Shaw-IAU Workshops by the OAE

Here, we discussed our research and answers to the astronomy education issues that students face. We visited a school and conducted a teaching experiment there. We first presented astronomy in a standard manner. Later we presented the same ideas using working models, and exhibits and using less mathematical content. When we executed the identical assessment on students, we saw that their analytical abilities to comprehend the problems had greatly improved. The students quickly achieved the much-needed visualization skills compared to a standard way of teaching. The same kids now have no trouble solving astronomy-related mathematical problems that they previously had difficulty with. We visited many schools and got the same results. These methods enhanced their learning process.

Biography:

Mr. Suresh Parekh and Mr. Vaibhav Trivedi are students of masters with a major in physics and astronomy. Both are the founder of "ASTRONOMICA", the Astronomy club of St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, India. Their research interest includes radio astrophysics, observational astronomy, and black hole physics.

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