The Exeter Astronomy Conference
June 23 – June 28, 2013

The Exeter Astronomy Conference is a weeklong meeting of secondary school astronomy educators of all levels. The goal is to gather 14 teachers from around the United States to:

• Share their experiences as astronomy educators,
• Generate long-term collaborations between astronomy programs at various schools,
• Learn about changes to the science of astronomy and to astronomy education,
• Revitalize and refresh astronomy educators.

Applicants will be chosen such that individuals from a diverse astronomy education background are involved. This will allow us to share our knowledge and spread our experiences. Topics for this year’s conference include:

• Tips and tricks for successful astronomy education.
• Goals of astronomy courses: Syllabus construction to accommodate the rapid developments in the science.
• Meeting the needs of the students and the course: Prerequisites.
• Textbooks and software: available resources for the educator.
• Observing Components:
• Computer use in the field.
• Merging observational astronomy into classroom discussion.
• Equipment Selection: Cost versus performance analysis.
• Equipment use: From binoculars to CCD imagers.
• External Resources: User groups, associations, planetariums, other schools, etc.
• Course-long projects in observational astronomy.

Food and lodging are provided by the Academy. Limited travel funds available.

2013 Grainger Conference Application

John A. Blackwell

Director of Grainger Observatory

jblackwell@exeter.edu