Active Learning Methods Used in a First-Year Seminar Exoplanets Class

An active learning approach to teaching a First-Year Seminar (FYS) class entitled "Exoplanets: The Search for Life in the Universe" at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution is presented in some detail. Activities include: Team Jeopardy, One Minute Paper, Muddiest Point, Clarification Pauses, Think-Pair Share, Group Worksheets, Flash Cards, and Jigsaw. Pre-class lectures are provided and short reading quizzes are given. The aim is to help ensure that students come prepared to participate in a meaningful way and have students actively engaged during the limited shared meeting time (55 minutes). This approach helps to maximize participation by each member of the class, not just a few of the more confident students. Towards the end of the semester, students present in pairs and small groups on individually-assigned exoplanets before comparing them and assessing which may be the most habitable. At the end of the class, surveys are given to determine which of the activities the students found the most effective.