An exploratory study of the motivational aspects of a non-school activity for the teaching of Astronomy

Abstract

This research aimed to study the aspects that lead to motivation to learn Astronomy in a non-school environment. Although the literature of the area frequently points out that Astronomy is considered motivating, there is no work with theoretical framework of specific concepts that involves motivation. By using activities with telescopes to observe the Moon with the audience in a non-school environment, we aim to answer the central question: from the motivational aspects found in the participants of the activity in question, can we consider that they present evidences of intrinsic motivation and that astronomy was a motivating factor for their participation in the activity? For the study of motivation, we used as a theoretical framework the Self-Determination Theory, which studies the personality and human motivation as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. To guide the analysis, we used the qualitative methodological framework of Textual Analysis Discourse that seeks to understand the new interpretations from the survey data. The research points out that Astronomy can be motivating in similar scenarios like the one presented in this work, because the data indicate evidences of intrinsic motivation of the participants. The results showed that non-school spaces of education can help the school work in literacy and scientific literacy of the community, thus showing the importance of developing such activities to aid learning.