THE REVOLUTION IN ASTRONOMY CURRICULUMS INTRODUCED BY WORLDWIDE TELESCOPE

Microsoft Research Worldwide Telescope (WWT) aggregates scientific data from the major telescopes, observatories, and institutions in the world. It enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope. Taking advantages of this powerful platform, astronomy curriculums are facing a new world, a new horizon: from closed and knowledge based mode to open and resource based mode. In the paper, we give a brief introduction of WWT first, and then show how the WWT provides a rich resource environment for astronomy curriculum through teaching practices at Central China Normal University (CCNU). The WWT is an ideal information processing tool, a collaboration tool, and a research and development tool. Our practices demonstrate that introducing the WWT into astronomy curriculums and teaching can help improve students' learning interests, participation passions, innovations and practical skills.