ARCturus

Making observations outdoors under the night sky is a natural way to start the astronomy teaching. Finding the brightest stars and most well-known constellations inspires the students to find other objects in the sky. If the Moon and the planets can also be seen, it is an extra bonus to the observer. Binoculars and a telescope open a deeper window to the secrets of a night sky. Literature, newspapers and of course the Internet help in digging up more information. It is undeniable that the Internet is the best means of acquiring basic information, making new discoveries and providing illustrative material of high quality. And there is more: either the importance of the contacts between the experts and the amateurs should not be underestimated.

Aim: To learn to make full use of the Internet’s potential for acquiring information and using it.

 

Acquiring information: On the websites of many astronomical organizations there are sections for the teachers. They can use the valuable information when teaching astronomy. Photos of astronomical objects taken by using large observation tools are also available for private purposes for everyone. In addition to this, various search tools and, of course, the source material in the libraries are very useful for acquiring information. There are also myriad application programmes, with the help of which it is possible to venture here and there in space and get the feeling of being a part of a racing trip throughout space.

 

Instructions: To start using the web browser input a keyword of an interesting topic. This may produce a bunch of addresses. It is worthwhile to open some of them, but it is the best to be careful with their contents. On the Internet, there is a myriad of false information with problems either in the validity or reliability. For the sake of reliability, it is recommended to use the websites of well-known and acknowledged international organizations as a source of information, especially in the beginning of the studies. When the student gets more experience and his expertise is piling up, he can easily assess the validity of the source.

 

Materials: Every school has computers available for the students, at least for the needs of the lessons. The students can seek independently information needed for the tasks, or they can get acquainted with a certain programme by browsing the menus. For their literary or oral presentations, they may be given permission to print a piece of information or a picture to be attached to their notebook or poster. The students can also gather their pictures and text pieces together and make a collage on the classroom wall.

 

Pondering: It is worthwhile to discuss often with the students the policy of using the Internet and the reliability of the source material. The students need to be encouraged to critical thinking among the overwhelming amount of information. They will also need practice in picking and selecting necessary and sufficient information.

 

Evaluation of results: With the results of the group at hand, use joint debates with the students to urging them to evaluate the reliability, amount and sufficiency of the information in the presentations. Ask the students also to suggest means of improving them in order to reach a better result. In this process, the teacher can survey the opinions and attitudes of the students as to acquiring and selecting information and correct the misunderstandings aroused.

 

Hints: On the websites of space organizations, astronomical associations and scientific astronomical research institutes, there are plenty of useful and reliable materials for the schools. Also the quality of the photos taken by the space telescope Hubble and other huge telescopes is excellent. They can be used as source material in all astronomy teaching.

Keywords: Space organization, Hubble, space center, astronomical association, observatory, curriculums of astronomy teaching

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