The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
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STEM Education Research

Science isn’t merely for scientists. Understanding science is part of being a well-rounded and informed citizen. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research is dedicated to studying the nature of learning, the impact of different science teaching strategies, and the most effective ways to recruit and retain the next generation of scientists.

Our Work

Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian STEM education researchers are engaged in a number of projects:

  • Developing research-based tests for use in evaluating students’ knowledge of science concepts. These tests are designed to check for common differences in the way non-scientists understand a subject as compared to scientists. When offered at the beginning and end of science courses, they assess whether instruction has resulted in students' conceptual growth. The tests are freely available for education researchers and teachers, and cover the full range of elementary, secondary, and university courses in science.
    Misconception-Orientation Standard-Based Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART)

  • Studying ways to improve students’ preparation for introductory STEM courses in college. Students arrive at college with varying pre-college educational experiences, which often influence how well they do in their first STEM classes. To keep interested students in STEM programs, researchers look at measurable factors that predict improved performance.
    Factors Influencing College Success in STEM (FICS)

  • Discerning factors that strengthen students’ interest in pursuing a STEM career. Education researchers look at a whole range of pre-college experiences in and out of school that can affect students’ interest in pursuing STEM careers, in order to see both what encourages and what drives them away.
    Persistence in STEM (PRiSE)

  • Examining predictors of student outcomes in MOOCs. Many universities have implemented MOOCs to provide academic resources beyond the university, but the research on how well they perform compared with ordinary classes is scant. In addition, MOOCs are frequently plagued by students dropping out. By studying actual implementations of MOOCs, SED researchers hope to gather evidence to explain why many students don’t stick with the course through the end.
    Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Advancing Science Teaching and Learning

Public understanding of science is essential for our democratic society. At the same time, white female students and students of color are underrepresented across STEM fields, which is a problem both from equity and workforce demand perspectives. For these reasons, researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian study how to improve science teaching and learning.

The Science Education Department (SED) at the Center for Astrophysics is dedicated to researching how people learn, and identifying measurable ways to evaluate learning for students in STEM classes. SED researchers have developed assessment tools designed to evaluate students’ conceptual knowledge for all levels from elementary school through university. These tests are freely available for teachers and other education specialists. Experts in the program also study the educational outcomes of massive open online courses (MOOCs), which are widely used by universities despite the current lack of evidence on their effectiveness.

A current challenge of STEM education is the substantial underrepresentation of white female scientists and scientists of color across STEM fields, which limits the potential for innovation and excellence in scientific research. To address this problem, SED researchers study variables that predict persistence of students within the STEM pipeline, factors that impact achievement by students in STEM courses, and the development of science identity.

In addition to pursuing fundamental STEM education research, Harvard and Smithsonian educators translate these findings into practice by developing innovative science programs, curricula, interactive media, and technology-based tools for STEM learning. For example, we developed a college-level course about astrosociology—examining the multiple interconnections between humanity and the cosmos—which has been taught in the Harvard Astronomy Department since 2017 (ASTRON 5 Astrosociology) and has become highly popular among students. The course covers a wide variety of topics, from the ancient beginnings of astronomy to potential contact with aliens, and emphasizes student-centered pedagogy. This WHITE PAPER reports on an NSF-sponsored conference about broadening the astrosociology curriculum to include diverse cultural perspectives. These research-based resources are used by educational audiences in the United States and around the world. The significance of SED’s work has been recognized in the form of grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the National Institutes of Health.

 

Students working at the CFA

Cambridge Explores the Universe 2018, held at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, MA.

Credit: CFA

 

Students work with the CFA

A student working with a professional astronomer at the Cambridge Explores the Universe 2018, held at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, MA.

Credit: CFA
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Atomic and Molecular Physics, High Energy Astrophysics, Optical and Infrared Astronomy, Radio and Geoastronomy, Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences, Theoretical Astrophysics, Harvard University Department of Astronomy, Science Education Department, Central Engineering, Director's Office, Chandra X-ray Center, Institute for Theoretical Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics, Institute for Theory and Computation
AstroAI is a institute dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence to enable next generation astrophysics at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Learn More
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Factors Influencing College Success in STEM (FICS)

