The Cosmos in the Classroom Conferences

Abstract

The article describes the history and goals of the national Cosmos in the Classroom conferences, organized by the author for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, which bring together instructors of "Astronomy 101" classes to discuss and demonstrate effective teaching methods, best practices for testing, labs, and demonstrations, interdisciplinary approaches, and ways of selecting what topics to cover. A key element of these informal conferences is to allow college instructors -- many from underfunded institutions such as community colleges -- to spend 3 days with their peers in a supportive college environment where they get talk, compare notes, and network with one another.