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Generally in Africa, Space Science and Technology is considered a very difficult and esoteric field reserved for the “ultra intelligent”. Hence Space Science and Technology as an educational option continues to be seen as an option to be completely avoided. This trend could seriously hamper the progress and development of space technology in the continent with adverse long term effects. Consequently this paper focuses on bolstering Space Science and Technology Education in the continent by the pragmatic fusion of exciting entertainment software with a highly focused educative curriculum content. Furthermore, there exists an avalanche of evidence to show that youths and young minds will naturally prefer to play a game or engage in an entertaining software rather than to read an academic textbook having the same content. This paper further covers the development of an educational software – “Launch Director!” that is designed with the aim of serving as a compendium on rocketry curriculum for a wide range of users. The software is structured in three complementary phases with detailed rocketry tutorials and academic demonstrations skillfully embellished with entertaining games, interactive designs and quizzes. It also intelligently provides a phase which enhances the learning process. The user is put in a simulation environment with practical hands-on experience, requiring critical mission assumptions, decisions and calculations with instant response and feedback. This ultimately fuses the entire concept that has been learnt so far, with the simulated real life scenarios.
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3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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Promoting Space Science and Technology in Africa:
An Interactive Software Approach
Baiyere, Fadare Abayomi (Research Scientist/Software Developer)
ABSTRACT
Generally in Africa, Space Science and Technology is considered a very difficult and esoteric
field reserved for the “ultra intelligent”. Hence Space Science and Technology as an educational option continues to be seen as an option to be completely avoided. This trend could
seriously hamper the progress and development of space technology in the continent with adverse long term effects.
Consequently this paper focuses on bolstering Space Science and Technology Education in the continent by the pragmatic fusion of exciting entertainment software with a highly focused educative curriculum content.
Furthermore, there exists an avalanche of evidence to show that youths and young minds will
naturally prefer to play a game or engage in an entertaining software rather than to read an academic textbook having the same content.
This paper further covers the development of an educational software – “Launch Director!” that is designed with the aim of serving as a compendium on rocketry curriculum for a wide
range of users.
The software is structured in three complementary phases with detailed rocketry tutorials and
academic demonstrations skillfully embellished with entertaining games, interactive designs and quizzes. It also intelligently provides a phase which enhances the learning process. The user is put in a simulation environment with practical hands-on experience, requiring critical mission
assumptions, decisions and calculations with instant response and feedback. This ultimately fuses the entire concept that has been learnt so far, with this simulated real life scenarios.
KEY WORDS: Education, Simulation, Fusion, Development, Space curriculum and Space
Awareness
INTRODUCTION
The relevance of Space Science and Technology in the world and to mankind can not be over emphasized. In order for Africa
to be an active participant in global space activities, there needs to be a huge focus on
space education in the continent.
Realising the Need for Space Education is
not enough to propel Africa to the desired level of space preparedness. There is also a strong need for careful consideration of the
most effective and impactful approach that will give the desired goal in a short period of time. This is necessary because the margin
between Africa and other continents of the world in terms of space development and
activities is so wide that if the conventional
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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educational methods alone are applied, Africa will continue to play catch up with
the rest of the world for indeed a very long time.
The question to be answered now is this: “What are the effective and impactful
educational approaches that can be implemented?”
This paper presents one unique identified answer to this question: the use of
interactive educational games and simulation softwares.
BACKGROUND TO STUDY (The
African Educational system Overview)
Some key factors observed in the African context of space development forms the basis for this educational approach. A quick
overview of the present status of space education in Africa reveals the following:
In Africa, most people consider the
study of space science and technology to be a field for the gifted. This misconception further
alienates the young people that form the core of the future of the continent
from taking up educational programmes in this field.
The dominant method of tutoring in Africa is the conventional method of
reading space text books amidst an allocution of instructions. This pedagogical approach can gradually
drain the zeal and interest from initial space enthusiast.
There also exists an Insufficient
availability of educational resources and institutions to promotes space
education and generate space awareness in the continent.
These are some of the highlights of the
issues that are addressed by this approach to promoting space education and development in the continent. These highlighted points
cut across three major professional fields ranging from:
student/learning psychology
pedagogy and educational system
educational infrastructures and institutions.
This invariably implies that there are several stakeholders required for the successful
implementation of an adequate intervention to space education and capacity building in Africa.
Space Orientation:
In Africa the interest in Space activities needs to be built first before we can
effectively build a sustaining capacity for space development. How then can space
activity be promoted to effectively generate a susbstantial interest? To answer this question we need to identify the factors that
can make space education as an academic option, an option that has been avoided by
most.
Chief among these reasons is the
misconception that space science and technology is for the most intelligent and the best in the society. To make a “difficult
task” seemingly easy there has to be an element of interest and the task becomes
even easier if an element of fun is introduced into it. A task that is presented in a manner that makes it fun will, among other
possible options, undoubtedly generate interest.
