Astronomy is one of the most inspirational fields, and can be used to teach students of all ages about a wide range of aspects of science, from the chemistry of comets to the origins of the Universe.

The Hands-on Astronomy conferences will train teachers, technicians and other educators on the use of these interactive tools in the classroom, complete with curriculum links and resources for teachers and students. They are primarily aimed at secondary school teachers, and teachers will take away:

• Membership of a Europe-wide community of science teachers
• Innovative and interactive resources for a range of student ages
• Examples of cutting-edge science that can be used in the classroom
• In-depth training on using the resources with a range of ages
• Training for using online delivery and assessment tools
• Use of robotic telescopes from all over the world in your classroom

Funding

The cost of the course is free. The conference is offered in collaboration with the National Science Learning Centre. Funding for teachers, tutors, technicians and teaching assistants at state schools, academies and colleges is available through the ENTHUSE Awards, in collaboration with the National Science Learning Centre and Techniquest. Teachers eligible for the ENTHUSE Awards will get a £400 bursary, providing the three days of the conference are attended. Please use the links below to register for the bursary.

Additional funding can be applied for. Please contact us for more information.

Provisional programme

The conference is split into two 2-day sub-conferences, each with a follow-up in July. Teachers are only expected to attend one sub-conference

Each day will be approximately 10am – 5pm. A detailed agenda will follow in due course.

Venue and logistics

The meeting will be held at the School of Physics and astronomy, which is a 15-20 minute walk from Cardiff Central Station, and 5 minutes from Cardiff Queen Street. We have also produced a map of the local area. The address is: Queen’s Buildings, The Parade, Cardiff, CF24 3AA.

Things to do in Cardiff

If you are staying overnight, Cardiff is an exciting and vibrant city, with lots to do.

• Doctor Who is filmed in Cardiff, with the Doctor Who Experience located in Cardiff Bay
• The National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, just 10 minutes’ walk from the School of Physics and Astronomy, is home to many excellent exhibits.
• Cardiff Bay, which is just a short train ride from the department, is home to a good number of bars and restaurants, as well as an impressive view over the bay.

More information

If you would like any more information, please contact us:

Email: ise@astro.cf.ac.uk
Telephone: 02920 870 537

Partner organisations

This conference is a collaboration between Inspiring Science Education, Cardiff University, Open Discovery Space, National Schools’ Observatory, Go-LAB, Faulkes Telescope Project, LCOGT, National Science Learning Centre and Techniquest.