Astronomy Literacy Goals

Erik Arends Universe Awareness, Leiden Observatory

September 9th 2014 Cascais, Portugal

Astronomy Literacy Goals

• Benchmark for advancement of astronomy education

• Framework for educators around the globe as starting point

• Based on AAAS goals for 2061

• Idea: Literate public sees Halley

Why Literacy?

• Science literacy

▫ Wide-spread science capital

▫ Understanding of technology

▫ Science/Technical jobs

▫ Democracy

▫ Scientific reasoning

Why Literacy?

• Astronomy literacy

▫ Part of science literacy

Catalyst for other subjects

▫ Global citizenship

▫ Cultural heritage

General method other

literacy documents

• Draft document • Meetings with community • Revision • Online public review • Revision • Expert review • Launch • Updates

Method: Start

• Starting point: AAAS Project 2061 - Benchmarks for Science Literacy (1993)

▫ Section: The Physical Setting

• Subtract astronomy parts

• For global use: age groups

• Add learning goals from Universe in a Box

Method: New Goals

• Add evolved subjects

▫ Exoplanets

▫ Cosmology

▫ Climate Change

• Add UNAWE goals

▫ Perspective on pale blue dot

▫ Astronomy culture

Method: Literature Review

• Division into age groups: literature research

▫ Look for lower age limit of understanding

▫ Difference: with or without instruction

Without: current status of education

With: capability of understanding

▫ Not fully researched area

▫ Establish per topic a lower age limit

Method: Survey

• Initial feedback

▫ 1 astronomer

▫ 2 secondary school teachers (specialist)

▫ 2 primary school teachers (specialist)

• Future: Large survey

▫ Secondary school teachers

▫ Primary school teachers

Method: Feedback

• Feedback from astronomy education community

▫ Consisting of:

Method: Feedback

• Feedback from astronomy education community

▫ Consisting of:

YOU!

Method: Feedback

• List handed out with link to online form

• Please fill this out!

Timeline

• July ‘14: 1st draft

• August ‘14: 2nd draft (small survey)

• September ‘14: 3rd draft (community survey)

• November ‘14: 4th draft (large teacher survey)

• January ‘15: 1st version (Review IAU C45+OAD TF2)

• August ’15: Presentation IAU General Assembly

• Final version

• Regular revision