Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Physical Review Physics Education Research
Volume
20
Issue
1
Publisher
American Physical Society
School
School of Education
RAS ID
70113
Funders
National Stroke Foundation
Grant Number
2013295
Abstract
In this paper, we present the results of an investigation into the effects of engaging with robotic telescopes during an Astronomy 101 (Astro101) course in the United States and Canada on the self-efficacy of students. Using an astronomy self-efficacy survey that measures both astronomy personal self-efficacy and instrumental self-efficacy, the authors probed their covariance with the respondents' experience of an Astro101 course that uses robotic telescopes to collect astronomical data. Strong effects on both self-efficacy scales were seen over the period of a semester utilizing a scalable educational design using robotic telescopes. After participation in the course, the results show that the gender gap in self-efficacy between self-identified men and women is largely reduced to statistically insignificant differences compared to the initial large significant difference.
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.010137
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Freed, R., McKinnon, D., Salimpour, S., Fitzgerald, M., Reichart, D., & Norris, C. (2024). Self-efficacy changes and gender effects on self-efficacy in a large-scale robotic telescope focused curriculum. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 20(1), 010137. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.010137