HOU Success

HOU has been studied by an external evaluator to determine the effect on student outcomes in both content learning and attitude towards science as well as the effect of HOU on teachers and the use of technology in the classroom. Results from student surveys show that students are motivated to learn and retain scientific and mathematical concepts because they see the direct application of such material. They enjoy using the computer and see it as much more than a word processor when they participate in HOU. Many students who did not think of themselves as scientifically-inclined, came away from the HOU experience with a much better understanding of what a research scientist does and felt that they could and may pursue science as a career.

Startling discoveries and valuable science can occur when high school students are given access to professional telescopes as witnessed by two Oil City High School students in spring 1994. Melody Spence and Heather Tartara requested observations of M51 (The Whirlpool Galaxy) during their investigation of spiral galaxies. A few days later they received a phone call informing them that they had captured the first light of SN1994I, the ninth supernova of 1994. Ms. Spence and Ms. Tartara will appear as co-authors on the SN1994I photometry paper.

HOU received the Star Award from the Griffith Observatory in January 2005 for "excellence in web sites that promote public awareness of astronomy. These are the best astronomy sites on the World Wide Web, and they present useful, thorough, and accurate information in a well-organized and attractive way, making the sky more accessible."

Other notable HOU successes may be found in HOU History pages.