GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
Universe Awareness
Dr. C.J.Ödman,
Leiden Observatory
The Netherlands
contact: [email protected]
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
What is Universe Awareness?
• Expose very young (4 - 10 years), underprivilegedchildren to inspirational aspects of astronomy
• Broaden young formative minds
• Awaken curiosity in science
• Stimulate world citizenship
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE : Why work with the youngest children?
UNAWE
Autonomy
Physics for skills
Morality
Judgement
Identity
Self-esteem
Foundation of culture
Recognition of cultural
& individual differences
Appearance to others
Science Education
Source: Astronet Report 2008
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
Ingredients of UNAWE
• Materials– Children’s books, Cartoons,
Posters developed by professionals
– Activities, Hands-on materialsdeveloped, sourced anddisseminated across the network
– Translated into various languages
• Training– Coordinators in each country
– Tailored to each community
• International Network– Platform for outreach professionals and
volunteers worldwide
– Exchange of ideas, experience and materials
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE International experiences
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
Appreciation of Cultural Diversity
• Constellations
• Skypecasts– Cultural exchange
– Crossing boundaries
– Commonality of the sky
• Young children in immigrantpopulations– Identification
– Appreciation of difference
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
Astronomy Heritage
Mexico, Chichen Itza
ESO 1998
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Community Building
• Bottom-up approach
• Community driven– Programmes
– Materials and activities
• Implicit quality assurance from usage and evolution of activities
• Maximise interfaces with existingprogrammes: UNAWE brings– New approach to astronomy education
– New target audience
– Social goals
– International Network
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE in Germany
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE in Colombia
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE in India
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE in Venezuela
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE in Kenya
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE in Tunisia
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
A picture of UNAWE
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
Active UNAWE groups
Indonesia, India, Kenya, South Africa, Tunisia,Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium,United Kingdom, Ireland, Bermuda, Venezuela,Colombia, Chile
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE and the other IYA2009 cornerstones
She is anastronomer
Cosmic Diary Portal to theUniverse
Dark Skies
Awareness
Astronomy &World Heritage
From Earth tothe Universe
100 hours ofAstronomy
Developing
Astronomy
Globally
Galileo
Teacher Training
Programme
Galileoscope
“Children’s hour”?Event coordination
Part of theUniverse in a Box
Primary levelactivities, training
UNAWE contributes toastronomy development
UUNNAAWWEE
High Quality Images todistribute to children?
UNAWE increases awarenessof astronomy cultural heritage
Role models foryoung girls?
For children who want tobecome astronomers
Meta-informationfor education?
UNAWE promotes participationin e.g. Globe at Night
http://astronomy2009.org/ > Cornerstone Projects > Universe Awareness
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE and GHOU
• Complementary age groups– Potential for a sustainable and continuous programme
• UNAWE sows the seeds of a positive attitudetowards science
• Materials for primary schools
• Primary school teacher educator volunteer training
• Empower teachers to teach science
• Youth and older kids can deliver UNAWE
• Anything you can think of, we are happy to lookinto
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
Conclusion
• UNAWE uses Astronomy to transmit some– Appreciation of diversity => Value systems
– Critical thinking => Cognitive development
– Human context of science
– Global Citizenship => Identification in Society
• Big impact on children’s value system
• Feasible in all environments
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
How to join UNAWE ?
http://www.unawe.org/join
• UNAWE Project plan
• UNAWE Project report
• UANWE Country Planning
• Sponsorship Request letter guidelines
• UNAWE Template website
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Project Plan
• Initial brainstorm: Who, What, When, How?
• Goal setting (e.g. run a primary school training session)
• Project plan framework:– Goal
– Expected impact
– Timeline
– List of Actions & their impact
– Human resources
– Material resources
– Documentation and evaluation
– Budget
– Notes
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Project report: Goal
• compare the outcome of a project with itsobjectives
• identify the successes for further projects,fundraising and communication
• identify and record the challenges faced, thesolutions found, and the unsolved problems
• serve as a reference for further projects
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Project report: Use
• UNAWE organisers:– keep a record of achievements and experiences
– share the experience with other members of UNAWE nationally andinternationally
– communicate results to sponsors and supporters
– support further fundraising efforts
• UNAWE International Office:– promote and advertise people’s activities across the UNAWE
network, on the international website and in any communication
– show the community’s achievements when seeking support forUNAWE
– put teams in touch with other UNAWE groups who wish to organisea similar action and who could to benefit from the experience
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Country Planning
• Organisation of a national UNAWE programme• Brainstorm:
– Target population– Existing structures– Governance– Implementation– Challenges
• Vision: What would you like to offer to the childrenof your country?
• Objectives: How to achieve the vision?
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE
Country Planning
National Structure
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Project Sponsorship request guidelines
• Make a personal contact
• Who are you and why should they be interested?
• What is the expected impact of your project?
• What is the expected visibility and sustainability of yourproject?
• What form of support are you requesting and how muchdoes it cost?
• Describe the visibility of the sponsorship
• Describe the usability of the sponsorship
• Emphasise your availability for further discussion.
• Enclose relevant information in your letter
• Follow-up
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Template Website
Give people your contact details: postal address, telephone and faxnumbers, email address.
Contact
Give information on how people can support your efforts.Support us
Write news so that people see what is happening.
For a calendar, see below.
News
Here you can put you materials and activities, and describe those youcannot put on the website directly.
Materials
This is where you describe your projectsProjects
Here you can detail your national structure for UNAWE, where you areoperating, etc.
AboutUNAWE
This should be a welcome page saying what UNAWE is, and whatUNAWE is in your country. This is a good place to say who supportsUNAWE in your country.
Home
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Template Website
• http://www.unawe.org/join– Basic HTML
– Manual included
– Let us look at the template website
• Email lists– @unawe.org
– Google groups, Yahoo groups
– Facebook, etc.
• Calendars (public Google Calendar)
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE Toolkit evolution
• Documents will be adapted according to usage
• To come: Evaluation guidelines– Recording numbers, etc,
– Collecting data:
• Taking pictures, films, collecting testimonies, children’s art andcreations, anecdotal evidence, feedback
– Evaluation planning (before/after, formalised feedback, etc.)
– Designed to identify the impact of UNAWE on children’s awarenessand attitudes
• Towards science and astronomy in particular
• Towards each other
• Their creativity, interests and enthusiasm
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE : Everyone can join, Everyone can do it
Essentially any astronomy outreach activity that
• Targets 4-10 year olds• Is inspirational• Reaches out to the underprivileged• Acknowledges and includes cultural & folkloric
astronomyis a UNAWE activity
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
UNAWE : Everyone can join, Everyone can do it
• Materials and Activities on the website (growing)
http://www.unawe.org/
• UNAWE en Español
http://www.csic.es/unawe/
• Send us your requests
• Send us feedback
GHOU 2008 - Lisbon http://www.unawe.org/
Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leadsus from this world to another.
Plato
Contact: [email protected]