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1 UNIVERSE AWARENESS UNAWE Armagh Observatory Armagh Observatory 22 Nov 2006 22 Nov 2006 Carolina Ödman - Leiden Observatory Initiative for a worldwide scientific culture • Expose very young (ages 4 - 10 years), underprivileged children to the inspirational aspects of astronomy Broaden the minds of the children Enhance their understanding of the world Demonstrate the power of rational thought UNIVERSE AWARENESS (UNAWE) MOTIVATION Beauty and size of the Universe excite young children Basic knowledge of the Universe is a birthright Ages 4-10 are crucial for child development Knowledge about the Universe can broaden the mind Why young and underprivileged children? Need is greatest Cognitive disparities increase with age Cultural differences less pronounced WHY ASTRONOMY? Astronomy is Science Astronomy is Culture and Human Development Astronomy is Multidisciplinary Astronomy is Exciting Harnessing Science (Education) for Peace GOALS OF UNAWE Communicate the beauty and scale of the Universe to young children Excite stimulate their curiosity Help develop a “world view” Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another. Plato GOALS OF UNAWE Use inspirational astronomy to develop cognitive skills Reach large numbers of children United Nations Millennium Development Goals Universal Primary Education Gender Equality in Primary School
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UNAWE - First Ireland Meeting

May 15, 2015

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Education

unawe

1st UNAWE Ireland Meeting in Armagh (Ireland)
C. Odman

Presenting UNAWE to representatives of the Irish astronomy and education communities.

November 2006.
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Page 1: UNAWE - First Ireland Meeting

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UNIVERSE AWARENESS UUNNAAWWEE

Armagh Observatory Armagh Observatory 22 Nov 200622 Nov 2006Carolina Ödman - Leiden Observatory

• Initiative for a worldwide scientific culture

• Expose very young (ages 4 - 10 years), underprivilegedchildren to the inspirational aspects of astronomy

– Broaden the minds of the children

– Enhance their understanding of the world

– Demonstrate the power of rational thought

UNIVERSE AWARENESS (UNAWE)

MOTIVATION

• Beauty and size of the Universe excite young children

• Basic knowledge of the Universe is a birthright

• Ages 4-10 are crucial for child development

• Knowledge about the Universe can broaden the mind

• Why young and underprivileged children?– Need is greatest

– Cognitive disparities increase with age

– Cultural differences less pronounced

WHY ASTRONOMY?

• Astronomy is Science

• Astronomy is Culture and Human Development

• Astronomy is Multidisciplinary

• Astronomy is Exciting

• Harnessing Science (Education) for Peace

GOALS OF UNAWE

• Communicate the beauty and scale of theUniverse to young children– Excite stimulate their curiosity

– Help develop a “world view”

Astronomy compels the soul to look upwardsand leads us from this world to another.

Plato

GOALS OF UNAWE

• Use inspirational astronomy to developcognitive skills

• Reach large numbers of children

• United Nations Millennium Development Goals– Universal Primary Education

– Gender Equality in Primary School

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PRINCIPLES OF UNAWE

• Inspiration is paramount– Emphasis on play and entertainment

• Bottom-up approach– Driven by the needs of the local cultures and educators

• General approach– Earth awareness and citizenship, membership of a diverse

human family

– Awareness of the Sun, planets, solar system, galaxy, theUniverse

INGREDIENTS OF UNAWE• Material

– Games, Cartoons, Songs, Hands-on material– Developed by professionals– Translated into various languages

• Training– Coordinators in each target country– Tailored to each country and community

• International Network– Platform for outreach professionals and volunteers worldwide

– Exchange of ideas, experience and materials

BACKGROUND AND TIMELINE BIRTH OF AN IDEA 2003 - 2005

• 2003 George Miley awarded a KNAW professorship

• 2004 Informal discussions

• May 2005 1st UNAWE multidisciplinary workshop, ESO,Germany

– International Steering Committee set up.

