|
Project ASTRO: Partnering by Individual Astronomers
|
For amateur or professional astronomers who
want to be effective participants in K-12
education but who don't live near a Project ASTRO
site or who don't want to become involved in the
whole ASTRO program, the Astronomical Society of
the Pacific, supported by the National Science
Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, organizes one-day workshops at
professional and amateur astronomy meetings and
other locations around the country. The workshops
are conducted by experienced science educators
and astronomers and emphasize the following:
- Key issues in the science reform
movement, national standards and
guidelines, and how U.S. education is
organized
- Strategies to use in partnership with
teachers and other educators
- The importance of age-appropriate,
inquiry-based, hands-on astronomy
activities that really engage students in
the problem-solving process
- Why certain existing national science
education and curriculum projects succeed
and how to build on their successes
- Resources and practical tips for
successfully working directly with
school-age children
- How to translate an interest in astronomy
into efforts that meet real educational
needs
- Various roles to play in improving
science education
With Project ASTRO materials and guidance,
individual astronomers can form their own
astronomer-teacher partnerships and even start
mini-Project ASTRO programs in their localities.
|
|