All Kepler Education Projects

The Hands-On Universe (HOU) project enables students to investigate the universe while applying tools and concepts from science, math, and technology. Using the Internet, HOU participants around the world request observations from a network of telescopes, download images from a large image archive, and analyze them with the aid of user-friendly image processing software.

The latest revision of HOU high school curriculum is A
Changing Cosmos, based on material developed by TERC (a non-profit education institute in Boston, MA). A new investigation, Exoplanet Transits (600 Kb PDF), is included now on how to use Kepler data including transits of short-period giant planets and eclipsing binary stars. HOU offers a platform for teachers and students to do real science research by making real observations of planet transits using the HOU worldwide telescope network.

In 2003, HOU concluded a NSF-funded research project to determine the effectiveness of professional development by distance learning versus live workshops. Results of this research helps guide effective dissemination strategies not only for HOU, but inform other programs through LHS-HOU involvement in the NASA Origins Education Forum. The research conclusions indicate that distance learning is a viable strategy for teacher education, when effectiveness is measured by achievement of students of those teachers. HOU is also engaged in NSF-funded project to create a remote telescope museum exhibit, the Real Astronomy Experience (RAE). Front-end, formative, and summative evaluation for HOU Kepler EPO is being done by LHS Research, Evaluation, and Assessment (REA) team.

Impact: Availability of the revised Measuring Brightness HOU module is announced to the approximately 700 HOU teachers around the country, and is intrinsically available in the HOU high school curriculum materials through HOU teacher workshops and for purchase through the HOU website.