Covering the standards: Astronomy teachers’ preparation and beliefs.

Abstract

An online survey of science teachers and interviews with curriculum directors were used to investigate the coverage of astronomy in middle and high schools in the greater Philadelphia region. Our analysis looked beyond astronomy elective courses to uncover all sources of astronomy education in secondary schools. We focused on coverage of state standards, time spent on astronomy, availability of resources, teacher efficacy, and teacher pedagogical beliefs. Astronomy is not taught in depth, and many students receive no astronomy instruction across both middle and high school. Many teachers hold reform-based perspectives but also maintain traditional beliefs about astronomy teaching and learning. Implications for future reform efforts are discussed.