FA090 Teaching astronomy in the middle school

Faculty of Science
Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 1 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Vladimír Štefl, CSc. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Michal Lenc, Ph.D.
Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Vladimír Štefl, CSc.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course subjects to didactical analysis themes of teaching astronomy at secondary schools. Main objectives can be summarized as follows: to inform students about present situation of textbooks, teaching materials, tools; to understand the basic ideas of modern astronomy; to acquire on selected examples physical substance of cosmical bodies and astronomical phenomena; to inform students about new trends in teaching astronomy at countries in middle Europe
Syllabus
  • 1.Specificity of a teaching in astronomy (relations among astronomy, physics, mathematics, chemistry and philosophy)
  • 2.Pedagogic and psychologic aspects of the teaching (how to develop the thought and the creative abilities of the students)
  • 3.Exploitation of computers in the teaching
  • 4.Models in astronomy
  • 5.How to verify the knowledge of students
  • 6.Teaching of astronomy in the elementary and the secondary school,characteristics of individual topics
  • 7.Gravitational field
  • 8.Fundamental parameters of stars. Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
  • 9.Stars. Systems of stars
  • 10.Galaxies
  • 11.Cosmogony. Cosmology
Literature
  • Štefl, V.: Výuka astronomie na gymnáziu. UJEP, Brno 1987.
  • Bernhard, H., Lindner, K., Schukowski, M.: Wissensspeicher Astronomie. Volk und Wissen Volkseigener Verlag, Berlin 1986.
  • Zeilik, M., Gregory, S.A.: Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth 1998.
Teaching methods
class discussion, individual presentations by students
Assessment methods
class discussion, individual presentations by students
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Spring 2002, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, spring 2012 - acreditation.