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UNIVERSE AWARENESS UUNNAAWWEE

• Initiative for a worldwide scientific culture

• Expose very young (ages 4 - 10 years), underprivilegedchildren to the inspirational aspects of astronomy

– Broaden the minds of the children

– Enhance their understanding of the world

– Demonstrate the power of rational thought

UNIVERSE AWARENESS (UNAWE)

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MOTIVATION

• Beauty and size of the Universe excite young children

• Basic knowledge of the Universe is a birthright

• Ages 4-10 are crucial for child development

• Knowledge about the Universe can broaden the mind

• Why young and underprivileged children?– Need is greatest

– Cognitive disparities increase with age

– Cultural differences less pronounced

WHY ASTRONOMY?

• Astronomy is Science

• Astronomy is Culture and Human Development

• Astronomy is Multidisciplinary

• Astronomy is Exciting

• Harnessing Science (Education) for Peace

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GOALS OF UNAWE

• Communicate the beauty and scale of the Universe toyoung children– Excite and broaden their minds– Help develop a “world view”

• Use inspirational astronomy to develop cognitive skills

• Reach large numbers of children

• United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)– Universal Primary Education– Gender Equality in Primary School

PRINCIPLES OF UNAWE

• Inspiration is paramount– Emphasis on play and entertainment

• Bottom-up approach– Driven by the needs of the local cultures and educators

• General approach– Earth awareness and citizenship, membership of a diverse

human family

– Awareness of the Sun, planets, solar system, galaxy, theUniverse

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CHARACTERISTICS OF UNAWE

• Underprivileged children in diverse environments– Basic, intermediate, advanced

– Europe (e.g. inner cities) and Emerging countries

• Modular and phased– Will take account of stages in child development

• Exploits ethnic heritage of astronomy– Intangible cultural heritage

INGREDIENTS OF UNAWE• Material

– Games, Cartoons, Songs, Hands-on material– Developed by professionals– 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 of ideas, experience and materials

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EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS

MODULAR STRUCTURE

• Age groups– Levels of cognitive development

• Programme lengths and delivery methods– Remote areas vs. Inner cities– Educator training, standalone programmes

• Topics• Methods

– Culturally relevant: Involve indigenous cultures and their astronomy

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MATERIAL

• Playing and active stimulation– Songs, games, toys etc.– Model building that children can keep

• Excitement– Short adventure films– Cartoon characters, gripping adventure stories– Set in beautiful and exotic environments

• Internet (Advanced Environment)– Class twinning to reinforce Earth awareness– Developing countries often have darker skies

CORE TOPICS

• Sky Awareness– Observation and awareness

• Earth Awareness, Earth Citizenship– Seasons or no seasons– Diverse Human Family– Cultural diversity by comparison

• Solar System, Constellations and Planets– Scales, Comparative approach– Environmental awareness

• The Galaxy and the Exotic Universe– Adventure!

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METHODS

• Direct observations– Familiarisation

• Hands-on activities– Appropriation

• Playing and singing stories and myths– Experience

• Twinning activities, interactive software– Exchange and real-life experience

• Large input from local cultures

TEACHER TRAINING

• Training of Local Coordinators– Central contact point– Bottom-up approach: Making the programme theirs

• Role– Supervise programme in specific region– Maintain contact with schools and teachers– Take part in the development and the evaluation of UNAWE

• Practical Aspects– Training course by UNAWE– Approach will differ for each region

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BACKGROUND AND TIMELINE

BIRTH OF AN IDEA

• 2003 George Miley awarded a KNAW professorship

• 2004 Informal discussions

• May 2005 1st UNAWE multidisciplinary workshop, ESO, Germany

– International Steering Committee and 2 sub-committees set up.

• September 2005 Project Manager appointed

• October 2005: Meeting at UNESCO in Paris

• April 2006: Meeting in Heidelberg

• August 2006: Formal launch of UNAWE at the IAU XXVI GeneralAssembly

• October 2006: 2nd UNAWE multidisciplinary workshop

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• 2009– At least 4 Emerging countries and 4 EU member states– International Year of Astronomy…

TIMELINE

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013PREPARATIONPREPARATION

DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

IMPLEMENTATIONIMPLEMENTATION

EVALUATIONEVALUATION

UNAWE, A GLOBAL INITIATIVE

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WHO WE ARE

International Steering Committee

- George Miley (Leiden, Netherlands)- Claus Madsen (ESO)- Cecilia Scorza (Heidelberg, Germany)- Isa Baud (Amsterdam, Netherlands)- Alec Boksenberg (Cambridge, UK)- Karl Sarnow,(Brussels, Belgium)

Project Manager

- Carolina Ödman, Leiden, Netherlands

Organisation Sub-Committee

- Alec Boksenberg- Marina Joubert- Claus Madsen- George Miley

Education Sub-Committee

- Cecilia Scorza- Carmen Aleman- Gonzalo Argandona- Chandra Fernando- Birthe Kirknæs- Jesper Kirknæs- Naoufel Ben Maaouia- Bernat Martinez- Premana W. Premadi- Rosa M. Ros- Karl Sarnow- Henri Boffin- Richard West- Marie Rådbo- Douglas Pierce-Price

Venezuela National Action Committee

- Eloy Sira - Cecilia Scorza - Andres Cedeno - Marlene Morales Sueke - Franco della Prugna

Tunisia National Action Committee

- Naoufel Ben Maaouia - Abdelkader Oueslati

Team of 26 people of 15 nationalities with many teachers

CONTACTS AND COLLABORATORS

• EU:– Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy,

Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

• Non-EU:– Chile, Colombia, India, Indonesia, South Africa,

Tunisia, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela

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ENDORSEMENTS

• Prof. Ron Ekers, Fmr. President of the International Astronomical Union

• Prof. Riccardo Giacconi, 2002 Nobel Prize winner

• Sir Martin Rees (Baron Rees of Ludlow), President of the UK’s Royal Society

• Prof. Joseph Taylor, 1993 Nobel Prize winner

• Prof. Charles Townes, 1964 Nobel Prize winner

• Sir Bob Geldof, Entertainer and Development Aid Fundraiser

• Prof. Federico Mayor, President, Foundation for the Culture of Peace,[former Director General of UNESCO (1987-99)]

• Prof. Michel Mayor, First discoverer of extra-solar planets

ENDORSING ORGANISATIONS

• International Astronomical Union (IAU)

• European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the SouthernHemisphere (ESO)

• European Schoolnet (EUN)

• European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE)

• Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences (KNAW)

• Leiden University (UL)

• LOFAR Foundation

• Universität Heidelberg (ZAH)

• Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy (ASTRON)

• Netherlands Organisation for Space Research (SRON)

• Netherlands Research School in Astronomy (NOVA)

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UNAWE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

• Numerous initiatives around the world– Often isolated– Growing interest and feedback for UNAWE

• Platform for communication and community– Exchange of ideas, experiences, material– Announcements– Think-tank for bottom-up approach– Outlet for UNAWE ideas– Inclusion of other partner countries

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

http://www.UniverseAwareness.org/