DAVID LOCKETT
Observatories at the Extreme Chilean Telescopes and Southern Sky Experience
NSF Awards: 1439408
2017 (see original presentation & discussion)
Grades K-6, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12, Undergraduate, Graduate, Adult learners, Informal / multi-age
The Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassadors Program (ACEAP) is a program that brings amateur astronomers, planetarium personnel, and K-16 formal and informal astronomy educators to US astronomy facilities in Chile. The ambassadors visit Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), Gemini-South Observatory, and the Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA) along with smaller tourist observatories. The ambassadors also participate in local school outreach. The program is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. In 2016, nine ambassadors were chosen from across the United States and Puerto Rico to travel to Chile and learn about the observatories, researchers, and science being conducted.
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Tami LaFleur
K-12 STEM Coordinator
I appreciate the term you used- "challenge-based learning" vs project-based learning. This makes sense when working on engineering projects. How do educators get involved in the Observatory in Chile? Do educators need to have an astronomy background beforehand? Is this an on-going project with more ambassadors being chosen? What a great opportunity for educators to share with students in the US.
David Lockett
David Lockett
STEM Teacher
Formulating challenges student will address is the cornerstone of challenge based learning. Educators can get involved with the observatory in many ways thru star parties, solar eclipse studies, and more. The ambassador program is ongoing with a new cohort scheduled to visit in Summer '17.
Michael Kolodziej
Associate Vice President
David,
I wish I had the opportunity to participate in this as a student! Also, It's great that you are continuing to engage the participants after the fact and it sounds like you have a variety of ways in which this is accomplished. Do you have any sort of web presence or social community that supports the ongoing engagement?
Deborah Silvis
It is great that one learning objective sounds like to understand the role of astro-tourism in the region. This emerging sociopolitical/scientific issue seems really important for young people to encounter in a transnational project like this. I wonder what kinds of local responses you have seen in this regard to the telescope infrastructure broadly and specifically to your project?
David Lockett
David Lockett
STEM Teacher
Astro-tourism brings together the exciting sphere of travel, exploration and expedition with an equally exiting sphere of astronomy. The domains are derivatives of ‘exploration’ the fundamental trait of astronomy.
Tami LaFleur
K-12 STEM Coordinator
Yes, have you gotten local responses?
David Lockett
Dale McCreedy
Vice President of Audience & Community Engagement
Wow - I had no idea there were so many facilities in Chilé! This sounds like a rich and intensive learning experience for all! Can you say more about what happens after? It sounds like the ambassadors may not be located near one another? How do they share their learning with others upon their return? Do they have objectives, requirements, obligatory presentations?? Just wondering as the connection of planetarium folks, amateur astronomers and K-16 teachers - especially after having spent this time together - could be especially interesting if they work together upon their return in some way?
David Lockett
David Lockett
STEM Teacher
Ambassadors are from all parts of the country. Ambassadors share their learning through scheduled outreach at conferences, webinars, etc...Many ambassadors have presented joint projects as well as designed planetarium shows around the Chile' visit.
Melissa Sheffer
I see in your description that you do school outreach while the ambassadors are learning at the facilities. What types of outreach programs you do you do? Are the programs for student's challenge based for the students just as they are for the ambassadors? Additionally, how long do the ambassadors stay in Chile for the experience?
David Lockett
David Lockett
STEM Teacher
I served as an ambassador as well as provide STEM outreach. My focus recently is STEM integration, upon which I will return this summer and work with a local school. The experience typically lasts for a week. The programs for students allow for workable capstones for their project, work on solutions, and publishing those solutions online.
Tami LaFleur
K-12 STEM Coordinator
David, what ages are the Chilean students? What has been their response?
David Lockett
David Lockett
STEM Teacher
Great question. We are planning on working with high school students this summer.
Dale McCreedy
Vice President of Audience & Community Engagement
Do you have a strategy for following the implementation of efforts at the institutions represented in your visit? I saw a past colleague in the group - wondering what is happening at that institution and around the world...
David Lockett
David Lockett
STEM Teacher
Implementing astronomy based activities around local educational outreach is paramount. We look to strengthen the existing curriculum as well bolster efforts for future outreach activities.
Further posting is closed as the event has ended.