ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY PRESS INFORMATION NOTE
Ref.: PN 08/31 (NAM 22)
Issued by RAS Press Officers:
Dr Robert Massey
Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 3307 / 4582
Mobile: +44 (0)794 124 8035
E-mail: rm(at)ras.org.uk
Anita Heward
Tel: +44 (0)1483 420904
Mobile: +44 (0)7756 034243
E-mail: anitaheward(at)btinternet.com
NATIONAL ASTRONOMY MEETING PRESS ROOM (31 MARCH - 4 APRIL ONLY):
Tel: +44 (0)2890 975262
975263
975264
NAM 2008
http://nam2008.qub.ac.uk
Royal Astronomical Society
http://www.ras.org.uk
CONTACT DETAILS ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THIS RELEASE
RAS PN 08/31 (NAM 22) (EMBARGOED): GCSE ASTRONOMY A RISING STAR FOR
SCHOOLCHILDREN
Students of all ages are showing their enthusiasm for astronomy, with
more people than ever choosing to study it at GCSE level. In a talk on
Tuesday 1 April at the Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy
Meeting in Belfast, Professor Iwan Williams of Queen Mary University of
London, will describe the new syllabus for this qualification that has
seen the number of students taking it rise from around 250 in the early
1990s to more than 1200 today.
The increasingly popular course began life as ‘O’ level Astronomy in the
early 1980s and is taken by students in schools but also by adults who
study the qualification in evening classes. It is one of the only
qualifications in astronomy available at a level below an undergraduate
degree course.
The course has been revised recently and an updated and modified
specification will be taught from 2009 with the first cohort of students
taking the new exam in 2011. The new course will be divided into two
units: Understanding the Universe and Exploring the Universe.
Understanding the Universe is made up of four topics: Earth, Moon and
Sun; Planetary Systems, Stars and Galaxies and Cosmology. Students study
aspects of astronomy from lunar and solar eclipses to what makes the
Earth (and perhaps planets around stars) habitable and the prospect of
life elsewhere.
In the second unit, Exploring the Universe the students are expected to
carry out practical observations to study astronomical phenomena for
themselves. These can vary from simple daylight observations needing no
specialist equipment, such as the use of a shadow stick, to those
requiring more equipment such as a photographic record of a lunar eclipse.
Professor Williams comments, “It’s wonderful to see so many people
choosing to study astronomy. Students are excited and inspired by the
wider Universe and this draws many of them to careers in science and
engineering in later life. The new specification brings in cutting-edge
ideas and offers a challenge to learners of all abilities.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
EdExcel
http://www.edexcel.org.uk/home
RAS National Astronomy Meeting
http://nam2008.qub.ac.uk
RAS home page
http://www.ras.org.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The RAS National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2008) is hosted by Queen’s
University Belfast. It is principally sponsored by the RAS and the
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). NAM 2008 is being held
together with the UK Solar Physics (UKSP) and Magnetosphere, Ionosphere
and Solar-Terrestrial (MIST) spring meetings.
CONTACT
Professor Iwan Williams
School of Mathematical Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 5452
E-mail: i.p.williams(at)qmul.ac.uk
Sarah Harrison
Senior Product Development Leader
Edexcel
Tel: 02071904332
E-mail: sarah.harrison(at)edexcel.org.uk
