Netzwerk Teilchenwelt
Hands On (Astro-)
Particle Physics Masterclasses
in Germany
Best Practice in Sharing
Authentic Science with the Public
3.8.2013
DtC-GHOU (Volos) • Michael Rockstroh, TU Dresden
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Netzwerk Teilchenwelt
Hands On (Astro-) Particle Physics
Masterclasses in Germany
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3.
3.1
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6.
Who we are
What we want
Our Concept & Activities
Basic Level: Particle Physics Masterclasses
The network and the users community
Potentials and Challenges of our work
Summary
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1. Who we are …
… a German Network of:
• Scientists
• (astro-)particle physics
• Students
• aged 15-19
• Teachers/Trainers:
• at schools, school labs, science centres ...
… in direct contact to CERN
Partners in the science education community:
 Discover the COSMOS, IPPOG, Quarknet …
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2. We want to let students …
• Raise and share fascination for
basic questions about our universe
• Explore fundamental forces and
building blocks of nature
• Obtain understanding of fundamental
research as fundamental knowledge
for mankind
• Come into direct contact with scientists
• Explore the scientific research process
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Special advantages of particle physics research:
High publicity
Fundamental questions…
Very complex technology
Largest machine of the world
Research of superlative is interesting alsoCa.for10.000
students,
collaborators
which are (until now) not glowing forfrom
physics!
85 nations
… but suitable for the classroom?
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3. The concept of Netzwerk Teilchenwelt
 4 programme levels
1.
2.
3.
4.
Basic: introduction to particle physics
Qualification: proliferation of knowledge
Strengthening the experience: workshops at CERN
Research Projects: at research institutes, CERN & DESY
 4 central elements
•
•
•
•
students & teachers
particle and astroparticle physics projects
local projects all over Germany throughout the year
workshops at CERN
development of context material  see our Poster I
scientific evaluation (basic level, students, particle physcis)
6/15
Activities of Netzwerk Teilchenwelt
Teachers/Trainers
Students
Research
Projects
5/year
5-day
workshops:
50/year
participants’
projects: 150/year
trainings: 500/year
CERN
10/year
project
weeks, 3-day
workshops:
70/year
Qualification
teaching others,
term papers,
projects: 120/year
Basic
Masterclasses + astroparticle-experiments:
4.000/year
Impressions
Level 1: Masterclass participants in Dresden 2011
Level 2: Astroparticle research week at DESY Zeuthen 2012
Level 3: Talk with CERN general director Rolf Heuer, during CERN-Workshop 2013
Level 4: Participants at the finals of the German Competition „Jugend Forscht“ (astroparticle physics project) 2011
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3.1 Basic Program: Masterclasses
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•
•
•
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Researchers (= mostly PhD students),
go to schools, but also fairs etc. and
bring the original data (LHC, LEP) + e-science tools
to provide Particle Physics Masterclasses
mobile and local, allthrough the year, all over the country.
new: Astroparticle Physics Masterclasses
 Teachers Basic Program: training in astro-/particle physics
 Original Masterclasses: from UK 1996 (R.Barlow et al.)
 International Masterclasses:  see our Poster II
 Particle Physics Masterclasses stimulate interest in science.
(Physics Education 42 (2007) 636-644 )
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 Particle Physics Masterclasses …
• Target: 15-19 year-old students (teachers, general public)
• Introduced and guided by scientists („masters“)
• Work like scientists - (in pairs) on real data from CERN:
1. Introduction (Physics, accelerators, detectors …)
2. Classify: with authentic e-science analysis tools
(Minerva, Hypathia) ~100 particle collision images
3. Combine: compare abundance or plot spectra
4. Draw conclusions, discuss, get insights
5. Quiz or video conference or Q&A-session …
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4. The network and its users community
 24 Institutes in total = almost all Particle
Physics Institutes in Germany
13 Inst.: Astroparticle Projects (≥ 2011)
 Around 140 scientists involved
40 local organizers, 100 facilitators
(almost young PHD-students)
since 2010 until the end 2013:
 ~ 14.000 students
~ 470 qualifying
 176 at CERN workshops
Funded by:  ~ 1.200 teacher
~ 400 qualifying
 165 at CERN workshops
People behind and in front of the scenes
The organisation team…
… Teacher training at CERN …
… 1st Meeting of student-alumni …
11/15
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5. Potentials …
• Teachers‘ + students ideas and potential to improve
context materials and workshops
• Teacher could/should refresh their
Scientists
scientific experience (sabbaticals?)
• Teachers + stakeholders: to
Teachers
influence the development
of curricula and other
Staff &
Activities
basic parameters
• More interaction between
Students
different groups
• To acknowledge: „modern science“
Scientists
certificate for schools with active teachers
…For a lasting competence in modern science teaching!
Stakeholders
Teachers
Students
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…and Challenges …
• Universities: lack of capacities for local / outreach activities
… also natural limits of (mobile) scientists availability
• Lots of changes going on in the German school system
• High workload of interested teachers - we need you, long
term involved!
• Rarely sabbaticals:
- general lack of physics teachers in Germany
- administration problems
• Evaluation of students basic level activities shows:
short-term effects in the development of interests by these
events
 increase the integration in everyday school curricula !
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6. Summary
The Netzwerk Teilchenwelt approach works well:
• Mobile scientists  activities are available all over the
country instead of limitation to isolated places
• Multilevel and pyramid-like structure combines large
scale and low-threshold + specialized and binding services
Experience shows: Essential part of students and teachers
which are active in the higher levels keep on course!
(e.g. student-alumni, teachers round table …)
• A win-win situation for participating institutes / teachers,
students and scientists
• Results (materials) may be used (translated) by others
• Approach may probably be transferred to other subjects
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Thank you for your attention!
More information: www.teilchenwelt.de
Material: …/material
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 www.facebook.com/DtCosmos
Copyright Fotos: NASA, CERN, TUD, MPI für Physik, Jugend Forscht
e.V., Netzwerk Teilchenwelt/Michael Hoch, Juliana Socher
3.8.2013
DtC-GHOU (Volos) • MichaelRockstroh
mail@teilchenwelt.de