For the past several decades, researchers have conducted studies on the planetarium as an educati... more For the past several decades, researchers have conducted studies on the planetarium as an educational venue. A major goal of this research has been to measure student conceptual learning (e.g. Brazell & Espinoza, 2009), while other studies have compared learningoutcomes in the planetarium to learning in other settings (e.g. Zimmerman, Spillane, Reiff, & Sumners, 2014). Despite the long history of research on the planetarium, there are many questions unanswered about the role planetariums can play in educating audiences or supporting their interest in astronomy. The goal of this article is to provide guidance to the planetarium community on issues pertaining to planetarium-based research. In particular, we will aim our discussion towards those interested in investigating their own research questions. As members of this community, you are uniquely qualified to identify areas of research that will generate findings interesting and useful to other planetarium practitioners, and potentially speak to the broader community of researchers interested in astronomy education, informal education, visualization, and other fields. In particular, evidence gathered through research-based practices can help communicate the value of planetariums to other stakeholders (e.g. donors, school boards, etc.) as well as demonstrate how methods developed in one planetarium can benefit the broader planetarium community.
Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal, 2023
Because storytelling is a powerful communication tool, many advocate for its use for communicatin... more Because storytelling is a powerful communication tool, many advocate for its use for communicating science. However, astronomical storytelling is not so straightforward for those starting out in the planetarium field who might not know how to create a story from scratch. In this article, I will review the evidence for the effectiveness of storytelling, how stories have been defined in media, and the various types of storytelling frameworks that have been advocated for use in communicating science. I show how the And-But-Therefore (ABT) framework can describe most types of stories, including fulldome videos, and can be used to create compelling content for planetarium presentations. I give example story outlines and present a general guide on converting any science account into the ABT story form.
This thesis examines outflows from young low-mass accreting protostars. The outflow phenomenon ap... more This thesis examines outflows from young low-mass accreting protostars. The outflow phenomenon appears to be ubiquitous to all newborn stars, and is often the first observational evidence for embedded young stars. Outflows may be crucial to removing angular momentum from the accretion disk, thereby allowing material to accrete onto the stellar core. In addition, since they can transport supersonic gas
Journal of Astronomy & Earth Sciences Education (JAESE), 2016
Digital video fulldome has long been heralded as a revolutionary educational technology; yet the ... more Digital video fulldome has long been heralded as a revolutionary educational technology; yet the discipline-based astronomy education research literature showing planetarium effectiveness has been sparse. In order to help understand to what extent immersion impacts learning and the effect of the “narrative journey” model of presentation, we conducted a pre- and post-test effectiveness study of lectures on moon systems in the Solar System presented to 781 college undergraduates under immersive and non-immersive treatment conditions. Although all students showed some learning gains immediately after instruction, those who saw presentations in an immersive fulldome planetarium showed the greatest retention, compared to control classes that witnessed the same lecture and visuals on a flat screen in their regular classroom, and students that saw no interactive visuals. Because the same instructors, presentation visuals, and instructional outline were used for both the classroom and dome ...
Planetariums have traditionally been places where the public was taught about the sky and astroph... more Planetariums have traditionally been places where the public was taught about the sky and astrophysics in general. Today, the wide adaptation of virtual globes and web map services is contributing to a new understanding of our planet – anyone is now able to compare local maps to satellite views and global imagery. How can planetariums embrace this more detailed view of our planet as part of the universe we regularly offer, and how can we gain a leading role stimulating new impulses of earth science literacy among our patrons?
Title: Cosmic Atlas: A Real-Time Universe Simulation. Authors: Yu, KC; Jenkins, NE. Affiliation: ... more Title: Cosmic Atlas: A Real-Time Universe Simulation. Authors: Yu, KC; Jenkins, NE. Affiliation: AA(Denver Museum of Nature & Science), AB(Nebulus Design). Publication: American Astronomical Society Meeting 204, #78.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. ...
This is Chapter 8 of the comprehensive history of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, publishe... more This is Chapter 8 of the comprehensive history of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, published in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science Annals vol. 4.
