Astronomy Education Research Articles

The Effect of Engineering Design-Based Science Instruction on 6th-Grade Students’ Astronomy Understandings

Astronomy education is essential for STEM education in primary schools, and integrating engineering design-based science education enhances student engagement and achievement in the field of space science. Integrating engineering design into science education is essential for students to excel in astronomy and to meet the requirements of contemporary society. This study investigated the effect of engineering design-based instruction (EDBI) on the understanding of astronomy concepts among sixth-grade students. The study included a cohort of 37 sixth-grade students from a public school. It was carried out using a one-group pre-test, post-test experimental design. All participants received EDBI that was based on the objectives of the 6th grade “Solar System and Eclipses” unit. Statistical analyses were employed to ascertain the effect of astronomy instruction based on engineering design on students’ comprehension of astronomy concepts. The results indicated a significant difference in the average scores of students’ understanding of astronomical concepts before and after being taught using EDBI.

Developing a Methodology for Forming Astronomical Knowledge in Secondary School Students

The article provides an overview of current issues related to the insufficient level of astronomical literacy of schoolchildren and provides test data conducted among first-year students of the University. The study also emphasizes international experience, including the US initiative to integrate astronomy into educational programs, highlighting the importance of this discipline in shaping a unified worldview of students. The article provides recommendations for changing the content of the astronomy course, taking into account the identified problems and modern educational needs. The methodological basis of the study includes the dialectical method of cognition and the system-integrated approach. Changes in the content of the astronomy course are justified and specific measures are proposed to improve the quality of astronomical education in schools. The results of the study are aimed at developing effective methods for the formation of astronomical knowledge in high school students and improving their general scientific literacy. This article discusses the methodology for developing skills of critical perception of scientific information in the process of teaching astronomy in secondary school. It is suggested that, without weakening the consistency of the course, some materials should be attributed to the variable component. During the research, the stages of critical perception are developed, which are performed based on astronomical knowledge. The basis for the practical implementation of the proposed methodology was the introduction of a system of didactic unity into the learning process. A model of the methodology for the formation of critical perception of schoolchildren in astronomy lessons has been developed. To prevent the formation of information nihilism in the process of teaching astronomy, it is proposed to introduce students to information resources that provide reliable information on astronomy and astrophysics. It is proved that it is necessary to cultivate an attitude by the information of astronomical content received outside of school. To this end, an introduction would be correct, since, firstly, it is necessary to inform about the essence of production and not only scientific, but also scientific knowledge, and secondly, to criticize several common misconceptions, as well as scientific teachings on the relevant topic from the side of science. It is recommended to use the results of the study in the process of teaching astronomy in secondary school.

The Diary of the Sky as a methodological strategy to teach Astronomy in Elementary School

The aim of this paper is to describe some activities undertaken at different phases of a broader research project named “The Northern and Southern Skies: Teaching astronomy in schools”. This project is a collaborative agreement between São Paulo State University (Bauru Campus, São Paulo, Brazil) and La Sapienza Università (Rome, Italy). The project aimed to bridge the gap between the academic production in the field of astronomy education and the classroom experiences of elementary school teachers and their students. The project finds justification in the fact that elementary school teachers, in general, face significant challenges when teaching astronomy elements to their students. In this article, we describe some steps of this project and the teaching resource named Diary of the Sky and its implementation, starting with the translation of the original Il Diario del Cielo, in its Italian version, to Brazilian Portuguese (O Diário do Céu). The aforementioned Brazilian university offered in-service specialization courses to several elementary school teachers in the last few years (2018–2023), enabling them to interact with the dairy and understand key aspects of its methodology. Before using them, the Brazilian version was adapted to suit geographic local coordinates in the southern hemisphere—an opportunity for teachers in training to incorporate astronomical concepts into their planning. Throughout the academic year, students filled out their diaries on a daily basis. The Science Education Graduation Program at UNESP, along with teachers and researchers, acknowledged the value of this strategy and shared the data collected to be used in teaching courses at the masters and doctoral levels. Current studies on this methodology have now showed that the Diary of the Sky is a powerful and efficient tool for working introductory astronomy concepts with elementary students and training their respective teachers.

