Speaker
Description
Astronomy outreach at the primary school level plays a vital role in building STEM interest across Africa. This presentation shares experiences and outcomes from a targeted astronomy outreach program conducted across four primary schools in Kenya’s Trans-Nzoia and Kiambu counties, reaching over 300 students in grades 4 and 5 by Elimisha Msichana Elimisha Jamii na Astronomia (EMEJA). The initiative, supported by a seed grant for Cascade Outreach Activities by the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) Education and Outreach Committee, in collaboration with the Inter-university Institute for Data-Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) and the IAU General Assembly 2024, focused on fundamental astronomical concepts including Earth’s rotation and revolution, and the solar system.
Our outreach employed an interactive, hands-on approach to astronomy education, moving beyond traditional lecture-based methods. Students were organized into collaborative groups where they engaged in practical activities, including drawing and painting the planets of our solar system. This approach was designed to make complex astronomical concepts more accessible and memorable for young learners, while simultaneously nurturing their artistic and teamwork skills. The activities were conducted at Kuriot, Noigam, and Kapsirowa primary schools in Kachibora, Kitale, and Wangige Primary in Kiambu, representing both rural and semi-urban communities. This geographical diversity provided insights into the varying needs and responses of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds to astronomy education.
Our experience suggests that hands-on, creative approaches to teaching astronomy significantly enhance student engagement and understanding of basic astronomical concepts. The program's success demonstrates the potential for similar initiatives to be scaled across other African countries, contributing to the continent's growing astronomical literacy and scientific capacity. This presentation will share practical insights from implementing the program, including our methodology, student responses, challenges encountered, and recommendations for conducting similar outreach activities in other African contexts. We will also discuss the potential for creating a network of astronomy education initiatives across primary schools in Kenya and beyond.
| Stream | Education Development and Outreach |
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