Japhy
2007-Dec-26, 10:55 PM
I've been taking classes at the local community college on and off for pretty much forever now and it was time to take my science class for my computer science degree. The college decided to try and expand it's astronomy program by expanding it's one class from one semester to two. Having a passing interest in astronomy, I decided that was better than dissecting a frog for biology.
There were approximately 14 students in class that first night and we started with the celestial sphere and by the second class half the students had dropped out. By the time we finished last week, there were only 5 of us left. The professor was thorough, well prepared, but not very engaging. In all fairness this was his first full time teaching experience and was asked to teach Astronomy because he was a physicist who hosted planetarium programs part time. But regardless, the fact was it was awfully hard to stay focused, especially those first few weeks while he was finding his footing. After that first night, I too questioned my decision to take astronomy, but decided to stick it out.
Somewhere about halfway through the semester the new Microsoft Zune 2 came out (I have a 30g, and now 80g for Christmas. yay!) and the Zune Marketplace introduced it's new podcast section. I searched for Astronomy and Astronomy Cast came up and I started finding all these topics on things we either covered or were about to cover. So I downloaded all the planets covered to that point and the asteroid belt podcast and started listening.
I can't tell you how Pamela and Fraser really turned things around for me. I found the podcasts made for great study guides anytime prior to an exam. Pamela has such a great way of explaining things, keeping the listener's interest, and a terrific sense of humor. Fraser keeps things light as well and does a terrific job of reiterating and clarifying important points.
Astronomy Cast pulled me out of my B average doldrums, helping me to ace my final, and achieve an A for the class. I also made a fan of the show out of at least one other student, but I think I failed at my attempt to introduce the show to the professor. He didn't know what a podcast was and didn't seem too keen on checking out the website. Oh well... I was really hoping he'd give a listen and maybe then Pamela's style would rub off on him some. :lol:
But I think the biggest success between my class and the podcast is that in combination they elevated my interest in astronomy so that now I've been listening to all the shows and recording everything on TV astronomy related. Astronomy is now a hobby of mine.
Sadly, there hasn't been enough students signing up for the second half so they will not be offering Astronomy 2 this Spring. So for my final free elective I will be studying Shakespeare. And if we read the Tempest or A Midsummer Night's Dream I will recognize the characters Francisco, Stephano, Sycorax, and Puck as moons of Uranus. :)
Thank you Pamela, Rebecca and Fraser!
There were approximately 14 students in class that first night and we started with the celestial sphere and by the second class half the students had dropped out. By the time we finished last week, there were only 5 of us left. The professor was thorough, well prepared, but not very engaging. In all fairness this was his first full time teaching experience and was asked to teach Astronomy because he was a physicist who hosted planetarium programs part time. But regardless, the fact was it was awfully hard to stay focused, especially those first few weeks while he was finding his footing. After that first night, I too questioned my decision to take astronomy, but decided to stick it out.
Somewhere about halfway through the semester the new Microsoft Zune 2 came out (I have a 30g, and now 80g for Christmas. yay!) and the Zune Marketplace introduced it's new podcast section. I searched for Astronomy and Astronomy Cast came up and I started finding all these topics on things we either covered or were about to cover. So I downloaded all the planets covered to that point and the asteroid belt podcast and started listening.
I can't tell you how Pamela and Fraser really turned things around for me. I found the podcasts made for great study guides anytime prior to an exam. Pamela has such a great way of explaining things, keeping the listener's interest, and a terrific sense of humor. Fraser keeps things light as well and does a terrific job of reiterating and clarifying important points.
Astronomy Cast pulled me out of my B average doldrums, helping me to ace my final, and achieve an A for the class. I also made a fan of the show out of at least one other student, but I think I failed at my attempt to introduce the show to the professor. He didn't know what a podcast was and didn't seem too keen on checking out the website. Oh well... I was really hoping he'd give a listen and maybe then Pamela's style would rub off on him some. :lol:
But I think the biggest success between my class and the podcast is that in combination they elevated my interest in astronomy so that now I've been listening to all the shows and recording everything on TV astronomy related. Astronomy is now a hobby of mine.
Sadly, there hasn't been enough students signing up for the second half so they will not be offering Astronomy 2 this Spring. So for my final free elective I will be studying Shakespeare. And if we read the Tempest or A Midsummer Night's Dream I will recognize the characters Francisco, Stephano, Sycorax, and Puck as moons of Uranus. :)
Thank you Pamela, Rebecca and Fraser!