1 Radio Jove, SID Monitors and K16 Science Education missions in

Radio Jove, SID Monitors and K16 Science Education missions in Ethiopia
Abebe Kebede,
Department of Physics, NC A&T State University
1601 East Market Street Greensboro NC 27411
email: [email protected] Website: http://sirius-b.ncat.edu
A viable astronomy and space science education at K16 level requires reasonable amount of
infrastructure for observation and trained teachers, access to information, library books and
access to literature and content. In this communication I will provide highlights of activities
related to these requirements, and the implications and the role of Radio Jove and SID monitors
to shape the dissemination astronomy and space science across the K16 communities.
Infrastructure development
Astronomy and space science are vital subject areas to inspire
future educators and space explorers. Major space agencies
such as NASA and ESA are leading the effort to inspire future
scientists, space explorers and educators using astronomy,
space science and technologies. For example, programs such
as radio-jove, space mathematics, Clouds, EarthCam, GLOBE
and Asteroid Search engage K12 students and teachers in
space studies. The distribution and the penetration of any of
the programs are limited in Ethiopia within the K16
communities. This creates a large number of citizens unaware
Current (blue) and Future (Yellow)
of their environment.
Until about 2007, the phrase
Radio Jove and SID Stations
“astronomy and space science” was known only to a handful
of university professors and their students. In November
2007 Ethiopia hosted the first workshop on the International
Heliophysical Year-Africa. During this workshop, thanks to
Mrs. Deborah Scherrer, several SID monitors were donated
to schools mostly located in Addis Ababa, the capital of
Ethiopia. Since that time several space science clubs were
formed in schools. Some of the club members participated in
activities related to the African Student Astrophysical
Kibrom Ebuy-Mekele University took
Training and Observation (ASTARO). In particular they
this picture of M31 using Tzec Maun
used remote telescopes located in Australia and New
Observatory in Australia
Mexico.
Thanks to Dr. Patrick Miller, Director of
International Asteroid Search Campaign (IASC), at Hardin
Simmons University, many students from Ethiopia participated in Asteroid search activities in
2009. In December 2010, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Lord William, and SARA we installed four
Radio Jove units in four schools in Asela. In December 2011, we plan to install two additional
Radio Jove units and seven SID monitors in several schools in Asela and Gondar. . Our plan, in
the next five years, is to install more SID and Radio Jove units in several high schools in
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Ethiopia. We found it useful to anchor the activities at local colleges and universities (yellow
markers), and slowly introduce them to the local high schools.
Teacher Workshops. Library books and educational resources
The new education paradigm requires the use of technology for
improved instruction and continuous teacher development at all
levels. There are two aspects of teacher development; the
effective use of information technology for instruction, and
conducting computer based demonstration and experiments. The
first case involves the application and proper use of the Internet,
specialized software programs to simulate physical phenomena,
societal mathematical and statistical models, to extract, process
Radio Jove-Finished product
and disseminate information. The second case will engage
students, capture their imagination, and enhance their interest in
science, mathematics and technology. With this in mind we
conducted two workshops in Asela, including a lecture on Radio
Jove and SID monitors. We also organized the 1st school of
Astronomy and Space Science at the University of Gondar.
About 2000 teachers and students participated in these activities.
The addition of the SID monitors will greatly enhance our abilities
to provide practical research oriented workshops in the future. In
2009 and 2010 we formed the Asela-Arsi School Development
Teachers and students are
Organization (AASDO), and conducted two major AASDO
putting it together the Radio
Missions to provide education support to schools in Asela. The
Jove kit
City of Asela has a population of 70,000 with 4 high schools,
two colleges and handful of elementary schools. Our
observations include poorly maintained classrooms, lack of
teachers enhancement programs, lack of books, laboratory
equipment, computers, Internet access and other resources. In
order to address the shortage of books and computers, we
collaborated with Books for Africa, and shipped over 24,000
books books, 10 computers and several soccer balls. During
the two missions we conducted teacher workshop and assisted
A student proudly shows his work to
in the assembly of four radio jove kits
fellow students –Asela, Ethiopia
12/16/2010
Future Education Mission and the needs
Preparation for ASSDO Mission in 2011 is underway. It targets a total of 15 high schools,
elementary schools, one major university, two teacher colleges, a technical school and a medical
college. These institutions are located in Asela and Gondar cities and they are more or less
representatives of Ethiopian schools, in size, student population and quality of instruction.
