The use of humor in introductory astronomy teaching

Engaging students with humor can lead to a lifelong interest in the stars.

By Andrew Fraknoi

Published: July 26, 2010

Andrew Fraknoi.

Photo by Dan Zevin, ASP

Students in formal astronomy courses sometimes complain that astronomy is a dry subject, full of abstract facts and ideas, and with little of the human touch. For those of us who love the subject, this seems an unfair accusation. However, we have to admit that a non-science student's perception of astronomy often depends crucially on how the field is presented in an introductory class. So this paper is an attempt to encourage you to add a bit of humor and humanity to your classes.

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