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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Pedagogical Orientation:
The continent is in the transitory process of gradually evolving from the era where
people are cajoled, encouraged and even coerced to get education to a point where every one knows and appreciate the need to
be educated. For a society in such a transition phase, it becomes necessary to
adapt a welcoming and exciting pedagogy approach for such a developmental endeavour as space science and technology.
Using an inviting pedagogical approach is especially necessary to counter the
misconceptions of the special abilities required to understand the so called
“difficult” space concepts.
Space Institutions:
There exists a large vaccum to be filled in
the process of passing across relevant information that can significantly increase the level of participation of Africa in Space
activities. If this vaccum is to be ever filled, the issue of “how, who and where?” therefore arises. This are key questions for
decision makers to develope an answer and implement a solution to.
If we consider primarily the “why?” of this issues we can logically generate several
reasons by considering the counter question “why not?” If there is a genuine interest to
promote the involvement of the continent in space development then, why not? If there exists a vision to develope the space
capacity building of the latent potentials in the continent, then why not? These among
other generated reasonings can help stimulate and identify developmental options of effective space institutions in
Africa.
Basically, institutions that will promote and inspire space activities in the continent are
needed. Another essential step is Including space science as part of the educational
curriculum in schools and also making the basic educational resources available for this
purpose.
SPACE EDUCATION INTERVENTION
CONCEPT
The concept discussed in this paper as an
intervention means to promote the level of space education in the planet, is based on the use of interactive tools, especially
simulation softwares and educational games.
The major driver of this concept is the balanced fusion of educational curriculum and entertaining concepts into the softwares.
Therefore it is an approach that does not consider education or entertainment but
rather education and entertainment as its core.
Considering the challenges of space education in Africa highlighted above, a closer look will be taken to observe the
impact and rationale justifying this approach.
Space Orientation Intervention:
It has been identified that a vast majority of Africans shy away from space related activities because of the impression that
space as a topic is very complex and it should be reserved for the developed nations
where there are super brilliant and intelligent people. This perception has further decreased the passion and zest to learn or to
be involved in space research and development.
To make a seemingly complex task appear easy, interest needs to be built on that task.
A basic principle of generating interest in
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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such a case is to make the task become fun and entertaining rather than arduous and
burdensome.
Hence, the introduction of educative and yet entertaining softwares and games becomes an invaluable tool. This approach is aimed at
making perceived complex tasks contain some elements of fun and challenge, which
inspires the interest required to pass the main educative content across.
Pedagogical Intervention:
Furthermore, the pedagogical approach used
to present space concepts to students or participants in Africa should be reviewed to
allow for interactions, feedback and of course fun without losing focus of the main aim.
While maintaining the intellectual capacity
present in the continent it is also important that the younger generations are targetted because then we are sure this knowledge
won't fade away easily and we are certain that we are building the foundation for the future of space development in the
continent.
Space Institution Intervention:
With the present state of institutions and
infrastructures available in Africa, the use of an interactive solution like the software
simulation presented in this paper can be an effective way to provide an educational platform where resources can be shared and
the cost of replicating devices and laboratories can be minimised.
This concept however does not diminsh the need for increased contact points for space
education. Instead it is an option to be used as an intervention for the present before the institutions are created and also after they
have been created. It is an approach that
helps us maximise the existing infrastructures while creating the network
for future development.
CASE STUDY: LAUNCH DIRECTOR!
Concept Discussion:
Launch Director [LD] is an Educational
Software Game that is designed with the aim
of serving as a complete compendium on
rocketry for educational purposes. LD is
aimed at passing across real life education
about rockets with an exciting
embellishment of entertaining fun
options.(see figure 1)
METHODOLOGY
Design Process:
The design of the software involved a research in two dimensions: first, deciding on the rocketry concepts to be focused on
and understanding the principles behind these concepts, and second, the most
effective presentation approach to be used without compromising the educational and entertainment objectives.(see figure 2)
The software design has been structured as a
3-in-1 software with three complementary phases:
Phase I [Rocket Structure and Design]:
This phase of LD introduces users to the
fundamentals of building a rocket using
variants from water rockets to the
sophisticated future Space Shuttle!
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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A selection is made by the user from the list
of possible rockets. Users are then provided
with parts of a rockets required to assemble
the rocket selected. They are given a brief
description of what the part does and what it
is about. The user then has the responsibility
of deciding which of the part options to use
and where that part belongs on the rocket.
The user is guided by the part descriptions
and further information is provided in phase
III of the software for the assembly process.
If a part is wrongly placed, the software at
the early level will return the wrongly
placed part and provide a brief explanation
on why that part is not a suitable choice. (see
figure 3& 4)
As the user improves in the assembly
process the software provides him with more
difficult rocket assemblies. The user
therefore proceeds gradually from the first
assembly (water rocket) to other known
rocket models and finally to a complex
fictitious space shuttle.(see figure 5)
The objective of this phase is to help the
user gain a good understanding of the basic
rocket design principles, parts, composition,
abilities, capacities, mission history among
many other rocket design concepts.
