This project supports a continuing revision of the traditional astronomy curriculum at Cloud County Community College. The curriculum is being structured so as to support a guided inquiry based approach to teaching astronomy to non-science majors. The equipment is tailored to facilitate students in using a hands-on, integrated approach that emphasizes discovery and investigation over rote memorization. This approach, with its emphasis on doing science rather than learning about what scientists have done, will stimulate students' interest in the subject, promote their understanding of how science is done and allow them to construct correct physical models about the laws that govern the universe. These goals will be accomplished by integrating the equipment with activities taken from existing sources (Project STAR or CLEA) or materials developed in house that allow the student to investigate the physical world through observation and interaction and from that, formulate ideas and models in collaboration with the instructor and classmates. The project is designed to continue the revision of the astronomy curriculum at Cloud using durable, relatively inexpensive equipment that is easy for the students to use and understand.
