Submitter name

Submitter email

Host country

Location

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Example answer: South Africa, Kwa Zulu Natal, in Nongoma (rural area)
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Organisers

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Example answer: NAEC*: A person who is appointed as an OAE National Astronomy Education Coordinator
Teacher: A local teacher from the region you are trying to host a teacher training
Other**: An astronomer in your country/ amateur astronomer
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What are the concepts/content knowledge you aim to address or cover?

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Example answer: In this workshop will be focusing on: (i) The Solar System, (ii) Beyond the Solar System & (iii) Looking into space and using telescopes
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Does this content align with national or regional curriculum frameworks? If not, how will it be adapted for relevance?

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Example answer: This topic is within the Natural Science curriculum in South African schools. However, the topic is usually at the end of the year and before exams, and due to the time constraints and lack of astronomical knowledge, this section is normally skipped. So in this workshop, we will be looking at ways that they can integrate within their teaching.
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Summary

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Example answer: In this workshop, we will be covering the concepts of the solar system, features of stars, our galaxy and telescopes.
The inclusion of astronomy (which has been neglected for so long in schools) has become a challenge for science teachers to teach, especially science teachers in underprivileged schools are perplexed. Due to a lack of funding and expertise in astronomy here, no such training has been conducted yet. In this regard, there is a dire need to prepare science teachers to impart astronomical knowledge to students.
For this proposed workshop, 20 science school teachers will be selected from the rural areas. The training in the workshop will focus on astronomy content present in the curriculum: Introduction to the Solar System, Stars, Our galaxy, the Milky Way Galaxy, Morphological Classification of Galaxies, Origin of the Universe (The Big Bang Theory), Telescope Introduction, and Galileoscope Assembly and Use, will be covered.
The workshop will consist of lectures, exercises, quizzes and observational sessions related to the above content. The lectures will be very interactive with a lot of practical examples and tools that teachers would either have to develop or modify.
Moreover, to make the three-day programme more effective, 2-3 hours of observation sessions will be held in the evening. The Moon, Planets, Variable Stars, Galaxies, etc, will be observed (with the naked eye and CCD) with the Meade LX200 ACF 16" telescope installed at ISST Astronomical Observatory.
The morning sessions will concentrate on the main astronomy content, with the afternoons given over to hands-on activities. The teachers will have ample opportunity not only to try the activities for themselves, but also to present the activities to each other and hence through discussion, can modify and improve the activities as they require for greater effectiveness. The training content will be organized this way to help the teachers fully understand each topic and the different ways they can communicate and teach the subjects to their school children.
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Learning outcomes

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Example answer: At the end of the workshop, the teachers should know the following:
Know that… (i) Astronomy is an old science, that involves understanding the nature of our universe, and celestial bodies that we see, (ii) Astronomy is more than just facts, but there are processes involved in and within celestial bodies, (iii) Have a clear understanding of the solar system, the planets, (iii) describe the main features of a star, the Milky Way Galaxy, and beyond the Milky Way Galaxy, (iv) explain the concept of light minutes, light hours and light years, (v) identify and describe the most important telescopes (ground based and space based).
Know how to …. (i) interpret information about the special features of the planets and objects in our Solar System and describe them, (ii) Make connections with astronomy and other subjects, (iii) Make connections with astronomy and their everyday lives and student experiences (i.e. make connections between the ideas and concepts – this is different to just knowing facts), (iv) appreciate the night sky and its vast knowledge, (v) transfer knowledge for different contexts, different students and (vi) identify some of the constellations of the Southern Sky
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Specify the target audience: (Primary/Middle/High school (science or other subjects) teachers and grade(s) they teach).

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Example answer: Grade 7 - 9 Natural Science, Geography & Mathematics teachers.
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What are the qualifications of your trainers/speakers?

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Example answer: NAEC: 6 years’ experience in teaching introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics courses at university. With experience in outreach and education, teaching
Teacher: Science teacher at XYX school, runs a science club for students in grade 8 - 12 (high school). Supports students during science expo.
Other: Astronomer at the University of South Africa with 15 years of experience
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What kind of resources will you be using for your workshop?

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Example answer: We will be using some activities provided on ASTROEDU
Extra material will be given by the observatory for creating a telescope (mirrors, strings, cones, glue, paper, etc.)
Star charts, sundials, mini paper telescopes
Worksheets from NASe for additional support
Some activities from the curriculum
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How will you make those resources available to participants?

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Example answer: Each teacher will receive a resource pack at the beginning of the workshop, which they will have to take back to their schools.
A print with all the activities will be given to the teachers (easy to modify activities)/ to cut costs, each teacher will receive an electronic version of the book with activi
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Will you be sharing the resources with the wider community of the OAE (e.g. NAECs)?