The user is fed several educational details
while keeping him engaged in the challenge
of getting the next rocket built. He implicitly
gathers knowledge, applies the knowledge
and will respond to questions relating to
knowledge gathered here in phase III.
Phase II [Rocket Launch Simulations]:
This phase puts the user in the drivers’ seat
of a simulated real life rocket launch
situation, where he/she needs to make
mission critical decisions, assumptions and
even calculations like a real Launch
Director!
For each of the rockets built, the user has the
priviledge of coordinating all the activities required to launch the rocket. In this phase the user selects a mission (moon mission,
payloads deployment, Satellite repair,
in‐orbit transfer, Hubble mission e.t.c) and is
expected to pick the right rocket for the selected mission and is also saddled with the task of ensuring there is a successful
mission. (see figure 6)
A successful mission involves: successful
take off, attaining the right escape velocity,
flying at the right weather conditions, taking
all necessary equipments for the mission,
avoiding overloading the rocket (mass –
weight considerations), fuel consumption
consideration, and several other critical
mission dependent decisions.
Each responsibility opens an avenue for
educational exposure to materials, samples,
theories, formulas, demos e.t.c that focuses
on that point. The user is expected to make
mistakes but at each point he is guided by
the relevant materials to reveal the necessary
knowledge that is required to go beyond that
point and proceed in the simulation until a
succesful mission is achieved.
The key target of this is to allow the users to
have a virtual hands-on session. The effect
of decisions are made visible to them and
they are able to appreciate how a change in
one of the launch parameters can affect the
whole launch process. They are also made
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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aware of the basic concepts required for a
rocket launch, including the Dos & Don’ts .
Phase III [Rocketry Tutorials & Demos]:
This phase basically provides general
educational information and materials. It
provides the insight and knowledge required
to navigate through the other two phases
progressively. The presentation of the
tutorials is spiced with interactive scenario-
based discussions, questions & answers,
videos and pictorial descriptions to visually
bring home each point to varying degree of
users.
For the more academically inclined user,
this phase can be directly utilised to get the
theoretical details covered about rocketry.
Progress through this phase is punctuated by
a series of interactive questions and
scenarios where the user is expected to
answer or make a decision. Some presented
scenarios have no True or False answers but
the software provides more explanations
based on the selected choice of the user,
thereby providing an interactive learning
session.(see figure 7 & 8)
The present software version is targetted at,
but not limited to, students in the secondary
school, space enthusiasts and the learned
space connoisseur.The basic platform for the
software has been developed with the aim to
further develope it and continuously upgrade
its scope and simulation capacities to cover
these principles.
Figure 1: Opening view of the Launch Director
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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Figure 2: The Software Menu options
Figure 3: View of the assembly stage for a water rocket.
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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Figure 4: A completed water Rocket assembly
Figure 5: View of the rocket options for assembly and missions
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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Figure 6: Snapshot of a water rocket Launching Pad
Figure 7: View of some topics covered by the educational material.
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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Figure 8: View of an educational resource in the software.
CONCLUSION
Space for Africa, Space in Africa, Space by Africans! For an effective improvement of the level of space activities in Africa, there
needs to be a build up of interest by Africans to learn more and discover the possibilities
that space development offers. To achieve this, an approach has been patterned after the natural tendencies that inspire interest –
Entertainment. This thus leads to a fusion of Education and Entertainment with the aim to
educate while entertaining and eventual conquer the fear and lack of interest that is threatening the advancement of space
education in the continent.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I thankfully acknowledge the support of African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education – English
(ARCSSTEE/NASRDA) of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology;
especially the immediate past and present Directors, Lt. Colonel Alobawone A. of Ghana Armed Forces, Mrs Lami Fadiora,
Mr Leye Salu, Mr Kayode Adepoju, Miss Funmi Erinfolami, Mr Etim Offiong and Mr.
Echi Friday.
3rd IAA Regional Conference Space for Africa: Joint Participation, Knowledge Development and Sharing
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Deborah A. Shearer, Gregory L. Vogt, Ed. D. NASA Rockets guide: An Educator’s Guide with Activities In Science, Mathematics and Technology
2. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.
3. Prof. O. O. Jegede, Space Education and capacity building for sustainable development in Africa. First
African Leadership Conference on space science and Technology for Sustainable development – Unpublished Presentation, 2005
4. K. W. Hipel, M. M. Jamshidi, J. M. Tien, and C. C. White III, The Future of Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Application Domains and Research Methods, IEEE Trans. on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics – Part C: Applications and Reviews, 37(5), 2007, 726 -
743. 5. A trip to outer space (Image credit) http://hulchul.urdupoint.com/HC/index.php
?showtopic=214629
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