About 'Galileo Teacher Training Program'

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) provides an excellent opportunity to engage the formal education community in the excitement of astronomical discovery as a vehicle for improving the teaching of science in classrooms around the world. An incredibly rich store of useful astronomy resources is available for such an effort, much of it in digital form and freely available on the internet. However, experienced educators and outreach specialists identify a critical impediment: many teachers lack the training to understand these resources or use them effectively in their curricula.

To address this problem and to sustain the legacy of IYA2009, the IAU - in collaboration with the National Nodes and leaders in the field such as the Global Hands-On Universe project, the US National Optical Astronomy Observatory and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific - is embarking on a unique global effort to empower teachers by developing the Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP).

The GTTP goal is to create a worldwide network of "Galileo Ambassadors" by 2012. These Ambassadors will train "Galileo Teachers" in the effective use and transfer of astronomy education tools and resources into classroom science curricula. The Galileo Teachers will be equipped to train other teachers in these methodologies, leveraging the work begun during IYA2009 in classrooms everywhere. Through workshops, online training tools and basic education kits, the products and techniques developed by this programme can be adapted to reach locations with few resources of their own, as well as computer-connected areas that can take advantage of access to robotic optical and radio telescopes, webcams, astronomy exercises, cross-disciplinary resources, image processing and digital universes (web and desktop planetariums).

Deliverables

1) Global network of Galileo teachers, that will last beyond 2009.
2) A Web site where a selection of resources will be found, forum, links to national contacts points, agenda of events, on-line training material, etc.
3) A certification programme and suggested course of study designed to produce Galileo Teachers trained to use the suggested educational materials and resources, and to train other teachers in their use.
4) A suggestion of educational resources and tools, ranked by the educational community and through pilot training efforts, stored on the web site and, as possible, available in other forms, from which trainers can select to meet the certification requirements for creating Galileo Teachers.
5) Goal: 3,000 to 6,000 certified Galileo Teachers around the world by 2012.

GTTP Session Certification Process

The GTTP Session aims to train teachers in the use of resources effectively in their astronomy curricula. GTTP also hopes to help educators inspire students to take up science careers and bring them to a new level of proficiency in science culture.

A GTTP Session needs to address some of the elementary themes of astronomy and use GTTP resources and tools. In order to be certified, a session must follow the criteria listed below:

• Address elementary themes and/or concepts of astronomy. To see a list, please visit:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Astronomy

• Use resources that address at least three types of activities, such as naked eye or small telescopes observations, hands-on activities, and new technologies, including robotic telescopes and data mining. An example list of resources and tools addressing each category can be found here:
http://www.site.galileoteachers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=7&Itemid=2

Note: these criteria can be discussed and relaxed in special circumstances.

A complete programme of the GTTP session must be submitted to the GTTP coordinator for certification. The application form can be found here and should be sent to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The application will be evaluated by the GTTP Task Group.

Disclaimer: the GTTP aims to train teachers in the effective use and transfer of astronomy education tools and resources into classroom science curricula. GTTP does not substitute formal training provided by national educational systems.

GTTP Sessions approval process

1. Submission to the GTTP Coordinator: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
2. Revision by 2 peers appointed by the GTTP Task Group
3. If approved, then it will be published on the GTTP website.

Galileo Ambassadors

Promoters of GTTP certified sessions will receive “Galileo Ambassadors” certificates.

Teachers Certificate

Teachers attending the training will be entitled to receive a certificate of participation.

Galileo Teachers

In order to receive a “Galileo Teacher” certificate the educator needs to present proof of utilization of the learned resources in classroom activities.