Empowering Student Discovery with the Delta-T Model: A Theory-Inspired Framework for Scalable Scientific Engagement Using Open Data

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Abstract

We introduce the Delta-T Model, a flexible, scalable educational framework designed to empower students to engage with real scientific data and explore unresolved questions in frontier science. Originally inspired by competing gravitational wave echo delay scaling theories—including √M, M², M log M, and chirp mass relationships—the Delta-T Model reimagines these speculative ideas not as claims to be confirmed, but as templates for authentic inquiry. This approach invites learners to think and act like scientists: comparing models, confronting uncertainty, and contributing meaningfully to open questions. By leveraging professional-grade open-access datasets such as those from LIGO, the model creates hands-on research opportunities across grade levels and scientific domains. Students develop computational, analytical, and epistemic skills while forming identities as collaborators in the scientific process. Rather than relying on passive content consumption, the Delta-T Model repositions students as co-investigators—advancing a vision for STEM education rooted in creativity, curiosity, and epistemic empowerment.

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