Shaw-IAU Workshops by the OAE

Astronomy Education Research as part of Science Education has been critical not only in analysing the current state of scientific literacy and practice in schools, but also in strengthening teaching methods & teacher education. In this talk, I will review how AER data in schools can help teachers estimate the media and cultural literacy in astronomy that students in different environments adopt, and in what way AER can guide redesigning learning environments based on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Along the way we will see how insights from edu. psychology, linguistics, neurosciences, cognitive science and design studies allow schools to understand students better; and its results tell us how to redesign classrooms and learning spaces based on cognitive & social processes.

About Saeed Jafari

Saeed Jafari is a science communicator and a science journalist. He has completed his studies in linguistics at the University of Kurdistan. He serves as regional executive secretary - Middle East in Space Generation Advisory Council. For more than nine years, Saeed has led astronomy communication, outreach and education for many organisations and institutions, and currently researches public understanding of science in media, technology and society. He co-founded Under Iran Sky programme, an open online astronomy education platform in Iran, and also is the developer of several innovative projects that aim to involve the general public in active astronomy communication. Saeed has also been appointed as Chair of IRAN NAEC team since 2020.