Voices of the World
Education, Research, Culture
SPACE, ASTRONOMY, ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
Erasmus project 2021-2-BE02-KA210-SCH-000051180
This Erasmus plus school project was inspired by our childhood desires of learning more
about space, our admiration of the stars and the devices we could use to
watch the stars and the planets from our little planet earth.
It is aimed to stimulate more students in STEM subjects.
The project contains three trainings, from teaching about the importance of our general knowledge of physics, astrophysics and astronomy to the engineering of various cameras and telescopes, all the way to learning modern photo editing tools (photoshop, gimp) to be able to elaborate
on the various colours of the universe, that our eyes are limited to offer.
There is an teaching methodology manual for teachers to integrate in their school curriculum The power point presentations, video links are to facilitate access for teachers in this subject.
Project design and implementation by Elnaz Shadras (PhD) training provided by physicist Dr. Marco Pezzutto
Training week with the stars in Nevsehir /Turkey
Training week with the stars in Tenerife / Spain
School Partners
IES MANUEL MARTÍN GONZÁLEZ - High school / Vocational school
Tenerife / Spain
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The IES Manuel Martín González is an institute for Secondary Education, Baccalaureate and Vocational Training located in the municipality of Guía de Isora, in the southeast of the island of Tenerife. It is an area of the island that until relatively recently was isolated from the main urban centers, since there was no fluid communication route to our municipality . This fact has meant that our students have had fewer options when it comes to moving around or carrying out activities outside the municipality. Therefore, Erasmus opportunities has opened many opportunities for IES institute and students.
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NENE HATUN Girls high school / Vocational school
Nevsehir / Turkey
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The all girls public high school, which also hosts many refugees, is based on the education conception of our school is constructivism and project based in which students are in the center. The school´s main objective is to provide our pupils a high quality general education for them to acquire the key competences and the personal abilities needed to become competent European Citizens. Our school fosters the creation of a variety of learning approaches and contexts in order to introduce pupils of all the levels in the today's highly technological world giving them the skills required.
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Project goals
The project of space and astronomy was inspired by our personal memories of studying about the planets and space during our school years in the 80’s and 90’s. Back then we did not have the technology or the access we have today but it still was as fascinating as it today.
With the decrease of number of European students interested in STEM subjects, the study of space and astronomy with an artistic touch on photography seemed a great way to stimulate curiosity in STEM subjects.
A study done by the university of Liege department of Astrophysics and Geophysics (Naze et al, 2005) and the K.U.Leuven university show how the study of astronomy can inspire students to study physics; by suggesting in bringing the study of Astronomy into schools.
Through the opportunity that Erasmus+ education programs offer to educators and students, this project aims to suggest a teaching methodology in which would not only foster students interest in space, science, and technology, but also liberate youth from the idea that STEM subjects are only for geniuses and only be acquired by a certain type of students. It is also to show and share how arts and science can be connected.
This project offered three trainings in all three partner countries, with a practical and interactive learning methodology that could be integrated by school teachers and schools into their curriculum. VOW's Physicist trainer and a passionate photographer, demonstrated how physics can be connected to many aspects of life, the importance of light, our modern photography's engineering and much more.
After interactively learning the engineering of the telescope, we mantled it together in the wilderness of Teide Volcano of Tenerife and the king and love valley of Nevsehir.
Students learned how to use a motored telescope (why motored is important), how to use camera light setting for night photography. We spent hours under the dark sky with just the milky way looking down on us, taking pictures and discovering our closest planets Jupiter and Saturn through the telescope.
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The astrophotography done by the students and teachers were worked on, while learning how to edit pictures in a professional way. The results of the photography were later presented as photo exhibition by all three partners in their respective countries.
We conducted a research to understand if the project is a success to integrate in to the teaching curriculum, and we got great results.
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Handbook for teachers and power point presentations
Our Handbook for teachers and power point presentations shared on our website is for teachers to have a module / curriculum ready for them to teach from.
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This section is for teachers and schools to have a curriculum ready and power point presentations ready to be used.
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The E-magazine in its complete form is in pdf for you to download (under the button E-magazine)
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POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS FOR THEORITICAL AND PRACTICAL TRAINING - when clicking on it you may see or download the PowerPoint presentations