SpaceGuardians – Interactive eBook for Improving Astronomy Literacy of Kids Erasmus Project

Project Title

SpaceGuardians – Interactive eBook for Improving Astronomy Literacy of Kids

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Natural sciences

Project Summary

All files relevant to this project including, CVs, timesheets, Intellectual Outputs, Quality and Dissemination reports are provided as part of the present report in the following link:
– http://repository.erasmusplus.website/SG/Final_Report/
– Username: evaluator
– Password: Evaluator101!

The study of Astronomy is an important experience which has far-reaching implications for many curricular areas. “Astronomy literacy” implies not only knowledge and understanding of the Earth and its interaction with other celestial objects, but also an understanding of the scientific processes used to produce those concepts.

The project SpaceGuardians has developed an innovative pedagogy for improving Astronomy Literacy of children (3 to 6 years old) and for raising their interest over STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), through two interactive learning eBooks:

‘The Moon was Stolen’ (https://spaceguardians.eu/interactive-book) and;

(‘Is There Anybody Out There’ https://spaceguardians.eu/interactive-book-2).

The purpose of these eBooks are to spark an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in children from a very young age. During the project we took into consideration the need to incorporate:
• A framework for Astronomy education that the partnership will specifically develop for pre-school level.
• Good practices of storytelling and interactive stories, specifically for this age group.
• The need to appeal to both boys and girls.

The eBooks integrate interactive features, mini-games, puzzles and elements that move while reading.

The eBooks incorporate voice over in all languages so they can be read individually by any child. However, if a parent or a teacher wants to read the stories to the children we have developed a Facilitators Guide (FG) that they can read before hand. The FG was developed to maximise the learning opportunities provided by the eBooks and it includes information about how the eBooks should be used, topics for reflection with the children and exercises and activities that you can play in the class room or at home.

Through the eBooks and raising awareness towards the importance of Astronomy Education at various levels.

Moreover, the project SpaceGuardians delivers:
• 2 Interactive eBooks in 4 languages; English, French, Greek and Portuguese (including voice over)
• Training programme for teachers, trainers and parents on how to use the SpaceGuardians eBook and the Facilitator’s Guide
• Pilot training involving teachers and children to test the SpaceGuardians methodology (Interactive eBook and Facilitator’s Guide)
• Promotional Video
• Website on Astronomy Education with a repository of the materials produced in the project and a FaceBook page that can be a meeting point for people involved or interested in the topic.
• Sustainability Strategy that presents the guidelines for the future exploitation of results and to ensure the future impact of the project.
• Project presentation in events, in the partner countries and others.

This initiative gathers 5 participants:
• Civic Computing is a digital strategy agency with vast expertise in the development of bespoke applications and tools that is investing in new services for educational publishers and in children’s books
• Advancis (Portugal): private company that provides consultancy and training services in Education and People Development, with competences in curricula development, storytelling in education, ICT based learning methodologies, among others
• BOON (Portugal): private company that provides services in design and illustration.
• Platon schools (Kindergarten – Elementary – Gymnasium – Lyceum) is a modern educational institution with 530 learners and 83 staff.
• Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille is a joint research unit of the CNRS-INSU and of the Université d’Aix-Marseille (AMU), that undertakes research in astrophysics and instrumentation.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 256388 Eur

Project Coordinator

CIVIC COMPUTING LIMITED & Country: UK

Project Partners

• ADVANCIS-BUSINESS SERVICES, LDA
• UNIVERSITE D’AIX MARSEILLE
• Platon m.e.p.e.
• Boon Unipessoal, Lda.