Variable stars for scientific initiation: an educational experience

1
Variable stars for scientific initiation an
educational experience

• Jaime García
• Instituto Copérnico
• Argentina

2
Introduction

• The Scientific Initiation Program (PIC) was
  created for incentive scientific research, in the
  early stages of university education.
• The PIC is oriented towards astronomical science
  specially variable stars and related fields.
• Activities at the PIC constantly stimulate
  critical thinking and creativity.
• Now, we have started two extensions
• one focalized on high school level,
• and other based on e-learning.

3
Problems detected

• Lack of contact with research during the
  beginning of the undergraduate university
  programs.
• Do not know how the scientific world works and
  the general methodology of science.
• The student doesnt understand when he chooses a
  scientific career, what will be certainly his
  job.
• Lack of formation and information about certainly
  areas in sciences during high school.
• Lack of critical sense.

4
Our goals

• First contact with science through scientific
  research.
• Take active part in the research process.
• Fortify the critical sense during the learning
  process
• Achieve a special attitude for differentiating
  the hypothesis, to evaluate them, establishing
  the frame of validity of a certain theory and
  its degree of predictability.
• To know the mechanisms of the scientific
  community, (relevant for the production of a
  acceptable paper for publishing).
• Understanding the historical development of
  science as pillar for the consecution of a real
  research. 

5
Why variable stars

• Variable stars are the best choice for this
  Program because
• We have lot of data not analyzed yet.
• They are relatively easy to observe with modest
  equipment.
• There are several tools available for analyzing
  data.
• We have enough experience in this field.

6
Past

• The specific field of study is astrophysics,
  although during the first year the group
  coordinator gives speeches on general astronomy
  his role will change drastically in the second
  one, as the beginners elaborate studies (which by
  now are mainly astrophysical) to be reported to
  their fellow pre-researchers.
• Those groups have begun 15 years ago, and the
  first alumni are nowadays researchers at several
  universities in several countries.

7
Virtual Campus nowadays

• The Virtual Campus is an indispensable tool for
  the activities development of the Programs
  first stage, because the initiate finds in it not
  only the basic material for developing the Work
  Program but also the his academic performance
  tracking.

• Since the Internet gives comparableness
  multimedia possibilities, it is possible to find
  in Campus additional support as specific films
  from other trainings or colloquiums, references
  to internet activities, images and animations,
  bibliography, etc.

8
Virtual Campus next stage

• The second stage of the Program will involucrate
  the interactive virtual work where the students
  will analyze scientific data in real time, using
  image and mathematical processing tools.
• The third stage of the Program pretends to have
  in Campus a direct access to a telescope, in
  order to manipulate it through the Internet and,
  in this way, make possible the data acquisition
  in real time and training in the astronomical
  observation, without a physical displacement.

9
Conclusions

• We were successful with our goals during the
  past, but nowadays we have a different challenge
  do the same but in a virtual world!
• We expect to fulfill all the requirements in
  order to bring this kind of Scientific Initiation
  to a very different generation, with better
  technological background.

10
Janet gave a talk for the PIC in 1992

• Janet visiting the Instituto Copérnico pictured
  with PICs students and professors.
• This is our modest homage