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Example answer: If we develop a new activity, we will submit the activity to AstroEDU, but we will also make our resources available on BaseCamp.
Activities developed in our language will also be uploaded to the wider community of the OAE.
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How will your learning strategies complement the intended learning goals?

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Example answer: The learning goals are aimed at ensuring that the teachers know the content and relate it to their own experiences. The discussions and lectures will be enhanced through the constant comparison to what they know and how they relate to their experiences.
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Teaching methods

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Example answer: Interactive Lectures 45% - instead of a traditional lecture, these will be more participant-centred, starting with an assessment of what teachers know about the concepts through a gravity wall. Which will then lead to the learning of content.
Discussions 10% - in groups, which are also a form of peer learning, i.e. comparing and writing about the conditions on other planets in our Solar System, including their special features.
Hands-on practicals 30% - The participants will also be doing a lot of hands-on practicals, i.e. constructing a model of the Solar System showing relative distances of the planets from the Earth and relative sizes of planets or building their telescope
Observations 15% - Use star maps of the Southern Sky to identify a few easily recognisable constellations such as the Southern Cross, Orion and also the planets and then observe with the Galileo telescope and another bigger telescope.
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How does your workshop help participants transfer the knowledge they gained into their classrooms?

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Example answer: This involves learning by doing, which is how many children learn science. As such, teachers can start introducing these teaching strategies in their classrooms.
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Which group(s) are underrepresented in the educational community that form your participant pool?

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Example answer: This workshop is aimed at going to the underdeveloped rural areas, these areas are under-resourced, and far from the cities. The classrooms are usually overcrowded.
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How will you encourage/ recruit members of underrepresented group(s) to participate in the workshop?

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Example answer: We will be recruiting the teachers through the Education department database and the Science Center database (the Science centre is in the city). We will also do visits to schools, for teachers to be familiar with the team.
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What support will be offered to underrepresented group(s)?

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Example answer: Transport and accommodation will be provided for the teachers, meals will also be provided.
Since it is during the holidays, teachers will be offered childcare for those who have no one to support the children.
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What measures will you be undertaking to make your workshop accessible to people with different kinds of dis/abilities?

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Example answer: We will have a sign language interpreter during the lessons that will assist us with participants who need this. The venue is also wheelchair accessible.
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In which language(s) will the workshop be delivered? Is this the language of instruction at schools?

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Example answer: The language of instruction will be English. Although many of the participants may speak other languages.
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Are there any existing similar teacher training workshops in your region? How will this one be different?

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Example answer: The Department of Education has teacher training focused on mathematics and physics and not astronomy. As such, this is a unique one that focuses on astronomy and thus connects it to other subjects.
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Does your workshop conform to any other standard than this one, and does it have, or pursue, any other kind of certification (e.g. by an educational ministry)?

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Example answer: For this workshop, we will also write to the department to recognise it, as it will also encourage teachers to attend.
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What are the consequences for your participants (e.g. certification required for official recognition)?

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Example answer: Yes, certificates are required.
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How do you plan on measuring the learning outcomes, and evaluate the overall success of the workshop?

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Example answer: An initial evaluation will be circulated to the teachers in the form of a questionnaire to assess their interest, level of knowledge and challenges in teaching astronomy. At the end of the workshop, a final evaluation questionnaire will be circulated to assess the level of understanding after the training and to collect qualitative feedback from th
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How will you solicit feedback/obtain data about this, and how do you plan to use that data?

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Example answer: We will develop a short questionnaire that we will be using for the evaluation. We will share the data with the OAE and the wider community. We will also use this data to seek funding from other sources to host these workshops.
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Are you planning to follow up with and/or support workshop participants after the workshop has ended?

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Example answer: There will be follow-up visits to the schools to track the teachers’ progress (this will happen after 6 months).
There will be a network group that will be monitored to keep the communication active and relevant.
The teachers will be asked to send an evidence-based report on how they are utilising what they learned during the workshop
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What is the anticipated impact of this project?

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Example answer: It will improve the teachers’ knowledge and confidence in teaching astronomy.
For the Students: (i) The teachers will be able to arouse the children’s curiosity about astronomy, (ii) will be able to effectively help the children communicate their knowledge of astronomy. (iii)The teachers will motivate the children to be innovative and creative and
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Please state possible challenges you might encounter when organising and/or executing the workshop:

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Example answer: Finding additional funding
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Budget

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Example answer: Item
Cost per person
Total in Euro
Venue
X
50
Transportation (15 participants) per workshop
10
150
Lunch and snack (15 participants, 3
organizers) per workshop
10
180
Stationary, copying
x
200
Bank charges


30




Total
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