Published: 8th July 2024 07:00 (UTC)

The baseline survey for the status of astronomy education conducted by the OAE Center India together with similar surveys across the world, show that students find it difficult to grasp the astronomy-related content taught in primary and high school classes. These include concepts such as the latitude and longitude of the Earth, the effects of Earth’s inclination, the phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, tides, basics of the solar system, and other related features. During the formative period of the learning process, students must be introduced to these basics through visual imagery, tabletop models and demonstrations. These educational aids help students comprehend the fundamentals of the subject and internalize core concepts. However this requires that teachers possess the basic knowledge regarding astronomy-related concepts in order to transform them into appropriate pedagogic formulations and approaches.

In order to enable teachers, the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium at Calicut, a unit of the National Council of Science Museums functioning under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, organized an OAE Center India supported teacher training workshop from February 20 to 22, 2024. Resource persons weree drawn from reputed national institutions dealing with astronomy, along with the center's own departmental staff.

Approximately twenty-five participants were exposed to various teaching techniques of astronomical concepts through study aids, worksheets, visual aids, demonstrations, and aspects of sky observation programs. Practical demonstrations were conducted at the planetarium dome to simulate astronomical concepts such as the motion of the sun and stars at the equator and poles, and the motion of the sun in polar regions, among others.

The aim of this TTP program was to enrich and empower teachers, thereby making astronomy education more fruitful for students and learners. Tangible outcomes are expected from this program, enhancing the quality of astronomy education in schools.

         

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