46. Teaching of Astronomy

Abstract

Commission 46 on Teaching of Astronomy is a Committee of the Executive Committee of the IAU. It was organized thanks to the initiative and great efforts of M.G.J. Minnaert in 196U during the 12th General Assembly of the IAU in Hamburg. Prof. E. Schatzman was the first President of the Commission. Since that time a great deal of work has been accomplished, a large amount of information has been gathered and certain efforts to organize a number of Projects have been made. The experience of the Commission and its Organizing Committee is the most precious result of its work. The benefit to the Commission is the result of hard work of the majority of its members very well known for their activity. Rules and guidelines of operation for Commission 46 were proposed and adopted at the 15th General Assembly of the IAU in Sydney. The main objective of the Commission is to further the development and improvement of astronomical education at all levels throughout the world. But this purpose outlined so generally gives no answer to the question what the Commission should do. The easiest way is in finding some routine and plausible work to accomplish. The results of such work can be immediately materialized in contrast to ideas and pieces of information which require a lot of work to have them brought into life. But in any case the indispensability of Commission 46 is stressed by (i) the increasing importance of astronomy in the world of civilized life and by (ii) contradiction between fundamental importance of astronomy to human progress and its poor representation in the world educational system.