Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Participants
- Welcome and Opening Address
- Astronomy Education: an International Perspective
- Special Lecture: Sundials in London – Linking architecture and astronomy
- 1 University Education
- 2 Distance Learning and Electronic Media in Teaching Astronomy
- 3 The Student Learning Process
- 4 Planetarium Education and Training
- 5 Public Education in Astronomy
- 6 Teaching Astronomy in the Schools
- Current Trends in European Astronomy Education
- Project ASTRO: a successful model for astronomer/teacher partnerships
- The Training of Teachers
- New Trends in Astronomy Teaching
- Coping with a New Curriculum: the evolving schools program at the Carter Observatory, New Zealand
- US Science Education Reforms: is astronomy being overlooked?
- “Plaza del Cielo” Complex: its state of evolution
- Astronomy as a School Subject
- Teaching Astronomy at Secondary School Level in Europe
- A High School Course for a wide Range of Student Abilities
- Measuring the Eccentricity of the Terrestrial Orbit: an experiment in the classroom
- A Program incorporating Physics, Astronomy and Environment
- Classroom Activity: Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
- Collaboration as a Viable Approach for Making Astrophysics Research accessible to the K-12 Community through the Internet and the World Wide Web
- Astronomy Teaching in the Astronautics Club
- The TRUMP Astrophysics Project: Resources for Physics Teaching
- The Life in the Universe Series
- The Astronomy Village: investigating the Universe
- Posters
- Final Address
- Authors
Teaching Astronomy at Secondary School Level in Europe
from 6 - Teaching Astronomy in the Schools
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Participants
- Welcome and Opening Address
- Astronomy Education: an International Perspective
- Special Lecture: Sundials in London – Linking architecture and astronomy
- 1 University Education
- 2 Distance Learning and Electronic Media in Teaching Astronomy
- 3 The Student Learning Process
- 4 Planetarium Education and Training
- 5 Public Education in Astronomy
- 6 Teaching Astronomy in the Schools
- Current Trends in European Astronomy Education
- Project ASTRO: a successful model for astronomer/teacher partnerships
- The Training of Teachers
- New Trends in Astronomy Teaching
- Coping with a New Curriculum: the evolving schools program at the Carter Observatory, New Zealand
- US Science Education Reforms: is astronomy being overlooked?
- “Plaza del Cielo” Complex: its state of evolution
- Astronomy as a School Subject
- Teaching Astronomy at Secondary School Level in Europe
- A High School Course for a wide Range of Student Abilities
- Measuring the Eccentricity of the Terrestrial Orbit: an experiment in the classroom
- A Program incorporating Physics, Astronomy and Environment
- Classroom Activity: Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
- Collaboration as a Viable Approach for Making Astrophysics Research accessible to the K-12 Community through the Internet and the World Wide Web
- Astronomy Teaching in the Astronautics Club
- The TRUMP Astrophysics Project: Resources for Physics Teaching
- The Life in the Universe Series
- The Astronomy Village: investigating the Universe
- Posters
- Final Address
- Authors
Summary
Introduction
The status of teaching Astronomy in European countries is variable. Sometimes Astronomy appears as a compulsory subject or as an optional subject, but on many occasions Astronomy appears within another subject, depending on the country. It is even possible for Astronomy not to appear anywhere in the curriculum. But of course the position here is better than in other less developed places. In Europe there are various topics which can be organized into two main groups: aspects related to relative motions and aspects related to properties of light. Some examples of teaching activities and materials in various countries will be described.
It is also necessary to emphasize several initiatives such as the review of Astronomy curricula, the publication of general books on Astronomy for secondary schools and the organisation of new journals to promote Astronomy in schools.
It is essential to mention the new European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE) founded last November in Athens. This meeting was attended by 100 teachers and astronomy professionals from 17 European countries. It is hoped that this, in conjuntion with the other initiatives, will do much to encourage the study of Astronomy.
Relative Motions.
In this field, as in others, there is some very interesting material promoted by the Comite de Liaison Enseignants et Astronomes (CLEA) in France. Denise Wacheux has produced a special umbrella which is used to study the movement of the Sun and celestial sphere in relation to the horizon, and which has very interesting didactic applications in secondary schools. It is possible to change the latitude and to move the umbrella around its axis.
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- New Trends in Astronomy Teaching , pp. 286 - 291Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1998