University of Gondar (UoG) and the Ethiopian Scientific and Academic Network (ESAN) will
facilitate the component of the mission in Gondar. We begin in Asela with the installation of the
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seven new SID monitors, followed by workshop in technology tools for teaching and learning.
The mission in Gondar is hosted by UOG and it includes a weeklong School of Astronomy,
Space Science and Technology in Education. This part of the mission also includes the
installation of two SID monitors and two Radio Jove kits. In
both towns a large number of teachers and students will
benefit. The major hindrances for the success of students
and teachers in Ethiopia are lack of access to computers,
information and inadequate libraries, as well as resources for
physical and metal development of the youth. In order to
address these critical issues, we collaborate with Books for
Africa to collect books, demonstration equipment, used
computers, solar powered calculators and balls. This is a
great opportunity for SARA community to contribute in
Asela-Gondar travel route
kind and financially to these efforts. More importantly the
quality of the workshops, particularly in space science can
be greatly improved with the involvement of SARA community. We envision a great opportunity
for SARA community to participate in K12 science outreach. The 2011 mission is packaged to
include volunteer from SARA and other scientific organizations who may be interested to give
lectures and demonstrations to teachers and to students in Ethiopia. We lack simple
demonstration equipment to show and tell mechanics,
electromagnetic phenomenon and state of matter. For the
2011 mission we desperately need equipment that we will
use to demonstrate physical principles of mechanics and
electromagnetism. Our wish list includes several Van DeGraff generators, demo equipment for optics, magnetism and
mechanics; we also need portable telescopes, solar powered
calculators, and used computers (less than 5 years old).
One of our signature demonstration will include the
phenomenon of electricity, magnetism and Electromagnetic
Spectrum: This demonstration describes the origin of color, and how color forms as light from a
source pass through a devise such as prism. This demo can be configured to fit all classes
including high schools. The topics include identifying colors in the rainbow, the source of
electricity and magnetism, atomic spectrum, atomic structure, discrete and continuous spectrum
energy, the sun, the solar system and beyond.
References
(1) Books for Africa (http://www.booksforafrica.org)
(2) 2nd School of Astronomy, Space Science and Technology in Education (http://siriusb.ncat.edu/ESDO/)
(3) AASDO Mission 2011 (http://sirius-b.ncat.edu//ESDO/)
(4) AASDO Mission 2010- Reception (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_tlvBR2jp0)
(5) Google Maps
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About the author
The end of 5K run,
AASDO Mission 2011,
Asela, Ethiopia
Dr. Abebe Kebede is Associate Professor Physics at North Carolina A&T
State University (NCAT). Kebede’s research and education endeavors
included fundamental studies of materials and space science. Kebede is
very active in international education. He recently organized the
International Heliophysical Year-Africa (IHY-Africa) and the
Scintillation Network Decision Aid (SCINDA) workshops in Ethiopia
and Cape Verde. He is the coordinator of several networks including the
African Scientific Network, The Ethiopian Scientific and Academic
Network, The Ethiopian Physical Society, the African Physical Society,
with a membership of over 6000 students and professionals from Africa
and the African Diaspora. Abeke is currently on 2000-mile run/walk/bike
campaign to bring awareness of the book famine in Ethiopia. Currently
AASDO missions include a 5K run on site. For further information on
AASDO Mission 2011, book and educational resources and financial
donations, please contact by emaik: [email protected] Tel: 336-2852113 and Website: http://sirius-b.ncat.edu
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