Prof Dr Oliver Schwarz and Dr Ina Stricker from the ‘Didactics of Physics’ department and Bastian Thelen from the Oberberg Education Office visited the school observatory to develop an educational concept for physics lessons with a focus on astronomy. In an extended discussion with the three experts, we explored various approaches to strengthening physics teaching from primary school to upper secondary school. The central aim is to support teachers in fulfilling the compulsory core curriculum with its astronomical content at our extracurricular learning centre. Initial steps have been decided and are to be implemented in the near future. In the long term, the aim is to provide permanent support for physics lessons at schools.
Prof Schwarz mentioned the possibility that a pedagogical secondment (teacher) should be considered as a first step. This teacher would teach only astronomy at various schools in turn in order to relieve the pressure on physics lessons at several schools at the same time. In a second step, this person could also give practical lessons at the school observatory using the instruments in our school lab. At the same time, the observatory could serve as a base for teacher training, which would be underpinned by a ‘didactic concept’ to be developed at the University of Siegen.
We want to stabilise astrophysics lessons at our observatory. If you come once, you don’t learn anything. You have to be there regularly!