"Universe Awareness - Inspiring Young Children" S. Levin Presented at: Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2007 (CAP 2007) Athens, Greece Date: October 9, 2007

1. UNIVERSE AWARENESS
Inspiring Young Children
CORNERSTONE PROJECT for IYA 2009
Sarah Levin
Universe Awareness
Athens, October 9, 2007
http://www.unawe.org/
Is ‘Hubble’ really a household word?
Astronomy outreach programmes successfully convey
the excitement of science to the public
• Popular
• Numerous
• Diverse
• Limited
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2. ASTRONOMY OUTREACH IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
• SAAO/SALT space camps
• IUCCA-
Children’s Science Centre
• Global Hands on Universe
UNIVERSE AWARENESS (UNAWE)
Initiative for a worldwide scientific culture.
Exposes very young (ages 4 - 10)
disadvantaged children to the inspirational aspects of
astronomy.
Aims to
• Broaden their world view
• Awaken the scientific mind
• Stimulate internationalism
and tolerance
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3. Inspiring children with their beautiful
universe
• Local context
• Ethno-astronomical heritage
• Regional folklore
• Cultural pride
Plus
• Exposure to alternative views
• Affirmation of commonality
Why very young disadvantaged
children
• Basic knowledge of the universe is a birthright
• Ages 4 - 10 are crucial for critical thinking and a
personal/social value system
• Benefit most from ECCE
• Early intervention increases chances of continuing
basic education
• Includes support and education of carers
• ‘Poor’ communities have ‘rich’ skies
• UN Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs)
Universal Primary Education
Gender Equality in Primary School
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4. MEGA CONCEPTS
“The universe is everything you see,
you know, or you can imagine exists around us, as far
as you can possibly think”
Vasiliki Spiliotopoulos
INITIAL KNOWLEDGE
• Not blank slates
• Innate, naïve and observed understanding
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5. LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
• Learning from birth
• Different ways of knowing
• Birthdays
Dr Spitzer and M51 (JPL)
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6. UNAWE Approach to developing
materials
• Inspiration is paramount
-Emphasis on play and fun
• Bottom-up approach
- Driven by the needs of the local communities and educators
– Delivered using local means of transmission
– Local means of production/distribution
• The advantage of diversity
Ingredients of UNAWE
• Materials
– Games, Cartoons, Activities
– Developed by educators
– Produced/translated into
various languages
• Teacher Training
– Coordinators in each target country
– Tailored to each country and community
• International Network
– Platform for Outreach professionals and volunteers worldwide
– Exchange ideas, experience and materials
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7. Pilot Projects
• Venezuela:
– UNESCO Schools network, Astronomy community, Ministry of Science
and Education
• Tunisia
– Science City, Teacher training and travelling “Astro-Bus”, Ministries of
Family Affairs and of Education
• India
– TNSF, Pratham
• South Africa
– SALT Collateral Benefits programme, DST
& SAASTA
• Colombia
– Private Initiative, MALOKA
• Indonesia
– BOBO Magazine, Student volunteers, Open days
INDIA
TNSF/Pratham
• Who- street kids, child labourers, informal education, the
‘nowhere’ children.
• How Holistic literacy, health, hygiene campaigns
• What-street theatre,traditional song cycles, backs of buses,
comics
• Respect/ sensitivity to local cultural rule
Eclipse Awareness campaigns
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8. COLOMBIA
• Motivated community
of self-taught astronomers
• Experience with street kids
• Local entrepreneur
VENEZUELA
• ( Refer to Dr. Cecilia de Scorza)
• -Teacher training workshops
• - Gov’t policy conducive to
• science outreach to the poor
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9. SOUTH AFRICA
• Strong movement promoting
indigenous role models
• DST committed to
communicating astronomy
TUNISIA
• City of Sciences
• Science Caravan
•Gov’t organized youth
clubs
•Teacher training workshops
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10. International Pilot Activities
• Lunar Eclipse March 2007
– Skypecast: ~ 15 countries 4 continents, ~ 60 people aged 7 - ...
– Easy to organise at short notice
• Sutherland, South Africa - Preston, UK April 2007
– Skype Video Chat between learners
• Cape Town, South Africa - Chennai,
India April 2007
– International National day
• Live Astronomy
– 3-way exchange: latitude & longitude
UNAWE and IYA 2009
• Full implementation by 2009
• ‘The Universe in a Box’ (incl ‘Galileoscope’)
• Books, songs, posters, games
• Cartoons, adventure animation films
• UNAWE-produced
-adopted
-recommended
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11. MORE INFORMATION
http://www.UNAWE.org/
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