Space for All: A Multinational Study on the Status of Astronomy Education

Overview & Synopsis

Existing research in astronomy education is largely centred on undergraduates. We conducted this qualitative study to explore examples of astronomy education internationally, providing context to the quantitative study by Salimpour et al. (2021). Our methods included an online survey (N = 68) and 10 interviews with select participants to discover the methods of learning and teaching astronomy in K12. We used thematic analysis to contrast international astronomy education efforts in formal and informal education settings. Interview participants provided examples of programmes that disrupt representation gaps in astronomy fields and promote STEM connections amongst historically underserved populations. The present study will inform future studies and collaborations between educators, astronomers, and informal spaces, and provide examples of astronomy integrations in coursework and community. This, along with the ongoing work of Salimpour and Fitzgerald, can provide multinational curricular and pedagogical examples of leveraging astronomy as a 'gateway science' and inform interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary approaches to teaching science.