1-
Time:
In
any of two previous cases, we suggest the presentations
should be on 30 minutes base and on the "basic
common contents" of the Learning Plan created
2-
Public Participation:
Also,
we suggest do not the above mentioned presentations
in a long and boring "exhibitions of information
and knowledge ". It is very important to
understand that we consider the didactic fundamental
concept:
Fundamental
Principle of the Didactic
"
The key in the education takes root in the grade
of participation of the pupils. Conferences
and Exhibitions only serve as informative way
for adult and very specialized personnel. The
Pupisl shouldtake part continuously in a class
in order that the educational process is real,
lasting and do not transform in a mere informative
act ".
3- Quantity of Educational
Contents in a Presentation:
It
is suggested to continue the same procedure
as a school teachear: not more than two contents
or three in a presnetation..
The idea is: do not tire to the public with
a "conference of astronomy", a "complete
astronomy class" or something like it.
4-
Using the portable planetarium as a "Didactic
Starter":
It
allows to the teacher to develop and to illustrate
related topics, which will be continued by himself
after portable planetarium activity in the school.
It
is not a way to do a demonstration of an "encyclopedia",
but of creating a funny presentation, educating
and bringing entertainement..
5-
Other Criterias:
Another
criteria with portable planetariums is: use
them as an audio-visual synthesis of the knowledge
given in the classroom. Also in case of schools
that possess access it continued, is possible
to use them for a great variety of curriculuar
topics. A dome in the dark is an amazing and
charming environment for spectators of any age.
The educational ambience that a Dome generate
do easy the quick learning and it is an unforgettable
experience.
d.
Choosing Portable Planetarium Operators
It is probably the most important in the Traveling
Business with Portable Planetariums, so much
if it is in an educational service (for schools)
or an amusement service (ameusement parks, etc)
or in museums.
We
suggest strongly: the operators should be teachers
for primary schools and teachers for high schools,
universities or general public.
Remember
this "Golden Maxim", with which you
will have a successful travelling business:
"More
important than the audio-visual deployment,
and the extraordinary quality that could have
an educational equipment, is the didactic quality
of the human opetaror"
e.
How many operators are necessary?:
To
manage a portable planetarium is needed as minimum
a person: the operator. But the ideal are two
persons. A person will be operating on the equipment,
while the other will remain out during the presentation
as reinsurance in case of a power-down (to raise
the dome and to collaborate with the operator)
or to prevent the children who are near the
dome.
Asimismo,
es recomendable, que ambas personas estÊn entrenadas
para dar funciones, tanto sean pregrabadas como
en vivo. Si son en vivo pueden ir alternÂndose
una vez cada una para no agotarse. El sistema
de dos operadores ha dado excelente resultados
en toda LatinoamÊrica.
Likewise,
it is advisable, that both persons are trained
to give functions, so much they are pre-recorded
or "live". If they are in "live"
they can go alternatening once each one not
to become exhausted. The system of two operators
has given excellent results in the whole Latinamerica.
f.
Organization and Quantity of Presentations
First
Case: with schools
A
traveling Business with our Portable Planetariums
can to attend efficiently between 600-700 students
per day (in 8 hours, taking in account 6 presentations
of 1/2 hours in the morning and 6 in the afternoon).
Obviously, this scheme is depending on the educational
organization of every country.
Considering
10 to 12 daily presentations, we would have
an average of 600-700 pupils who can be attended
by day. Though, nevertheless, records of attention
have been registered of up to 2,400 persons
(in Argentina) in a single day!, in a marathon
of 18 consecutive hours presentations.
Between
every presentation is convenient to consider
15 minutes that is the average time necessary
to drive-out the spectators (of the previous
presentation) and to rive-in (of the next presentation).
Likewise, this time allows the operator to check
the equipment and to carry out minimal tasks
of cleanliness of the dome and even to take
some rest.
The
above mentioned is especially necessary in the
case of a "live" presentations. We
should t not exhaust unnecessarily the operators,
since they will who assure a qualityservice.
In case of "pre-recorded" presentations
this time is necessary also to place all the
system in "on" again.
Second
Case: Museums and Science Parks
Here
we have a different case. Basically because
the assistants do not come in groups previously
formed like in the schools case, where the assistants
are organized by the teachers. In the school
people come ramdomly.. About such a case it
is convenient to organize presentations with
schedule pre-arranged and previously announced
in a publicity board.
g.
The Public in a Dome
The
public should be accommodated in concentric
round starting from the door up to completing
the first circle and then establishing the following
concentric round. The public will have to sit
down with the soil with the crossed legs "
to the Indian thing ", as in the camps
about the fire. Hereby comfortably 80 children
will be able to stay from 6 to 9 years or 35-40
adults.
h.
Time of Exhibition
Twelve
years of experience in the operation of portable
planetariums indicate us that ideal time of
a presentation from the pedagogic point of view,
is 35-40 minutes.
