INTO SPACE AND ITS MYSTERIES; TEACHING AND LEARNING IN AN INNOVATIVE FASHION FROM THE ARECIBO OBSERVATORY (AO) IN PUERTO RICO (PR)

Space and its mysteries is always an intriguing theme for students of all ages, scientists, teachers and the Science and Visitors Center professionals at the Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico. The largest single dish radio telescope in the World, nested in a natural limestone formation in the mountains of Puerto Rico, the Arecibo Radio Telescope has been in constant operation since November 1963. Research in Radio astronomy, Planetary Radar and Atmospheric Sciences are the main areas of research done at the Arecibo Observatory, which from 1963-2011 operated under Cornell University with support from NASA and National Science Foundation.

Since 2011, AO has been operating under an Alliance of Managing Partners (AMP) consisting of SRI International, Universities Space Research Association (USRA) and a private university in Puerto Rico: Universidad Metropolitana (UMET). In the AMP, UMET is charged with administration as well as Education and Public Outreach (EPO), thus the Angel Ramos Foundation Science and Visitors Center (ARFSVC) is central to the completion of this domain.

The Center is charged with the tasks of being the Informal and Formal Science Education Center for Radio astronomy, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences for PR and all its visitors. With an annual attendance of over 80,000 visitors, the Center has been producing Science Development Programs in a dedicated manner to stimulate the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) community of school and University audiences as well as training in STEM for science teachers of Puerto Rico.

Based on the Constructivist theories, action research and collective design as an empowerment tool for participants, the EPO of the AO has been working for the last 18 months on developing new and stimulating curriculum, exhibitions and games for the teaching of STEM geared to our local and visiting audiences. Teachers and students constitute approximately 35% of all the Center’s visitors and the objective is to produce a cycle of activities that teachers can follow from their schools and have the Center as well as the AO as reference to their teaching-learning objectives.

The goals of special projects that highlight these objectives are:
• Teachers professional empowerment
• Develop educational strategies that contribute to strengthening research and technological skills, artistic abilities and reading comprehension.
• Encourage the appreciation for life and physical sciences by developing creative and innovative activities that contribute to the conservation and preservation of living and non-living organisms and the environment.
• Design and activities are described in English, Spanish and braille, following a universal design model.

Our recently developed programs are:
Scientific Experiences for Teachers and Students at the Arecibo Observatory (ECOAME) by its initials in English, is the most outstanding program recently developed to train secondary level public schools Science Teachers. Summer 2014.
Nanotechnology Work and Play Area, Nanotechnology Days.
16 new Interactive exhibits at the ARFSVC are being installed by December 2015.
Space Academy and Night Sky Observations are activities that have been extraordinarily well received and are done in conjunction with other entities.