Workshop

5th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education

The 5th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education was held from the 29th of November 2023 to the 1st of December 2023 (UTC time)


This year’s Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education focuses on two themes: one special practical astronomy education topic and one scientific topic. The special topic is astronomy education outside the classroom, looking at how astronomy can be taught in a diverse range of environments such as science centers, planetaria and youth clubs. The scientific topic is planetary atmospheres, both in the solar system and exoplanets as well as our own Earth. The meeting will be fully virtual.

Abstract submissions have closed

Speaker suggestions have closed

The sessions for the 5th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education are listed below

Opening Session

Chair

Markus Pössel

Markus Pössel

Schedule

  • Wednesday Nov. 29, 2023

    UTC: 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.

  • Americas Time Zones

    Wednesday Nov. 29, 2023

    UTC: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Arabic Language Community Meeting

Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, ranking fourth place among the most widely spoken languages, and it is spoken by about 6.6 percent of the world's population. As a group of Arab countries that speak one language and have the same goals, issues and challenges in teaching astronomy, we aim through this session to search for broad Arab cooperation in the field of practical education in astronomy. We are looking to present ideas and projects for practical astronomy education and mechanisms of implementation. The session will shed light on the development of astronomy in Arab cultures and will build bridges to encourage cooperation and exchange experiences towards astronomy education and awareness. The special session will include the Arab coordinators of the education and outreach offices of the International Astronomical Union, as well as many parties concerned with education issues in the Arab world.

Chair

Somaya Saad

Somaya Saad

Schedule

  • Thursday Nov. 30, 2023

    UTC: 10 a.m. - noon

astroEDU

Schedule

  • Thursday Nov. 30, 2023

    UTC: 10 a.m. - noon

  • Friday Dec. 1, 2023

    UTC: 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Astronomy Education in Practice

This session will focus on astronomy education activities in classroom settings. We invite abstracts that provide examples of what worked well and/or describe how activities were developed. We welcome abstracts in the context of teaching astronomy as its own subject as well as part of other subjects. Abstracts are invited for both primary/elementary and secondary/high school settings.

Chair

Sophie Bartlett

Sophie Bartlett

Schedule

Evaluation and Astronomy Education Research

This session will focus on research and evaluation into the underlying learning methods and approaches in astronomy education. We invite abstracts that apply different research methods to explore teaching and learning in terms of (for example) higher-order thinking skills, systems thinking, inquiry-based learning, ‘being a scientist’, spatial thinking, and more. We also encourage research and evaluation that address diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in astronomy education.

Chair

Sophie Bartlett

Sophie Bartlett

Schedule

Hebrew Language Community Meeting

Chair

Ayelet Weizman

Ayelet Weizman

Schedule

  • Thursday Nov. 30, 2023

    UTC: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Portuguese Language Community Meeting

Chair

Eduardo Monfardini Penteado

Eduardo Monfardini Penteado

Schedule

  • Thursday Nov. 30, 2023

    UTC: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Romanian Language Community Meeting

Chair

Elisabeta Ana Naghi

Elisabeta Ana Naghi

Schedule

  • Thursday Nov. 30, 2023

    UTC: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Science Topic: Planetary Climate

A comprehensive understanding of how the climate has evolved in our home planet is key for us to discern between natural climate variations and those influenced by human activities. We can also apply this understanding to the diverse atmospheres of other planets in the Solar System and beyond. Combining this knowledge we refine our understanding of Earth’s climate system and gain deeper awareness of the factors driving climate change. This session aims to offer us a comprehensive exploration of planetary climate dynamics from the Earth to exoplanets, and how more informed decision-making can help us to develop effective strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Chair

Samantha Brown-Sevilla

Samantha Brown-Sevilla

Eduardo Monfardini Penteado

Eduardo Monfardini Penteado

Schedule

Spanish Language Community Meeting

Chair

Samantha Brown-Sevilla

Samantha Brown-Sevilla

Schedule

  • Friday Dec. 1, 2023

    UTC: 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Special topic: Astronomy Education Beyond the Classroom

Astronomy is a multidisciplinary field of science, a characteristic that facilitates it to be explored in the classroom as it can be addressed through multiple perspectives. This is no surprise that astronomy is easily and therefore commonly explored in environments beyond the classroom. Within this session, we will explore the rich variety of ways and places where astronomy is used for educational purposes beyond the edutainment factor, such as planetaria, science centers and museums or in other settings such as clubs or youth groups. In addition, we will learn from initiatives developed by professional and amateur astronomers that bring astronomy to school settings to complement the curricula.

Chair

Tshiamiso Makwela

Tshiamiso Makwela

Eduardo Monfardini Penteado

Eduardo Monfardini Penteado

Schedule

Teaching Methods and Tools

How can educators most effectively teach astronomy content? This is a broad question that depends on both the content, education level and resources available to the teacher. In this session we want to hear about the many innovative ways astronomy is being taught, with practical tips on how to implement them. This could be through simple demonstrations, naked-eye observing, online projects, astronomy education resources, using real scientific data in the classroom or remote observing as well as teaching methods developed to reach diverse audiences.

Chair

Niall Deacon

Niall Deacon

Schedule

Closing Session

Chair

Markus Pössel

Markus Pössel

Schedule

  • Friday Dec. 1, 2023

    UTC: 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

The Office of Astronomy for Education is an office of the International Astronomical Union, with substantial funding from the Klaus Tschira Foundation and the Carl Zeiss Foundation.
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