I really this webspace has turned into an abandonblog, but I'll try to be better about updating.
Physics Today, the trade magazine/journal for physicists has an October feature on astronomy education. Ed Prather and Gina Brissenden, of the Center for Astronomy Education, along with Alexander Rudolph, are the authors of "Teaching and learning astronomy in the 21st century:"
Teaching and learning astronomy in the 21st century
Phys. Today 62, 41 (2009)
http://link.aip.org/link/?PHTOAD/62/41/1
You'll need a subscription, or institutional access, to Physics Today in order to read the article. Like articles that have come before, this one provides motivation and rationale for the current arguments of using active-engagement methods in the classroom, and also for the climate of Astro 101 researchers and general community.
-Paul