Overview

Hands-on Astronomy Curriculum Training for Primary and Secondary School Teachers (HOACTS) is a sustainable local socio-economic development workshop through Astronomy which is designed to promote astronomy appreciation among primary/secondary school science teacherswith physics and Engineering education students. It will promote Astronomy awareness using the CBSS 15cm David Levy comet Hunter Optical telescope with deep sky imaging camera and the 15cm Lunt Solar Telescope with relevant observing filters and software. It will also promote indigenous design and fabrication of small locally made optical telescopes using the CBSS 3-D Printer. In 2015, through the effort of the Centre for Basic Space Science Nsukka, in Nigeria, Astronomy has recently been accredited in the primary and Secondary School Teaching Curriculum. Through the past HBSST, Astronomy is fast spreading and accepted in all government and private secondary/primary across the country. This would be a unique opportunity to offer specialized training in Astronomy and basic space science teachers in government/private secondary and primary schools in Nigeria. Physics and Engineering students who are studying to become teachers also need to be trained to enable them learn how to implement the curriculum before they graduate. Since Astronomy education at this level is in a developing state, we need a serious awareness and training program across the country to develop these teachers who have already been employed to teach Astronomy at this basic educational level without any experience. It is important to note that most of these primary and secondary school science teachers are not astronomers but are charged to teach these subjects as part of the educational curriculum.This teacher hands-on training will aim at upgrading the skills, teaching tools and aids of these teachers, equipping them with innovative and simple method of teaching and learning. The 6-day practical workshop will hold in two different zones (Northern and Western). HBSST was earlier held in the Eastern and Sourtern part