential part of success in your chosen career.
Courses Design Highly Modular – “Chunked” into Easy Bite-sized ‘Pieces’
My astronomy courses have been designed using ‘universal course design’ principles developed from extensive educational and cognitive research. The course material is highly modularized. It is
divided into four [4] major modules and further “chunked” into smaller subunits to make it easy for
you to assimilate the material without feeling overwhelmed. Each subunit provides ungraded self-
test quizzes so that you can assess what topic/subtopic you need to review. This also helps as
review for the test for that module.
Course Assessments Not Solely Based on Exams – Involve Creative Projects
There are only four tests in total – one test per module, and there is no one comprehensive final exam.
The course grade does not solely depend on test and homework. There are other forms of assessments such as projects that allow you to showcase your understanding of the material while also allowing you to use your creative side. For instance, in one of the projects, you will be creating your own constellations using various exotic objects from the universe. You will create a name for that constellation and a background ‘story’ for your constellation. You can “own” that constellation! Another project involves designing your own solar system using features from our solar system planets as well as exoplanets (planets in other solar systems). Alternative projects may include researching: 1) the latest discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope [JWST] or 2) how space exploration affects our daily life – the “Spinoffs” – commercial products and services derived from NASA technology that we use at home and in our cities every day.
You will get a chance to share your findings with your classmates. In the past semesters, students have had a great deal of fun working on these projects.
Projects – Option for Group or Solo Work – Showcase Your Work
The projects can be done in groups or as a solo activity depending on your inclination and work /
family circumstances. Discussion Forum submissions allow you to see other people’s work as well
as showcase your own work. You can respond to other people’s work as part of these projects.
This allows you to interact with your classmates (which is crucial especially in online, asynchronous
courses where you don’t meet your classmates in a class setting).
Extra Credit Opportunities
Finally, opportunities for extra credit are given in some of the modules.
Final Note
Astronomy may not be a subject that brings in immediate material benefit but it does something
much more important – it widens your perspective in life and that is worth spending some effort on.