On October 23–24, educators, researchers, and science communicators from across the Francophone world gathered at the Lab Sorbonne in Paris for a two-day collaborative workshop.
The meeting brought together participants from four complementary initiatives:
Participants represented a rich diversity of countries — Benin, Guinea, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and France — and professions, including primary and secondary teachers, university lecturers, science educators, and researcher–practitioners in astronomy and science education.
Exploring “Big Ideas” in Astronomy Education
The session opened with the presentation of the Astro-Journeys project.
Participants then worked intensively on defining and refining the “Big Ideas of Astronomy” — the key conceptual understandings that learners should gain about the universe.
Discussions revealed both convergence and diversity of perspectives across the projects. Key reflections included:
- Helping students build perspective and connect astronomy to broader questions.
- Providing teachers with clear conceptual pathways for classroom progression.
- Emphasizing the need to link ideas across disciplines such as mathematics, physics, and language.
- Identifying gaps and overlaps in existing teaching progressions — for instance, missing elements on orbital motion or galaxy structure.
- Encouraging the use of concept maps to visualize and connect major themes.
- Stressing that big ideas should serve as a bridge between formal curricula and natural curiosity.
From Concepts to Classrooms
Building on this shared reflection, the group explored how these Big Ideas of Astronomy could be effectively introduced and developed across different ages and school levels.
Participants discussed strategies to:
- Connect astronomy learning to mathematical and physical reasoning.
- Adapt materials to diverse national curricula while maintaining common educational goals.
- Foster a natural and creative development of scientific thinking beyond the strict boundaries of school programs.
A Collaborative Energy for the Future
The exchanges were both rich and inspiring. By combining classroom experience, academic insight, and outreach expertise, participants strengthened the foundations for future joint work.
This Paris meeting marked an important milestone in the ongoing dialogue between the Astrojourneys, LEA Vivap, and Francophone OAE projects — paving the way toward a shared, inclusive, and inspiring approach to astronomy education.