Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I Astronomy in the curriculum around the world
- Part II Astronomy education research
- Part III Educating students
- Part IV Educating teachers
- Part V Astronomy and pseudoscience
- Part VI Astronomy and culture
- Part VII Astronomy in developing countries
- Part VIII Public outreach in astronomy
- Part IX The education programs of the International Astronomical Union
- Introduction
- 21 A short overview of astronomical education carried out by the IAU
- Part X Conclusions
- Author index
- Subject index
21 - A short overview of astronomical education carried out by the IAU
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I Astronomy in the curriculum around the world
- Part II Astronomy education research
- Part III Educating students
- Part IV Educating teachers
- Part V Astronomy and pseudoscience
- Part VI Astronomy and culture
- Part VII Astronomy in developing countries
- Part VIII Public outreach in astronomy
- Part IX The education programs of the International Astronomical Union
- Introduction
- 21 A short overview of astronomical education carried out by the IAU
- Part X Conclusions
- Author index
- Subject index
Summary
Abstract: Astronomy education is one of the important vehicles to make people aware of the role of science in daily life and in environmental issues. Therefore, in a good school curriculum, astronomy should be included. In the process, however, some governments try to introduce a system that succeeds in other countries, without considering cultural and national differences. Unfortunately there is no program group of IAU Commission 46 (on Education and Development) that deals with astronomy education in schools. It is hoped that such a program group will be set up after the conference on which this book is based.
An overview of IAU Commission 46: “Astronomy Education and Development”
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is a union of professional astronomers who produce a large number of new astronomical results and make the frontiers of astronomy expand. However, the union cannot stand by itself but needs much support from governments as well as from the public. Therefore, the IAU established Commission 46 through the vigorous efforts of E. Schatzman, and others. In 1967 it was originally called “Teaching of Astronomy” and was renamed in 2000 “Astronomy Education and Development,” with a much wider scope of activities, in order to cover from the level of beginners to that of doctoral and post-doctoral students. Table 21.1 gives a list of its presidents; they are well distributed internationally.
There are currently nine “program groups,” as shown in Table 21.2. Because of limited budgetary resources, it is difficult for the IAU to cover all the possible fields to promote our Commission's goals.
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- Teaching and Learning AstronomyEffective Strategies for Educators Worldwide, pp. 249 - 254Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2005
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