A descriptive overview of English-language publications in the field of Astronomy Education Research, 1898 to 2022

Discipline-based education research (DBER) takes the theories and methodologies of education research and applies them in the context of a specific discipline, in this example, astronomy. Research in the teaching and learning of astronomy has an extensive history; astronomy education research (AER), as its own separately defined field, is relatively new, stemming from the early to mid-1990s, as a separate track from physics education research (PER). By using a mixed-methods approach to textual analysis considering 2085 English language publications in the field, an order of magnitude larger than the previous largest overviews of the field, this study paints a rich picture of the landscape of AER over the timespan of a century from 1898 to 2022. This paper finds that AER authors started regularly publishing around 1970 and took off significantly in the 1990s with journal articles (~50%) and conference proceedings (~30%) being the most common method of publication. AER, in its early era, was largely a USA endeavour dominated by ASTRO101. This has changed over time and in recent years, the USA has dropped below 50\% of the worldwide AER publication production. “Celestial Motion”, “Instrumentation/Techniques”, and “Planetary Sciences (not Exoplanets)” are the most common content foci while a significant lack of local galactic and extragalactic education research is identified. AER has been heavily focussed on “Content Knowledge”, “Affective”, and “Engagement”. It is found that most articles tend to be general reporting of approaches or results (~43%) rather than full empirical research (~36%) while there is very little theoretical or historical research in AER yet. This overview, based on results input to an online database (istardb.org), provides a resource to researchers, educators, and other interested stakeholders allowing efficient ascertainment of previous research. This supports both researchers, allowing them to develop research questions at the cutting edge of the field, as well as practitioners, to inform their pragmatic approach based on latest research findings. We also present a set of recommendations and future outlook of the field of Astronomy Education Research.

3D printing for teaching and exploration in astronomy for individuals with blindness/visual impairment: textured representations of imagery

ABSTRACT Astronomy, a captivating field that draws upon science, mathematics, and engineering, has traditionally relied on visual representations to convey the wonders of the cosmos. While this approach effectively engages the sighted population, the use of imagery can exclude individuals with blindness or visual impairment (B/VI). Astronomical research is incorporated into press releases, media, outreach efforts, and educational systems aimed at enhancing public interest and often skill in science, but visual materials can hamper a population with B/VI. This paper explores the potential of 3D printing as an assistive technology providing an alternative to imagery. We produced textured 3D prints of astronomical research data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Useability assessment of materials is an important phase of production before integration into structured programs, and we used a multi-phased approach in our prior research to create and test appropriate textures for 3D astronomical prints. This paper describes the last step of reviewing our 3D prints through informal useability sessions with diverse individuals. The assessment indicated our 3D prints provide reliable, informative representations of astronomical data appropriate for public use especially for public information, outreach programs, and science education for individuals with B/VI.

Non-digital educational games to support conceptual change in astronomy education

Research on astronomy education has primarily focused on investigating students' conceptual understanding through the lens of student cognition. However, learning involves more than just acquiring or reorganising ideas. Despite this, there have been very few studies that have examined the learning process through multiple perspectives within a naturalistic environment. Additionally, the lack of validated astronomy game resources aligned with curriculum learning outcomes has hindered the inclusion of Game-Based Learning (GBL) in astronomy education. To address this issue, this paper explores the use of non-digital games as a pedagogical approach to support multidimensional conceptual change in post-primary astronomy education. Two dimensions of learning were examined: affective and cognitive. A mixed-methods quasi-experimental research approach was employed on a cohort of 474 post-primary students, divided into intervention and control groups. The results demonstrate robust evidence of the efficacy of non-digital games in promoting sustained conceptual change for post-primary students. The sociocultural environment created by the games was observed to favour student motivation and prolonged cognitive conceptual change. The GBL pedagogical intervention created multiple opportunities for students to review and refine their knowledge and perception of astronomy.

Bringing the Universe to Every Classroom: The Impact of Digital Technologies on Children's Astronomy Education in Iran

Astronomy education can be a crucial part of Iranian children's education and has the potential to inspire a lifelong passion for science and technology. However, it has been neglected in children's educational systems, particularly among the socioeconomically disadvantaged population. Efforts have been made in the past to improve astronomy education for children in Iran. Still, they were unsuccessful in underprivileged communities due to a lack of facilities and support. In recent years, the internet and digital tools have greatly helped reach a much wider audience and deliver educational content to children who would otherwise have limited access. Kargahe Setare online project was launched in Iran with the goal of using astronomy to inspire a new generation of scientifically literate and curious citizens, regardless of their financial and locative situation. We will explain how we reached out to more than 10000 Iranian children from the big cities to the most deprived villages to promote astronomy. We will discuss how we revised our teaching methods to bring STEM and STEAM activities to the class through online tools and common household objects as educational props. We will show how not only the Covid-19 pandemic did not negatively affect us but how it significantly accelerated the process of gaining public trust in online education. Also, we will discuss how we created a bridge between children, researchers, and the most-known organizations in this field. By sharing our experiences, we aim to demonstrate the potential and outcomes of online education in promoting astronomy and children's development.

