Proven Results: What Instructors Say

Pedagogy

“The hints and context-specific feedback separate Mastering Astronomy from ordinary online homework systems. While there are some students who can get the concepts after reading without help, the real value in the system lies in helping students who don't understand the material as well as they need to, or as well as think they do. For that purpose, providing more pedagogical assistance with the hints and answer feedbacks really benefits learning.”
Professor Scott Hildreth, Chabot College, CA

“A truly amazing, outstanding combination of text and media!”
Professor Carl Rutledge, East Central University, OK

Tutorials

“By far the most useful, best-designed companion website which I have ever used. The tutorials, tutorials, TUTORIALS! The students' understanding of the subjects vastly increased by being able to interact with exercises and go at their own pace.”
Professor Tom Fleming, University of Arizona

“The tutorials address how we want students to think when learning science. That is the most difficult skill to teach students, the skill of how to think like a scientist.”
Quyen Nguyen Hart, University of Colorado at Boulder

“The tutorials on MasteringAstronomy are a nice addition to the learning elements offered by the textbook with static illustrations and its usual text-based review questions. In particular, ranking task-type questions have been shown repeatedly in physics education research to help reveal misconceptions that simple text-based review questions can miss.”
Scott Hildreth, Chabot College, CA

“The content on MasteringAstronomy is very engaging. My students will enjoy the tutorials much more than answering questions from the end of each chapter, and they will think more deeply than just finding the answer for regular homework problems.”
Tim Farris, Volunteer State Community College, TN

Interactivity

“The tutorials and interactive tools turn MasteringAstronomy from simply homework into a learning tool. That's the forte of the system. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is an animation worth? Now, instead of homework being simply words, its pictures and animations that turn the light bulb on in a student's head.”
Professor Sue Lederer, California State University, San Bernardino

“The tutorial approach, with conceptual development over a series of linked questions, stepped hints, and context-specific instant feedback, has shown itself to be extremely beneficial to my students. The questions are good not just for students working alone, online, outside of class, but also in-class, as group activities that spark discussion and ultimately, learning.”
Scott Hildreth, Chabot College, CA

Gradebook

“MasteringAstronomy is, in my opinion, a 'win-win' situation for both the instructor and his/her students. The students like the online activities and I like the gradebook.”
Professor George Tanyk, Oakton Community College, IL