Increasing Accessibility of Introductory Astronomy Labs
Abstract
Astronomy labs are unique compared to other science labs in that they tend to take place at night, in dark, often remote locations on or near college campuses. Attending these labs often requires students to ignore the standard college safety advice of avoiding dark, remote areas at night and as a result, may raise safety concerns in students, especially in women and students from marginalized populations. These lab locations may also present attendance barriers for students with impaired mobility or vision. We present preliminary results of a new study that looks at how students participate introductory astronomy labs and how the format of those labs impacts participation by certain groups. The ultimate goal of this project will be to produce a set of best practices for increasing the accessibility of these intro astronomy labs.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235
- Pub Date:
- January 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AAS...23520202K