Global Hands-On Universe Conference 2015. 4-5 August 2015, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Abstract: For more than 5 years GTTP has been implemented in Chile with a relevant number of teachers attending from different private and public schools nationwide. The tools taught have been useful to improve not only the level of understanding in Astronomy among school students, but also the relevance of Math use on it. It is necessary to reinforce following up and gathering methodologies, thus teachers can be supervised on their improvements by one hand, and also they can share successes and good practices with teachers in Chile and other countries.

1. Enhancing a sustainable GTTP
structure in Chile with an Internet
infrastructure and regular workshops
Sergio Cabezón
EPO Officer in Chile
Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI)
National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)
GTTP Representative in Chile

2. GTTP in Chile at a Glance
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✓ GTTP Presence
• GTTP started up training Chilean teachers at 2010.
• 139 teachers from all around the country trained since
2010 (from Science and Physics areas, elementary and
secondary education). This shows around 30 teachers are
trained each year (having even more in some sessions).
• Five versions organized, and almost 11,700 school
students benefited. From public, semi public and private
schools.
• Funding got from private and public institutions, like
Codelco, US Embassy, MIM museum and U. Católica
(US$120,000 collected up to now).

3. GTTP in Chile at a Glance
•Always with the support of local universities and Astronomy Departments
mainly: Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (the two
main universities in the country), and Universidad de Antofagasta.
•Two teachers benefited with scholarship for a short trainee at Lawrence
Laboratory at UC, Berkeley.
•Evaluation to GTTP in Chile highlights attendants' interest on its contents and
tools and their intention to register on this program.
•21 teachers attending last session in 2015
•Next GTTP version, January 2016 in Santiago.

4. • Since last session in Chile GTTP is working along University of California to
design and maintain a local web site where Chilean teachers could find
and share pedagogical tools about GTTP in Spanish. Also, this will be a
place for forums, video conferences, links to local point of contact, events
agendas, etc. Teachers were trained in how to use it, but still it shows a
low use.
GTTP in Chile at a Glance

5. Why GTTP has became a relevant
opportunity for Chilean teachers?
• Because it keeps exixting and training teachers
after 5 years in a row, something that is unusual
on Astronomy trainings in Chile.
• Because it gives teachers a local credential that
increases their salaries.
• And last but not least, because it is FREE!

6. What teachers say about GTTP in Chile *:
• Contents taught are a contribution for
my professional development
*on a basis of 5 categories: being 1 “don’t apply”, 2 “totally disagree”, 3 “disagree”, 4 “agree” and 5 “totally agree”.
Evaluation from 7 teachers trained in different years who gave their feedback on a survey.
• Content are relevant to teach
astronomy to students
• Content are applicable to astronomy contents
within Chilean school curricula
• Technological tools taught in GTTP are a
contribution to teach astronomy in
classes
don’t apply
totally disagree
disagree
agree
totally agree
don’t apply
totally disagree
disagree
agree
totally agree
don’t apply
totally disagree
disagree
agree
totally agree
don’t apply
totally disagree
disagree
agree
totally agree

7. • Math exercises taught in GTTP are a
contribution to teach astronomy in classes
• A track metodology to trained teacher
experiences would be a contribution to
improve GTTP efficacy in clases
*One person doesn’t know or doesn’t answer this question.
*on a basis of 5 categories: being 1 “don’t apply”, 2 “totally disagree”, 3 “disagree”, 4 “agree” and 5 “totally agree”.
Evaluation from 7 teachers trained in different years who gave their feedback on a survey.
don’t apply
totally disagree
disagree
agree
totally agree
don’t apply
totally disagree
disagree
agree
totally agree
What teachers say about GTTP in Chile *:

8. -Suggestions:
•Keeping track from teachres’ experiences after being trained in GTTP
•Promoting that trained teachers can share experiences and contents
permanently each others (net)
-Comments:
•Gratitude for dignifying teachers’s professional condition
•Good and high academical level of trainers
•Tools taught are good and useful to use in classrooms (SalsaJ, Stellarium,
galileoscopes)
•Although GTTP contents are not directly linked with local secondary
education curricula, they are usful for other instances of classes (i.e.
astronomy academies or clubs).
*Evaluation from last GTTP on a basis of 42 teachers who gave the evaluation back
What teachers say about GTTP in Chile *:

9. Considering teachers’ suggestions in the
survey, some ideas to enhance GTTP
presence in Chile:
• Essentially they prefer somebody keeps more track on what they are doing, and in
getting instances for periodical meetings where they can share experiences each
others.
• Yearly workshops show a high number of attendants, what shows the teachers’
interest on this program. Then, periodical meetings with trained teachers between
yearly sessions are a good chance for them to share information and their daily
work (in person meetings or online ones).
• In each one of these meetings it is necessary to reinforce the sense and value of
the local website for their work (using it with exercises, homeworks, etc.)
• Giving some tasks during the workshop, where they not only need to show
evolution of work, but also work together on complete these tasks.

10. THANKS!
(to get info: scabezon@nrao.cl)