Cosmic Explorers: Igniting STEM and Astronomy in schools
Year Awarded
2023
Amount
€60,000
- Organisation:Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
- Co-funded with Dept of Education:Yes
- Audience:Primary Students
- Format:Formal Education
- Location:Cavan, Donegal, Louth, Monaghan
- Topic:Space Related
Project Summary
Cosmic Explorers is a STEM project aimed at schools, specifically designed to inspire and engage young minds in the captivating world of science and astronomy. We will enhance learning and foster engagement among students with diverse learning requirements, through innovation and inspiring visualisations. The project is aimed at primary schools, students studying Junior Cycle and special schools within the border counties of Ireland, bringing the wonders of space directly to them.
Our objective is to make science accessible to all, emphasising that STEM is for everyone. Recognising the importance of sustained engagement, the project will not only deliver its core program to pupils but also provide teacher CPD sessions.
Our mission is to demonstrate that anyone can actively participate in STEM and enjoy the process-a true embodiment of education by stealth. We aim to expand participation, ensuring equal opportunities for everyone to explore the stars and find inspiration to become Ireland’s next space engineer or even an astronaut. Moreover, the project sheds light on the diverse array of ground-based careers in STEM that are both attainable and rewarding.
Working closely with teachers, we will co-design sessions that align with the curriculum. Each session will last 30-minutes with the portable planetarium dome available for the entire school day. Furthermore, a careers astronomy element with Q&A is included with CPD to teachers. With special school teachers, we will break down barriers and nurture a passion for science among pupils creating a programme that is “with us not for us”.