Looks to the sky: 20 years of education and diffusion of astronomy for all ages

Authors

  • Diego Galperin Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Andina - Instituto de Formación Docente Continua de El Bolsón
  • Marcelo Alvarez Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Andina
  • Leonardo Heredia Instituto de Formación Docente Continua de El Bolsón
  • Paola Máximo Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Andina
  • Micaela Gambino Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Andina
  • Liliana Prieto Instituto de Formación Docente Continua de El Bolsón
  • Josué Dionofrio Instituto de Formación Docente Continua de El Bolsón
  • Rayén Sáez Instituto de Formación Docente Continua de El Bolsón
  • Luisa Elsman Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Andina

Keywords:

Teaching of astronomy, Astronomical diffusion, Sky observation, Public communication of science

Abstract

Looks to the sky is an extension program whose main goal is to teach and diffuse astronomy throughout proposals related to the observation with the naked eye of the sky. It is carried out jointly between the National University of Río Negro and the Institute of Continuing Teacher Training of El Bolsón, developing its activities based on a work team made up of teachers and middle-level students called Osiris Astronomical Group, which works in the towns of El Bolsón and Bariloche, Río Negro. This group meets after school hours to learn about astronomy and, at the same time, to organize activities aimed at other students and the community in general. As part of the program, educational materials are produced, school projects are implemented, and research and publications on astronomy didactics are carried out. At the same time, workshops are held in schools, talks for all audiences, educational videos, mobile planetarium shows, teacher training courses, Young Astronomers Meetings, sky observations, and public conferences related to solar eclipses are made. The project began in 2005 and has reached more than 60,000 people, having obtained different distinctions. Here is a summary of what has been done and an evaluation of the achievements.

References

Álvarez, M., Galperin, D. y Quinteros, C. (2018). Indagación de las concepciones de estudiantes primarios y secundarios sobre los fenómenos astronómicos cotidianos. En Papini, M. (Comp.), Las ciencias de la naturaleza y la matemática en el aula: nuevos desafíos y paradigmas, 129-142. Tandil: UNICEN.

Baxter, J. (1989). Children’s understanding of familiar astronomical events. International Journal of Science Education, 11(5), 502-513. DOI: 10.1080/0950069890110503

Black, A. (2005). Spatial ability and Earth science conceptual understanding. Journal of Geoscience Education, 53(4), 402-414. DOI: 10.5408/1089-9995-53.4.402

Chiras, A. & Valanides, N. (2008). Day/night cycle: mental models of primary school children. Science Education International, 19(1), 65-83.

Galperin, D. y Raviolo, A. (2014). Sistemas de referencia en la enseñanza de la Astronomía. Un análisis a partir de una revisión bibliográfica. Latin American Journal of Physics Education, 8(1), 136-148.

Galperin, D. (2016). Sistemas de referencia y enseñanza de las ciencias: el caso de los fenómenos astronómicos cotidianos (Tesis doctoral). Tandil: UNICEN. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.17573.63202

Galperin, D., Prieto, L. y Heredia, L. (2018). Concepciones de docentes sobre las causas de los fenómenos astronómicos cotidianos. En Papini, M. (Comp.), Las ciencias de la naturaleza y la matemática en el aula: nuevos desafíos y paradigmas, 116-128. Tandil: UNICEN

Plummer, J. (2008). Students’ development of astronomy concepts across time. Astronomy Education Review, 7(1), 139-148. DOI: 10.3847/AER2008013

Plummer, J., Kocareli, A. & Slagle, C. (2014). Learning to explain astronomy across moving frames of reference: Exploring the role of classroom and planetarium-based instructional contexts. International Journal of Science Education, 36(7), 1083-1106. DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2013.843211

Schoon, K. (1992). Students’ alternative conceptions of Earth and space. Journal of Geological Education, 40(3), 209-214. DOI: 10.5408/0022-1368-40.3.209

Trumper, R. (2001). Assessing students’ basic astronomy conceptions from junior high school through university. Australian Science Teachers Journal, 47(1), 21–31. DOI: 10.1080/02635140120046259

Vega Navarro, A. (2007). Ideas, conocimientos y teorías de niños y adultos sobre las relaciones Sol-Tierra-Luna. Estado actual de las investigaciones. Revista de Educación, 342, 475-500.

Vosniadou, S. & Brewer, W. (1994). Mentals models of the day/night cycle. Cognitive Science, 18, 123-183.

Downloads

Published

2023-12-01

How to Cite

Looks to the sky: 20 years of education and diffusion of astronomy for all ages. (2023). Journal of Physics Teaching, 35, 159-166. https://revistas.psi.unc.edu.ar/index.php/revistaEF/article/view/43303