Seeing by proxy: a detailed analysis of an educational interaction at the telescope

Abstract

Astronomy education research is a growing field but the attention given to informal educational activities, such as telescope observations, museum visits or planetarium sessions, is still relatively scarce. In consequence, the area is poorly studied and understood. Addressing this gap, this present paper examines informal educational practices in an astronomical observatory through detailed analysis of a complete turn at the telescope by a small child, who is observing the Sun with the assistance of a guide. Using Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis this study investigates how this activity was produced in terms of structure and methods, the skills the participants have, and how the interaction between the visitor and the guide occurs. The study of these naturally occurring activities is done in-depth by the repeated inspection of video data, in order to identify the characteristics of the interaction, the organization of the talk and its implications as an educational event. The interactional nature of linguistic exchanges is highlighted; and the study of these activities reveals the practical methods used by guides and public. The present study contributes to our understanding of telescope observations as informal education activities; and shows the importance of research methods that are sensitive to naturally occurring events.

Periodicity and change: Talking about time inside the planetarium dome

“…In the details of these rich interactions we also found insights on what are the characteristics of astronomy education in the planetarium. Indeed, the local ecology of the planetarium itself is a crucial feature of these astronomy education sessions, which is distinct from other educative facilities such as classrooms, or even other astronomy education facilities such as observatories (Carlin et al, 2021;Marques et al, 2020). The planetarium is a powerful geocentric simulator of the sky, which also affords allocentric simulation.…”

COVID-19 precautions for public astronomy education sessions

“…Whether manual or motorised, telescopes used in astronomy education are constituted by mirrors and lenses. Hence, looking through the telescope for the first time may be a problematic moment: it can take time to get used to addressing the eyepiece without seeing the back of your own eye, or eyelashes, and instead looking through the telescope at a particular object, as we discuss elsewhere [7,8]. Finding the right position and distance from the eyepiece may involve touch with one's eye-socket, which is now discouraged.…”

A guided tour in the Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory of the University of Coimbra: setting-specific practices in an informal educational environment

“…Informal education in astronomy is conducted in different settings and involves diverse stakeholders, but the area is not well organized or integrated (Marques and Freitas 2016); few studies concern guided interactions (Stroud, Groome, Connolly, and Sheppard 2007), for instance in planetaria, observatories, or astronomy-related museums and science centers. In this group we can also include Marques, Carlin and Moutinho (2020) and Carlin, Marques and Moutinho (2021), who investigate the interaction of an astronomer guide with a child while observing the Sun with a telescope, and Marques, Carlin and Moutinho (2021), who explore the methods and strategies a group of guides use to communicate about astronomical time in planetarium sessions. Apart from those, most studies have their focus elsewhere.…”