- Facilitator: Professor David Pundak and Dr. Boaz Ron Zohar
- Session Term: Summer 2023
The workshop goals
The workshop is designed to bring teachers together with the basics of astronomy. Its purpose is to present to physics teachers how the astronomical space in which we exist is studied, along with scientific principles on which astronomers are based when they come to study celestial bodies. The course will present how distances in the universe are measured, how information is extracted from starlight, and how to learn about the structure of stars.
This year, a robotic telescope was inaugurated at the Center for Astronomical Education at Kinneret Academic College to assist students in studying astronomy and space science. The center’s staff will carry out the training, emphasizing providing tools for teaching astronomy in practice.
Learning outcomes:
1. Understanding the structure of the main components of the solar system
2. Understanding of research and observation methods in astronomy
3. Development of a theory for the formation of the solar system
4. Analysis of observational parameters of stars and familiarization with their life course
5. Creation of tools for the teaching of these subjects in classrooms within the framework of 30%
6. You have built a foundation for doing research and learning about astronomy.
Description of the workshop and its contents:
The training will focus on two main topics. A. The basics of astrophysics – presentation of observational astronomy, the principles of spectroscopy and spectral types of stars, the sun as an example of a star in the main series, types of stars and their properties, the processes of creation, development, and death of stars. B. Astronomy pedagogy – building teaching tools: online textbook, presentations, activities, questions, research projects.
The learning method:
The workshop was online. Most of the learning and activities in the training are carried out via the Internet and online meetings at regular times. There were nine online meetings; only the last tenth meeting was face-to-face. Learning in an online course requires self-discipline; you must set study times during the week and dedicate the time needed to study the subjects studied. The participants in the workshop will perform activities and assignments every week.
Workshop subjects:
The basics of stargazing; light spectrum, telescopes; the sun is the home star; observational stars’ parameters; the birth of stars – the collapsing nebula theory; stellar evolution; stellar life development, stars’ death; summary meeting at Kinneret College – face to face.