Wonder and Awe observing the sky

"Wonder” is well known to practitioners in astronomy education activities. Expressions of emotions, such as of awe and wonder, play an important role in engaging audiences, yet there exists no systematic study of these phenomena in the astronomy education literature. In this paper we analyse moments where these emotions are displayed – what we call “Awe Moments” – in observations with telescope. Using an interactional perspective, we analyzed 10 hours of video recordings of these events, collected in different institutions in Portugal. The way these emotions are produced interactionally by guides and the public is described. The data show that these interactions are recurrent and that guides and public validate, enhance and prolong these emotional moments. This work contributes to the literature on emotions in educational settings, to the training of guides and the evaluation of astronomy educational events.

My Sixty Years of Astronomy Education: Highlights, and Lessons Learned

This paper presents some highlights of my 60-year career as an astronomy education practitioner, and why they were significant to me, my students and other audiences.

Online Resources for Teaching Astronomy

The Internet has transformed the teaching of astronomy. In the past, instructors were mostly reliant on printed textbooks, 35-mm slides, and their own lecture notes. Depending on local resources they might also be able to incorporate labs, hands-on activities, and use of small telescopes. Now they can choose from a wide, and occasionally bewildering, array of online resources to augment what they do in the classroom. A challenge is to find tools that are either evaluated in peer-reviewed publications or have proven their efficacy in other ways. A selective list is provided.

The Astronomy Day in Schools project

Astronomy Day in Schools (ADiS) is a new project to share practices of astronomy education worldwide. The ADiS is unique in that it has quarterly online meetings, and that it focuses on equinoxes and solstices. This paper describes the launch and development of the ADiS.

Spatial Thinking in Astronomy Education Research

Research on how we learn astronomy, as well as in other STEM domains, has found that spatial thinking - the complex ways we reason about the spatial properties of objects - is central to developing expertise. Learning astronomy requires that we apply understanding of spatial relationships and use spatial information to explain observations and solve new problems. In this paper, I explore the importance of considering the challenges in spatial thinking when conducting research on how and why students learn astronomy. I also review trends in research suggesting how we can promote spatial thinking through the design of learning environments and curricula to improve astronomy learning.

AstroEdu Conference 2023 - Preface

A collection of astronomy education endeavours from around the world presented at the AstroEdu Conference 2023 hosted by the University of Toronto - Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Teaching astronomy in Romania and the Republic of Moldova: its impact on students’ education

This article analyzes the evolution of astronomy teaching in the Romanian area, from its ancient roots to the modern era, the authors focusing on the situation in the last decades in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Astronomy, one of the oldest sciences, has a great significance in human culture and education. In Romania, the teaching of astronomy began formally in 1776, but it has fluctuated over time. In the medieval era, astronomy was linked to religious education, while in modern times, it has been integrated into various school subjects. During the communist period, the teaching of astronomy was restricted, being limited to the upper grades or being eliminated from the curriculum altogether. Recently, there have been some initiatives to reintroduce astronomy as a distinct subject of study, reflecting the desire to rekindle students’ interest in this field. This article emphasizes the need for the introduction of an integrated astronomy course in schools and the need for adequate resources, as well as the importance of astronomy in developing students' critical thinking, curiosity and interest in science

A Journey Through the History and Statistics of ArASNews

A review of ArAS Electronic Newsletter ArASNews (e-newsletter of the Armenian Astronomical Society – ArAS) is given. ArASNews has been published since 2002 and during these years it has largely contributed to the circulation of information among the Armenian astronomical community, as well as other astronomical societies and organizations. It is being distributed monthly to all ArAS members. ArASNews publishes informative materials on ArAS, Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO), and Armenian astronomy in general, reports on ArAS Annual Meetings and other astronomy-related events in Armenia, participation of the Armenian astronomers in important international meetings. Additionally, it features articles commemorating notable Armenian astronomers, announcements of new ArAS members, and discussions on various astronomical topics including archaeoastronomy and public outreach initiatives, acceptance of new ArAS members, achievements of the Armenian astronomers, ArAS Annual Prizes for Young Astronomers and other international and local prizes, Astronomical Education and Public Outreach in Armenia, Armenian Archaeoastronomy, as well as scientific articles (reviews) on important studies. We will give some statistics on the number of published articles and pages, the distribution of articles by topics, and more. ArASNews’ numerous useful articles may be accessed through its Reference List.

