STEM Education and the Rural Planetarium
Abstract
STEM education in the Mississippi Delta is at a critical juncture, as public schools do not have adequate resources to engage students in STEM activities. As a result, students find themselves increasingly removed from the world of science and struggle to see themselves in STEM careers. Within astronomy, planetaria are unique, immersive tools to engage both students and the public in STEM education. The advancement of digital planetarium systems now affords the opportunity to utilize the dome for more than just stargazing, including content related to earth science, physics, chemistry, biology, aviation, and more. The Wiley Planetarium at Delta State University in rural Cleveland, Mississippi reaches ~10,000 people annually through our public outreach and PreK-college level science education programming, nearly equaling the population of the city of Cleveland itself. We will share both the trials and tribulations we have encountered as we pilot a program that engages local middle school students and teachers in earth and space science related content through the Wiley Planetarium. The content we deliver for this program is mapped to learning outcomes for individual grade levels and aligned with the Mississippi College and Career Readiness Science Standards. Additionally, we will discuss the positive impact our planetarium has made on the surrounding community and the general education astronomy course at Delta State University.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235
- Pub Date:
- January 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AAS...23523905W