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
- Introduction
- 14 Teaching astronomy in other cultures: archeoastronomy
- Poster highlights
- Part VII Astronomy in developing countries
- Part VIII Public outreach in astronomy
- Part IX The education programs of the International Astronomical Union
- Part X Conclusions
- Author index
- Subject index
Poster highlights
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
- Introduction
- 14 Teaching astronomy in other cultures: archeoastronomy
- Poster highlights
- Part VII Astronomy in developing countries
- Part VIII Public outreach in astronomy
- Part IX The education programs of the International Astronomical Union
- Part X Conclusions
- Author index
- Subject index
Summary
The sole poster in Part VI is entitled Introducing astronomy through solar and lunar calenders and comes from Moedji Raharto.
In Indonesia, the lack of competence of many teachers in basic science, astronomy, and space science implies that knowledge of astronomy and space science will be transmitted to the young generation improperly.
Priority in a curriculum of basic science includes only a small amount of general astronomy. The public perception is that astronomy is less important than basic science. Both of these points create a disadvantage for the developing astronomical community in Indonesia, a country with more than 230 million people.
The Muslim community in Indonesia has a tradition of using the lunar calendar to determine the first day of the important months Ramadhan, Syawal and Dzulhijjah. Recent disputes over determining the first day of these months is partly due to a lack of understanding of how the exact time of the first visibility of the lunar crescent is calculated by astronomers.
The challenges of introducing astronomy to a wider community with little background concerning astronomical education was discussed in this paper.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Teaching and Learning AstronomyEffective Strategies for Educators Worldwide, pp. 191 - 192Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2005