Astrobiology Learning Progressions: a Tool for Scientists and Educators
to Plan and Conduct Education and Outreach
Abstract
Learning progressions provide a sequence, or progression, of concepts
from naive to sophisticated. Astrobiology educators and scientists have
identified the need to develop learning progressions for core,
interdisciplinary concepts in astrobiology to support both educators of
K-12 students to bring astrobiology concepts into their classrooms, and
scientists to communicate with a range of audiences. The Astrobiology
Learning Progressions resource organizes core concepts around the
essential questions of astrobiology, and includes connections to the
Next Generation Science Standards, progressed storylines, and concept
boundaries for four levels: primary or adult naïve learners, elementary
or emerging adult learners, middle school or building learner, and high
school or sophisticated learner. The resource also links lesson plans
and other learning materials to each core concept.