Chelen Johnson
My confidence level speaking to this vast assortment of astronomy professionals has risen significantly, and this translates directly to my ability to convey what I have learned and experienced -- to not only my students but other teachers and my community.
Real astronomy involves being able to problem solve and think critically, apply process skills, and communicate effectively.
The "new" astronomy has become something we all knew was coming: handling huge chunks of data and learning how to mine this information from sets so large that it is simply mind boggling. The interesting thing is that many people are not aware of this, notably teachers in the trenches.
