New Perspectives in Science Education

The paper presents some educational activities offered by the Astrophysics and Space Science Observatory Bologna (INAF – OAS) to students of the primary and secondary schools, to promote Astrophysics using the STEM educational approach. The proposed activities made students enthusiastic about science and technology, giving them the opportunity to get in touch with research staff who is daily involved in the proposed subjects: astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration. Students are helped to develop computational thinking and skills through the Scratch tool which, by its very nature, involves not only the computational and logical-mathematical intelligence, but also the emotional and expressive sphere. In addition, they are helped to develop skills related to science and technology by creating paper circuits, making instruments, and building 3D paper models of space satellites. For students of the secondary school, educational robotics combines coding with creativity and technology: in the robot design and assembling process, students experience problem solving, building their knowledge using the science studied at school and discovering how useful and fun it is. The study of planets and moons of our solar system provides an opportunity to design robot and, during the activities, researchers and technologists of the National Institute of Astrophysics explore aspects of astronomy and space exploration. The strengths of all the proposed activities are to generate enthusiasm and ignite curiosity for the astronomical subjects, the solicitation to creativity, the gratification deriving from the autonomous realization of the final product, and the playful learning of advanced digital technology.

Keywords: STEM, astrophysics, educational challenge, coding, making, Scratch;

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