arXiv subjects

Aniket Sule

Publications and source records attributed to Aniket Sule.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Astronomy and Society: The Road Ahead

Astronomy, of all the sciences, is possibly the one with the most public appeal across all age groups. This is also evidenced by the existence of a large number of planetaria and amateur astronomy societies, which is unique to the field. Astronomy is known as a `gateway science', with an ability to attract students who then proceed to explore their interest in other STEM fields too. Astronomy's link to society is therefore substantive and diverse. In this white paper, six key areas are analysed, namely outreach and communication, astronomy education, history and heritage, astronomy for development, diversity, and hiring practices for outreach personnel. The current status of each of these areas is described, followed by an analysis of what is needed for the future. A set of recommendations for institutions, funding agencies, and individuals are evolved for each specific area. This work charts out the vision for how the astronomy-society connection should take shape in the future, and attempts to provide a road-map for the various stakeholders involved.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Status of Astronomy Education in India: A Baseline Survey

We present the results of a nation-wide baseline survey, conducted by us, for the status of Astronomy education among secondary school students in India. The survey was administered in 10 different languages to over 2000 students from diverse backgrounds, and it explored multiple facets of their perspectives on astronomy. The topics included students' views on the incorporation of astronomy in curricula, their grasp of fundamental astronomical concepts, access to educational resources, cultural connections to astronomy, and their levels of interest and aspirations in the subject. We find notable deficiencies in students' knowledge of basic astronomical principles, with only a minority demonstrating proficiency in key areas such as celestial sizes, distances, and lunar phases. Furthermore, access to resources such as telescopes and planetariums remain limited across the country. Despite these challenges, a significant majority of students expressed a keen interest in astronomy. We further analyze the data along socioeconomic and gender lines. Particularly striking were the socioeconomic disparities, with students from resource-poor backgrounds often having lower levels of access and proficiency. Some differences were observed between genders, although not very pronounced. The insights gleaned from this study hold valuable implications for the development of a more robust astronomy curriculum and the design of effective teacher training programs in the future.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2023

The First Global e-Competition on Astronomy and Astrophysics

The first Global e-Competition on Astronomy and Astrophysics was held online in September-October 2020 as a replacement for the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the short time available for organisation, 8 weeks, the competition was run successfully, with 325 students from over 42 countries participating with no major issues. The feedback from the participants was positive and reflects the ways in which such events can boost interest in astronomy and astronomy education. With online activities set to become more prevalent in the future, we present an overview of the competition process, the challenges faced, and some of the lessons learned, aiming to contribute to the development of best practices for organizing online competitions.

physics.ed-ph↗