• September 2005 Project Manager appointed

• October 2005: Meeting at UNESCO in Paris

• November 2005 - present: Pilot activities in Tunisia

2006

• January 2006 - present: Pilot activities in Venezuela• April 2006: Meeting in Heidelberg• August 2006: Formal launch of UNAWE at the IAU XXVI

General Assembly– Endorsement by the IAU

• October 2006: 2nd UNAWE multidisciplinary workshop– Funding for the UNAWE International Development Office for 3

years awarded by the Dutch Minister of Education, Cultureand Science

• December 2006: First teacher training in Spain

2007

• Appointment of a Media Coordinator• Second meeting at UNESCO• National groups:

– EU: Netherlands, Italy, Spain (Ireland, UK)– Non-EU: India, South Africa, Indonesia, Colombia (Chile)

• EU Framework Programme 7• IAU at the UN General Assembly - IYA 2009• Other workshops

– The world in the school, schools in the world– UNAWE workshops– National meetings

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• 2009– Implementation in a number of EU and emerging countries– International Year of Astronomy…

TIMELINE

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

PREPARATIONPREPARATION

DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

IMPLEMENTATIONIMPLEMENTATION

EVALUATIONEVALUATION

CHARACTERISTICS OF UNAWE

CHARACTERISTICS OF UNAWE

• Underprivileged children in diverseenvironments– Basic, intermediate, advanced

– Europe (e.g. inner cities) and Emerging countries

• Modular and phased– Will take account of stages in child development

Environments

ENVIRONMENTS

• Advanced Environment– School from ages 4 - 5

– Access to internet at school and often at home

– Well-trained teachers

• Some challenges– Overloaded children

– Overloaded educators - ties to the curriculum

– Existence of other programmes

– Involve parents, day care, etc.

CHARACTERISTICS OF UNAWE

• Exploits ethnic and historicheritage of astronomy– Tangible and Intangible

cultural heritage

Newgrange, Co. Meath

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Astronomy heritage

Egypt, Nabta 4300 BCInner Mongolia, Baimiaozi, 4000 BC Japan, Kanayama~ 3000 - 4000 BC

China, Gaocheng, 1279 ADMexico, Chichen Itza, ~ 1100 AD

Astronomy heritage

Astronomy heritage

Hubble Space Telescope2004

European Southern Observatory1998

EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS

MODULAR STRUCTURE

• Age groups– Levels of cognitive development

• Programme lengths and delivery methods– Remote areas vs. Inner cities– Educator training, standalone programmes

• Topics• Methods

– Culturally relevant: Involve indigenous cultures and their astronomy

SOME TOPICS

• Sky Awareness– Observation and awareness

• Earth Awareness, Earth Citizenship– Seasons or no seasons– Diverse Human Family

– Cultural diversity by comparison

• Solar System, Constellations and Planets– Scales, Comparative approach

– Environmental awareness

• The Galaxy and the Exotic Universe– Adventure!

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METHODS

• Direct observations– Familiarisation

• Hands-on activities– Appropriation

• Playing and singing stories and myths– Experience

• Twinning activities, interactive software– Exchange and real-life experience

• Large input from local cultures

COORDINATOR TRAINING

• Training of Local Coordinators– Central contact point– Bottom-up approach: Making the programme theirs

• Role– Supervise programme in specific region

– Maintain contact with schools and teachers– Take part in the development and the evaluation of UNAWE

• Practical Aspects– Training course by UNAWE– Approach will differ for each region

MATERIAL

• Playing and active stimulation– Songs, games, toys etc.– Model building that children can keep

• Excitement– Short adventure films

– Cartoon characters, gripping adventure stories– Set in beautiful and exotic environments

• Internet (Advanced Environment)– Class twinning to reinforce Earth awareness– Developing countries often have darker skies

TUNISIA PILOT PROJECT

CITÉ DES SCIENCES, TUNIS

• Activities for 4 - 10 year old children– Observations of the Sun

– Workshop on the Solar System

– Workshop on Sun-Earth-Moon

• Educator Training workshop– Pilot Astronomy programme in 7 Children’s Clubs

– Partnership with the Ministry of Women, Children,Family and Elderly affairs.

