Enhancing a sustainable GTTP structure in Chile with an Internet

infrastructure and regular workshops

Sergio Cabezón EPO Officer in Chile Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) GTTP Representative in Chile

GTTP in Chile at a Glance

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✓ GTTP Presence

• GTTP started up training Chilean teachers at 2010.

• 139 teachers from all around the country trained since

2010 (from Science and Physics areas, elementary and secondary education). This shows around 30 teachers are trained each year (having even more in some sessions).

• Five versions organized, and almost 11,700 school students benefited. From public, semi public and private schools.

• Funding got from private and public institutions, like Codelco, US Embassy, MIM museum and U. Católica (US$120,000 collected up to now).

GTTP in Chile at a Glance

•Always with the support of local universities and Astronomy Departments mainly: Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (the two main universities in the country), and Universidad de Antofagasta.

•Two teachers benefited with scholarship for a short trainee at Lawrence Laboratory at UC, Berkeley.

•Evaluation to GTTP in Chile highlights attendants' interest on its contents and tools and their intention to register on this program.

•21 teachers attending last session in 2015

•Next GTTP version, January 2016 in Santiago.

• Since last session in Chile GTTP is working along University of California to design and maintain a local web site where Chilean teachers could find and share pedagogical tools about GTTP in Spanish. Also, this will be a place for forums, video conferences, links to local point of contact, events agendas, etc. Teachers were trained in how to use it, but still it shows a low use.

GTTP in Chile at a Glance

Why GTTP has became a relevant opportunity for Chilean teachers?

• Because it keeps exixting and training teachers after 5 years in a row, something that is unusual on Astronomy trainings in Chile.

• Because it gives teachers a local credential that increases their salaries.

• And last but not least, because it is FREE!

What teachers say about GTTP in Chile *:

• Contents taught are a contribution for my professional development

*on a basis of 5 categories: being 1 “don’t apply”, 2 “totally disagree”, 3 “disagree”, 4 “agree” and 5 “totally agree”. Evaluation from 7 teachers trained in different years who gave their feedback on a survey.

• Content are relevant to teach

astronomy to students

• Content are applicable to astronomy contents

within Chilean school curricula

• Technological tools taught in GTTP are a contribution to teach astronomy in classes

don’t apply

totally disagree

disagree

agree

totally agree

don’t apply

totally disagree

disagree

agree

totally agree

don’t apply

totally disagree

disagree

agree

totally agree

don’t apply

totally disagree

disagree

agree

totally agree

• Math exercises taught in GTTP are a contribution to teach astronomy in classes

• A track metodology to trained teacher experiences would be a contribution to improve GTTP efficacy in clases

*One person doesn’t know or doesn’t answer this question.

*on a basis of 5 categories: being 1 “don’t apply”, 2 “totally disagree”, 3 “disagree”, 4 “agree” and 5 “totally agree”. Evaluation from 7 teachers trained in different years who gave their feedback on a survey.

don’t apply

totally disagree

disagree

agree

totally agree

don’t apply

totally disagree

disagree

agree

totally agree

What teachers say about GTTP in Chile *:

-Suggestions:

•Keeping track from teachres’ experiences after being trained in GTTP

•Promoting that trained teachers can share experiences and contents

permanently each others (net)

-Comments:

•Gratitude for dignifying teachers’s professional condition

•Good and high academical level of trainers

•Tools taught are good and useful to use in classrooms (SalsaJ, Stellarium,

galileoscopes)

•Although GTTP contents are not directly linked with local secondary

education curricula, they are usful for other instances of classes (i.e.

astronomy academies or clubs).

*Evaluation from last GTTP on a basis of 42 teachers who gave the evaluation back

What teachers say about GTTP in Chile *:

Considering teachers’ suggestions in the survey, some ideas to enhance GTTP

presence in Chile:

• Essentially they prefer somebody keeps more track on what they are doing, and in getting instances for periodical meetings where they can share experiences each others.

• Yearly workshops show a high number of attendants, what shows the teachers’ interest on this program. Then, periodical meetings with trained teachers between yearly sessions are a good chance for them to share information and their daily work (in person meetings or online ones).

• In each one of these meetings it is necessary to reinforce the sense and value of the local website for their work (using it with exercises, homeworks, etc.)

• Giving some tasks during the workshop, where they not only need to show evolution of work, but also work together on complete these tasks.

THANKS!

(to get info: scabezon@nrao.cl)