Science Education Department
The United States sets educational standards for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in elementary and secondary schools, but preparation for college-level STEM classes varies a lot among students entering university. Owing to a host of background factors, many students may struggle in university introductory science courses and end up feeling discouraged from pursuing STEM degrees and careers. The Science Education Department (SED) at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has conducted several ongoing large-scale empirical studies, collectively titled “Factors Influencing College Success in STEM”. These studies look at measurable factors that predict student performance in introductory university STEM classes.
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Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Science Education Department
For a number of years, many universities have offered massive open online courses (MOOCs) in addition to traditional in-person classes. MOOCs are designed for much larger numbers of students than normal online classes and encourage students to enroll from outside the university. However, little research exists on how MOOCs compare with ordinary classes in terms of student experience and performance. One major issue is that large numbers of students who start these courses do not complete them. To better understand the reasons behind the high attrition rates, the Science Education Department (SED) of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is engaged in two large-scale studies of two MOOCs offered by Harvard University.
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Misconception-Oriented Standards-based Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART)

Science Education Department
Understanding basic scientific concepts is essential for an informed public in a democratic society, but many scientific misconceptions are common. To complicate matters, it’s often difficult for educators to assess conceptual understanding among their students. For that reason, science education researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian have developed Misconception-Oriented Standards-based Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART), a suite of assessment instruments for use in the classroom.
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Persistence in STEM (PRiSE)

Science Education Department
The United States consistently has too few science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals to support the present and future American high-tech economy. The Science Education Department (SED) of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has conducted a set of large studies, collectively named “Persistence in STEM”, to identify the factors affecting students’ interest in science and related fields. Based on survey responses from thousands of students in many colleges and universities across the United States, the “Persistence in STEM” studies investigate both what encourages and discourages potential STEM majors and professionals.
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Sensing the Dynamic Universe

High Energy Astrophysics, Optical and Infrared Astronomy, Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences, Science Education Department
The Sensing the Dynamic Universe (SDU) project creates sonified videos exploring the multitude of celestial variables such as stars, supernovae, quasars, gamma ray bursts and more. We sonify lightcurves and spectra, making the astrophysics of variables and transients accessible to the general public, with particular attention to accessibility for those with visual and/or neurological differences.

SDU Website
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WorldWide Telescope (WWT)

Radio and Geoastronomy
The WorldWide Telescope (WWT) is a free, open-source tool for exploring our knowledge of the universe. It provides planetarium-like views of the sky, as well as dynamic images of planets and other astronomical objects. The project enables users to incorporate images and video into scripts for custom “tours”, for use in classrooms, planetariums, museums, and other multimedia displays. WWT is a project of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), with scientific consultants from universities around the world, including the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. The WWT Ambassadors are scientists and science educators at CfA who use the WWT in public science outreach and education. WWT is both available as a web browser application and a desktop program for Windows computers.

 
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YouthAstroNet

Science Education Department
Young people are generally interested in science across demographics, but for many — particularly girls and students of color — that interest doesn’t lead to subsequent engagement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. The Youth Astronomy Network (YouthAstroNet) is a program of the Science Education Department of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian designed to help middle school-aged students identify as people capable of doing real science. Young people participating in YouthAstroNet use the CfA’s MicroObservatory telescopes to obtain real astronomical data, and connect with scientists and educators through a dedicated online community.
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Telescopes and Instruments

Hinode

The Sun is the closest star to Earth, and the single most important influence on the worlds of the Solar System in terms of the light and particles it emits. Studying the Sun, in other words, helps us understand the habitability of Earth, but also other stars elsewhere in the universe. One important solar observatory is the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Hinode spacecraft, which carries three powerful instruments to study the Sun in X-rays, visible light, and ultraviolet light. Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian engineers collaborated in the development of the X-ray Telescope for the spacecraft. Hinode has been observing the Sun continuously since its launch in 2006, providing important day-by-day information about our host star’s activity.

Visit the Hinode/XRT Website
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MicroObservatory Telescope Network

The MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network is a collection of five computer-controlled telescopes, built specifically for use by public audiences of all ages. These telescopes were designed by the scientists and educators at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, to allow non-professionals interested in astronomy to use small but high-quality instruments for observing the sky. The MicroObservatory telescopes are located at various CfA observatories, including the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona.

Visit the MicroObservatory Telescope Network Website
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Spitzer Space Telescope

Infrared light is the key to studying a wide range of astronomical systems, including newborn stars and planets, dust in distant galaxies, and material swirling around black holes. The Spitzer Space Telescope was NASA’s orbiting infrared observatory, and part of NASA’s Great Observatories program, along with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope. Scientists and engineers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian led the design, testing, and construction of the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC). The Spitzer Space Telescope was launched in 2003 and retired in 2020.

Visit the Spitzer Space Telescope IRAC Page
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