• July 31 Workshop listing (see WO9)
• August 1 Workshop listing (see WO33)
• Info about September 18 workshop at Los Angeles Valley College

Astronomy provides a unique environment for teaching the excitement of scientific inquiry to students. At the same time, high quality astronomy teaching presents an ardent challenge because students who most often elect to take astronomy courses are frequently apprehensive of science and mathematics courses in general.

This two-day, interactive teaching excellence workshop will focus on dilemmas astronomy teachers face and develop practical solutions for the troubling issues in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. After reviewing the latest research about how students learn, participants will define and set measurable student learning goals and objectives for students in their astronomy courses. To improve instruction, participants will learn how to create productive learning environments by using interactive lectures, peer instruction, engaging demonstrations, collaborative groups, tutorials, and observational projects. Participants will also learn how to create more effective multiple-choice tests and implement authentic assessment strategies including portfolio assessment, performance tasks, and concept maps. Participants will orchestrate a syllabus that creates a student-centered learning environment.

This free workshop is funded in part by the NASA/JPL Navigator EPO Program and the National Science Foundation. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Presenter biographies:

Workshop leaders Ed Prather and Tim Slater are astronomers in the Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research (CAPER) Team at University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, where their scholarship focuses on the teaching and learning of astronomy. The workshop leaders have published numerous articles and books on active learning in astronomy and have coordinated curriculum development and professional development projects for professional societies, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Materials presented include resources from:

1. Learner-Centered Astronomy Teaching, Slater & Adams, Prentice Hall, 2002;
2. Great Ideas for Teaching Astronomy, Pompea, Brooks Cole, 2000;
3. Lecture-Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy, Adams, Prather, & Slater, Prentice Hall, 2002; and
4. Insights into the Universe, Slater & Zeilik, AAPT Press, 2003.

Contact information:
Tim Slater: tslater@as.arizona.edu
Ed Prather: eprather@as.arizona.edu

Directions and Accommodations

Directions and Accommodations:

From Points East:

• Via I-80 (Auburn, Reno)
  1. Take I-80 west into the City of Sacramento.
  2. At the split take Business 80 west. (Capitol City Freeway)
  3. Proceed to the J Street exit and turn left onto J.
  4. Take J Street approximately three miles through East Sacramento to the north entrance of campus.
  5. Turn right into the north gate at the intersection of J Street and Carlson Drive.
  6. On the right-hand side of the roadway is the Information Booth, where a campus directory and further assistance is available.

• Via Highway 50 (Folsom, South Lake Tahoe)
  1. Take Highway 50 west into the City of Sacramento
  2. Follow signs to the University exit.
  3. Proceed to the Howe Ave/Power Inn Road Exit and drive straight through the intersection onto College Town Dr.
  4. Take College Town Dr. approximately .5 miles to the south entrance of CSUS.
  5. Proceed through the third stop light at State University Dr.
  6. Just past the intersection, on the right-hand side of the roadway is an information booth where a campus directory and further assistance is available.

From Points South:

• Via I-5 (Stockton, Los Angeles)
  1. Take I-5 north into the City of Sacramento
  2. Follow signs to the Highway 50 east exit.
  3. Merge onto Highway 50 and proceed east to the Howe Ave/Power Inn Road exit.
  4. Stay to the far right while exiting the highway and merge onto Hornet Dr.
  5. Turn left when the road dead-ends at College Town Dr.
  6. Proceed through the second stop light at State University Dr.
  7. Just past the intersection, on the right-hand side of the roadway is an information booth where a campus directory and further assistance is available.

From Points North:

• Via I-5 (Woodland, Redding, Sacramento International Airport)
  1. Take I-5 south into the City of Sacramento
  2. Follow signs to the Highway 50 east exit.
  3. Merge onto Highway 50 and proceed east to the Howe Ave/Power Inn Road exit.
  4. Stay to the far right while exiting the highway and merge onto Hornet Dr.
  5. Turn left when the road dead-ends at College Town Dr.
  6. Proceed through the second stop light at State University Dr.
  7. Just past the intersection, on the right-hand side of the roadway is an information booth where a campus directory and further assistance is available.

From Points West:

• Via I-80 (Davis, San Francisco)
  1. Take I-80 east towards the City of Sacramento.
  2. At the spilt of I-80 and Bus 80/Hwy 50 in West Sacramento, stay straight on Bus 80/Hwy 50 and proceed into Sacramento.
  3. After crossing the Sacramento River I-80 becomes Highway 50, proceed east on 50 to the Howe Ave/Power Inn Road exit.
  4. Stay to the far right while exiting the highway and merge onto Hornet Dr.
  5. Turn left when the road dead-ends at College Town Dr.
  6. Proceed through the second stop light at State University Dr.
  7. Just past the intersection, on the right-hand side of the roadway is an information booth where a campus directory and further assistance is available.

Ground Transportation

129th National Meeting - Sacramento, CA
July 31 - Aug. 4, 2004

Seven rental car agencies, including Avis, are based in the airport. For detailed information about car rentals, visit the airport's webpage.

Avis is again offering a special rate to all meeting attendees. You may make your reservation by calling 800-331-1600. Use AAPT's Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number, J945158, to receive the special rate.

The Sacramento Rapid Transit provides buses and light rail throughout the city. Information about routes, schedules, and fares is online.

SuperShuttle is the exclusive provider of on-call van service at the airport. Call 800-258-3826 for information.

Hotel Information

Rooms have been blocked at the following properties. Make reservations by calling the hotel directly.

Doubletree Hotel
2001 Point West Way,
Sacramento, CA 95815

This hotel is located just off Business 80/Capitol City Freeway, across from the Arden Fair Mall, and 20 minutes from the airport. The hotel offers coffeemakers, iron and ironing board in each room, complimentary parking, room service, and a gift shop. Property also includes on site restaurants, lounge, fitness center, and pool.

The Doubletree Hotel is approximately 5 miles from the CSUS campus. If driving, directions from airport to hotel: Take I-5 South to Sacramento. Travel past I-80, staying on the I-5. Exit at the Garden Highway. Make a left onto Garden Highway and continue for 2 miles until Garden Highway turns into Arden Way. Continue for 3 miles, going under the overpass, and make a right turn onto Point West Way and into the hotel.

Reservation deadline is Thursday, July 8.
Check-in time is 3:00 p.m.
Check-out is 12:00 p.m.
Phone: (916) 929-8855
Fax: (916) 924-4913
Rate: $109 single/double plus tax

Vagabond Inn Executive
2030 Arden Way,
Sacramento, CA 95825

The State Capitol, Sutter's Fort, State Indian and California Railroad Museums, plus historic Old Sacramento are all within a 10 minute drive. The Inn, a short walk to a dozen movie screens and more than 50 restaurants, offers its guests free parking, complimentary airport shuttle (with 24 hour advance notice and upon availability), a daily complimentary California continental breakfast, two phone lines per room (no charge for local calls), microwaves and refrigerators, hair dryers, 24-hour coffee service in lobby, a heated pool and spa, onsite self-service coin laundry, wake-up calls, cable television, safety deposit boxes, and attractive garden-like surroundings.

The Vagabond is approximately three miles from the CSUS campus. If driving: From Business 80, exit Arden Way East and drive approximately 1 1/4 miles. From Highway 50, exit Howe Avenue, drive approximately 3 miles, and turn left on a. Arden Way.

Reservation deadline is Wednesday, June 30.
Check-in time is 3:00 p.m.
Check-out time is 12:00 p.m.
Phone: (916) 929-5600
Fax: (916) 929-2419
Rate: $88 single/double plus tax