For the past several decades, researchers have conducted studies on the planetarium as an educati... more For the past several decades, researchers have conducted studies on the planetarium as an educational venue. A major goal of this research has been to measure student conceptual learning (e.g. Brazell & Espinoza, 2009), while other studies have compared learningoutcomes in the planetarium to learning in other settings (e.g. Zimmerman, Spillane, Reiff, & Sumners, 2014). Despite the long history of research on the planetarium, there are many questions unanswered about the role planetariums can play in educating audiences or supporting their interest in astronomy. The goal of this article is to provide guidance to the planetarium community on issues pertaining to planetarium-based research. In particular, we will aim our discussion towards those interested in investigating their own research questions. As members of this community, you are uniquely qualified to identify areas of research that will generate findings interesting and useful to other planetarium practitioners, and potentially speak to the broader community of researchers interested in astronomy education, informal education, visualization, and other fields. In particular, evidence gathered through research-based practices can help communicate the value of planetariums to other stakeholders (e.g. donors, school boards, etc.) as well as demonstrate how methods developed in one planetarium can benefit the broader planetarium community.
Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal, 2023
Because storytelling is a powerful communication tool, many advocate for its use for communicatin... more Because storytelling is a powerful communication tool, many advocate for its use for communicating science. However, astronomical storytelling is not so straightforward for those starting out in the planetarium field who might not know how to create a story from scratch. In this article, I will review the evidence for the effectiveness of storytelling, how stories have been defined in media, and the various types of storytelling frameworks that have been advocated for use in communicating science. I show how the And-But-Therefore (ABT) framework can describe most types of stories, including fulldome videos, and can be used to create compelling content for planetarium presentations. I give example story outlines and present a general guide on converting any science account into the ABT story form.
This thesis examines outflows from young low-mass accreting protostars. The outflow phenomenon ap... more This thesis examines outflows from young low-mass accreting protostars. The outflow phenomenon appears to be ubiquitous to all newborn stars, and is often the first observational evidence for embedded young stars. Outflows may be crucial to removing angular momentum from the accretion disk, thereby allowing material to accrete onto the stellar core. In addition, since they can transport supersonic gas
Journal of Astronomy & Earth Sciences Education (JAESE), 2016
Digital video fulldome has long been heralded as a revolutionary educational technology; yet the ... more Digital video fulldome has long been heralded as a revolutionary educational technology; yet the discipline-based astronomy education research literature showing planetarium effectiveness has been sparse. In order to help understand to what extent immersion impacts learning and the effect of the “narrative journey” model of presentation, we conducted a pre- and post-test effectiveness study of lectures on moon systems in the Solar System presented to 781 college undergraduates under immersive and non-immersive treatment conditions. Although all students showed some learning gains immediately after instruction, those who saw presentations in an immersive fulldome planetarium showed the greatest retention, compared to control classes that witnessed the same lecture and visuals on a flat screen in their regular classroom, and students that saw no interactive visuals. Because the same instructors, presentation visuals, and instructional outline were used for both the classroom and dome ...
Planetariums have traditionally been places where the public was taught about the sky and astroph... more Planetariums have traditionally been places where the public was taught about the sky and astrophysics in general. Today, the wide adaptation of virtual globes and web map services is contributing to a new understanding of our planet – anyone is now able to compare local maps to satellite views and global imagery. How can planetariums embrace this more detailed view of our planet as part of the universe we regularly offer, and how can we gain a leading role stimulating new impulses of earth science literacy among our patrons?
Title: Cosmic Atlas: A Real-Time Universe Simulation. Authors: Yu, KC; Jenkins, NE. Affiliation: ... more Title: Cosmic Atlas: A Real-Time Universe Simulation. Authors: Yu, KC; Jenkins, NE. Affiliation: AA(Denver Museum of Nature & Science), AB(Nebulus Design). Publication: American Astronomical Society Meeting 204, #78.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. ...
This is Chapter 8 of the comprehensive history of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, publishe... more This is Chapter 8 of the comprehensive history of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, published in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science Annals vol. 4.
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Papers by Ka Chun Yu