ASTRO-BUS

• Bus with astronomical activities travels to most remoteareas

• Between January and May 2006 over 1000 children of4 - 10 have taken part

• More future cooperation between the Astro-Bus andthe Children’s Clubs

• Part of a ‘Caravan of Sciences’

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UNAWE Tunisia

• A National Action Committee has beenformed

• Government funds UNAWE in Tunisia– Ministry of Family Affairs

– New collaboration: Ministry of Education

UNAWE Tunisia

VENEZUELA PILOT PROJECT CHUAO, A REMOTE COMMUNITY

• Contact with children– Astronomical images

– Spontaneous involvement

– Sharing of experiences

• Interest of women

• Impact of astronomical images

MÉRIDA TEACHER TRAINING

• Teacher training workshop– Encounter between mythical and scientific views of

the world and the universe

• Training with children– Model building to take

home

• Visit of the Ye’kuana tribe (Southern Amazon)– Explanation of the calendar, constellations

UNAWE VENEZUELA

• A National Action Committee has beenformed

• Government funds UNAWE in Venezuela– Ministries of Education and Science

– Collaboration with the Venezuelan UNESCOdelegation

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FILM TIME! UNAWE, A GLOBAL INITIATIVE

WHO WE ARE

International Steering Committee

- George Miley (Leiden, Netherlands)- Claus Madsen (ESO)- Cecilia Scorza (Heidelberg, Germany)- Isa Baud (Amsterdam, Netherlands)- Alec Boksenberg (Cambridge, UK)- Karl Sarnow,(Brussels, Belgium)

Project Manager- Carolina Ödman

Team of ~30 people of 15 nationalities

National Groups

Tunisia, Venezuela, Colombia,Spain, South Africa, India,Netherlands, etc.

Workshop 2006

~ 50 participants of 20 nationalities

UNAWE collaborations

ENDORSEMENTS

• Prof. Catherine Cesarsky, President of the International Astronomical Union(2006 - 2009)

• Prof. Ron Ekers, Former President of the International Astronomical Union (2003 -2006)

• Sir Bob Geldof, Musician, philanthropist and activist• Prof. Riccardo Giacconi, 2002 Nobel Prize winner• Prof. Federico Mayor, President of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace• Prof. Michel Mayor, First discoverer of extrasolar planets• Dr. Khotso Mokhele, First President of the South African National Research

Foundation (1999 - 2006)• Sir Martin Rees, President of the UK's Royal Society• Prof. Joseph Taylor, 1993 Nobel Prize winner• Prof. Charles Townes, 1964 Nobel Prize winne• Prof. Robert Williams, President Elect. of the International Astronomical Union

(2009 - 2012)

ENDORSING ORGANISATIONS

• ASTRON: Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy• CIDA: Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomía, Venezuela• Cité des Sciences à Tunis: Tunis Science City• CSIC: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spanish National Research Council• EAAE: European Association for Astronomy Education• EUN: European Schoolnet• ESO: European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere• IAU: International Astronomical Union• IUPAP: International Union of Pure and Appllied Physics• KNAW: Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences• LDI: Learning Development Institute• Leiden University• LOFAR: The LOFAR Foundation, The Netherlands• NOVA: The Netherlands Research School in Astronomy• OCW: Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science• SRON: Netherlands Institute for Space Research• Sterrewacht Leiden: Leiden Observatory, The Netherlands• ZAH: Universität Heidelberg, Germany

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UNAWE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

• Numerous initiatives around the world– Often isolated– Growing interest and feedback for UNAWE

• Platform for communication and community– Exchange of ideas, experiences, material– Announcements, membership directory– Think-tank for bottom-up approach– Outlet for UNAWE ideas– Inclusion of other partner countries

UNAWE in Ireland

Questions

• Children– Who are the children who would benefit the most?

• Location, cultural background, language, learningenvironment, family structure, rural/urban, etc.

– What material captures their attention?

• Educators/teachers/minders• Enthusiasm, interest, time, incentives?

• Astronomy community

=> Wishlist for materials development

Questions

• Structure– Is passive/active support from the authorities likely?

– Is it better to aim for formal or informal educationsystems?

– Are there synergetic programmes to work with injoint ventures?

– Are there specific requirements for the training?

– Are there potential sources of funding that could beapproached to support UNAWE in Ireland?

Aim 2007 - 2008

• National Action Committee / Group– Collect background information and feedback to

ensure adapted programme

– Project plan for implementation• People, places, best practice, budget, funding possibilities,

etc.

– Organise national pilot activities (teachers)

– Participate in International pilot activities

Ireland and other UNAWE countries

• Benefits of international collaboration– Twinning between children but also teachers– Networking, exchange & showcase of ideas

• National astronomy meetings• Bridge with Academia

– “Live astronomy”– 2009 International Year of

Astronomy• Global events and projects

– EU Funding in FP7?

• It has already happened ...

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Thank you!

http://www.UNAWE.org/