Faulkes Telescope ASISTM Project (FTAP): Bringing Deep Space into the Classroom
Bringing Deep Space into the Classroom is a two year pilot project that is currently running in 10 schools (Government, Catholic and Independent): six in NSW and four in Victoria. Funded through the ASISTM scheme, its aim is to encourage high school students to engage with science and technology by providing direct access to professional astronomical telescopes: The Faulkes Telescopes.
These two 2-metre telescopes, one in Hawaii and one in NSW, can be operated remotely by students in the classroom or after school. With the help of support astronomers and enthusiastic teachers, students design the project they would like to investigate, apply for telescope time and analyse their data in exactly the same way a professional astronomer would pursue their research. This enhances the study of astronomy for students and introduces them to the scientific process in a real and tangible context.
Acknowledgement
This material has been developed as a part of the Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics Project funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Training as a part of the Boosting Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics Teaching (BISTMT) Programme.