Project ThaiPASS: International Outreach Blending Astronomy and Python

TL;DR

ThaiPASS is a successful international summer school program that trains high-school students in astronomy and Python, demonstrating positive impact and potential for broader outreach in science education.

Contribution

This paper presents the design, implementation, and impact assessment of ThaiPASS, an international astronomy and Python summer school for high-school students, highlighting its effectiveness and future prospects.

Findings

Over 80% of students scored above average in activities

Positive student feedback on engagement and learning

Potential for expanding outreach activities

Abstract

$\textit{Thailand-UK Python+Astronomy Summer School}$ (ThaiPASS), a collaborative project comprising UK and Thai institutions and assess its impact and possible application to schools in the United Kingdom. Since its inception in 2018, the annual ThaiPASS have trained around 60 Thai high-school students in basic data handling skills using Python in the context of various astronomy topics, using current research from the teaching team. Our impact assessment of the 5 day summer schools show an overwhelmingly positive response from students in both years, with over $80\%$ of students scoring the activities above average in all activities but one. We use this data to suggest possible future improvements. We also discuss how ThaiPASS may inspire further outreach and engagement activities within the UK and beyond.