Shaw-IAU Workshops by the OAE

This talk presents the initial results of a project that aims to develop, implement, and research an astronomy teacher training program (TTP) for primary education focused on Sun-Earth-Moon related topics in Chile. The TTP started in May 2025 with 16 participants, after a pilot summer workshop with 8 teachers to test the activities and research instruments. The program has a hybrid format, with six in-person sessions distributed over 6 months and intercalated with virtual assignments and school implementation tasks. Teachers' content knowledge and attitudes towards astronomy are evaluated at the beginning and end of the TTP. Entrance and exit tickets for each in-person session and the responses to virtual assignments are also analyzed.

Biography:

Lara is a professor in the Physics Department at the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences (UMCE - Chile) and a member of the Chilean NAEC team. She does research in Astronomy Education, teaches astronomy to future science teachers, and collaborates with the UMCE Observatory public engagement project. She holds a PhD in Education and an MSc in Astrophysics. Her research interests in Astronomy Education include pre- and in-service teacher training, primary and secondary education, and school curricula.