ArAS educational activities: history and statistics

A review of ArAS Educational activities is given. ArAS initiated a number of projects and events related to Astronomical Education, teacher training, as well as public activities. Among the most important are: Byurakan International Summer Schools (BISS, since 2006, 9 such schools have been accomplished), Regional Astronomical Summer Schools (RASS, since 2019, 3 such schools have been accomplished), Byurakan Summer Schools for YSU students (BSS, since 1995, 5 such events have been accomplished), ArAS School Lectures “From School to the Space” (since 2012, 11 projects have been organized), Byurakan Science Camps (BSC, since 2014, 10 events have been organized), Armenian Republican Astronomical Olympiads final phase (since 1999), a number of astronomy teacher training programs (since 2010, in total 9 events) and others. The history and statistics of all these events are presented.

A Characterization of Astronomy Teacher Professional Development Programs in Chile

ABSTRACT Chile is home to most of the world’s largest telescopes, and astronomy research is robust in the country. However, astronomy education in Chile is much less mature. As an effort to increase its quality and coverage, more astronomy K-12 teacher professional development (PD) has been offered in Chile in the last decade, but the results of these programs have not been characterized in detail. In this context, this article presents the results of an exploratory survey of 16 current astronomy PD programs delivered to primary and secondary education Chilean teachers before 2021. The data was collected through an online questionnaire sent to PD programs leaders and then analyzed in terms of widely accepted effectiveness criteria from the literature. Our results show that most programs met some basic criteria for research-based effective PD practices: most aligned with the Chilean national curriculum topics and offered some hands-on activities. However, few programs had well-developed plans to evaluate their effectiveness or had followed up with the participant teachers to understand how their participation affected their subsequent professional practice. Based on our results, relevant improvements in astronomy teacher PD programs in Chile can be made, setting a model for other countries as well.

Conocimientos sobre astronomía en estudiantes de educación secundaria en Colombia: una evaluación desde la fundación AstrodidaXis

An exploratory analysis of the astronomical knowledge of 241 secondary education students in Boyacá, Colombia, members of the AstrodidaXis network, was carried out using a qualitative, hermeneutic and exploratory methodology. This analysis was developed through a questionnaire aligned with the learning standards of the Ministry of National Education, as a basis for identifying areas of strength and weakness in astronomy concepts. The need to improve the understanding of various topics was highlighted, including the fundamental forces of the universe and the origin of chemical elements from the teaching of astronomy. These findings contributed to the construction of projections for the research and development of astronomy teaching in Boyacá, promoting the scientific, technological and social progress of the region.

Space for all: a multinational study on the status of astronomy education

ABSTRACT Existing research in astronomy education is largely centred on undergraduates. We conducted this qualitative study to explore examples of astronomy education internationally, providing context to the quantitative study by Salimpour et al. (2021). Our methods included an online survey (N = 68) and 10 interviews with select participants to discover the methods of learning and teaching astronomy in K12. We used thematic analysis to contrast international astronomy education efforts in formal and informal education settings. Interview participants provided examples of programmes that disrupt representation gaps in astronomy fields and promote STEM connections amongst historically underserved populations. The present study will inform future studies and collaborations between educators, astronomers, and informal spaces, and provide examples of astronomy integrations in coursework and community. This, along with the ongoing work of Salimpour and Fitzgerald, can provide multinational curricular and pedagogical examples of leveraging astronomy as a ‘gateway science’ and inform interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary approaches to teaching science.

Assessing the Initial Outcomes of a Blended Learning Course for Teachers Facilitating Astronomy Activities for Young Children

Globally, astronomy education is being promoted through curricula. Research indicates that educators need support to fundamentally comprehend and gain knowledge of astronomy as well as pedagogical expertise to organize and facilitate astronomy-related activities in the classroom. In response to this notable demand, we have designed a coherent training program that addresses both the foundational and pedagogical content knowledge necessary to instruct astronomy subjects at the pre-primary and early school levels. This program is constructed in a blended learning format, which combines online and in-person training with practical implementations in the classroom. We trained both professional and student kindergarten teachers, and we used questionnaires and interviews to evaluate and improve our training program. In this article, we present the results of our initial evaluation. We found that the student teachers showed a more significant improvement in their content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and instruction preferences compared to the professional teachers. However, we identified several areas for improvement, which will be addressed in future cycles of the program for further evaluation.