Enhancing Astronomy Education in India: Teaching Galaxies with Authentic Data

This is a poster presented at the 7th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education, organised by the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE, https://astro4edu.org/shaw-iau/7th-shaw-iau-workshop/).

Title: 
Enhancing Astronomy Education in India: Teaching Galaxies with Authentic Data

Presenter:
Shreesham Pandey (Department of Physics, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, India)

Astronomy education in India, despite its historical roots, is underrepresented in primary and secondary curricula. This poster presents research on integrating authentic astronomical data, such as from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, to teach galaxy concepts, enhancing student engagement and analytical skills. A 2024 survey shows 85.9% of students are enthusiastic about astronomy, yet only 26% have telescope access. Initiatives like SPACE India’s workshops and OAE Center India’s teacher training align with the National Education Policy 2020, improving outcomes. The proposed framework leverages data-driven inquiry and cultural contextualization to address knowledge gaps.

About the 7th Shaw-IAU Workshop:
The 7th Shaw-IAU Workshop took place 18 - 21 November 2025. The Shaw-IAU workshops focus on astronomy education for primary and secondary school students and teacher training both in universities and in service. This year's Education focus session on Teaching with authentic data and the Science focus is on Galaxies.

More details can be found on: https://astro4edu.org/shaw-iau/

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