On the effectiveness of an interleaved curriculum in increasing exposure of secondary school pupils to astronomy and astrophysics

<div>Despite the publics continued fascination</div><div>with astronomy and space, the numbers of students who spend at</div><div>least 50% of their higher education time studying astronomy based</div><div>topics has fallen since 2010, and the overall number of first-year</div><div>students studying over 50% astronomy topics is under 1000.</div><div>Astronomy is a unique vehicle in engaging students in science,</div><div>covering the very small and the very large scale questions in equal</div><div>measure. The lack of astronomy within the current physics</div><div>curriculum, and the relatively low number of centres offering</div><div>GCSE Astronomy as an option means that many students will only</div><div>study one topic of astronomy through their entire secondary</div><div>education. Interleaving is a method of teaching whereby core</div><div>topics are taught several times through the thread of separate</div><div>contexts. This paper proposes the introduction of astronomy into</div><div>the physics GCSE curriculum as a vehicle to deliver varying topics</div><div>from radiation to waves. This would increase students’ exposure</div><div>to astronomy through their secondary education, and allow more</div><div>students to experience astronomy in much more depth.</div>