AMACA: Astronomy education with a Multi-sensory, Accessible, and Circular Approach

TL;DR

AMACA addresses the limitations of pre-existing multi-sensory astronomy resources by implementing a bottom-up, four-phase educational path that co-designs activities with astronomers, disability experts, psychologists, HS students, and teachers. It introduces practical tools (AMACA Design Canvas, Feedback Wheel, ICEBAGS) and evaluation methods (questionnaires, word clouds, debriefings) to create accessible, reusable materials published in PlayINAF. Across PhD candidates, HS students, the general public, and teachers, the approach yields increased engagement, shifts in perceptions toward accessibility for blind and visually impaired individuals, and high satisfaction with the flipped roles model. The work demonstrates a scalable, open, and inclusive framework for fostering science literacy and public engagement in astronomy, with strong implications for broader adoption of Universal Design for Learning and interdisciplinary collaboration in science education.

Abstract

The AMACA project (Astronomy education with a Multi-sensory, Accessible, and Circular Approach) develops multi-sensory activities for accessible education and engagement in astronomy. Despite promising innovations, existing resources are often poorly documented, designed for one-time events, expensive, and lack interdisciplinary collaboration, user testing, and broad dissemination. AMACA addresses these challenges by creating multi-sensory activities for education and outreach, with a particular focus on accessibility for people with sensory disabilities. A circular approach informs its educational structure: (1) a PhD course on multi-sensory astronomy outreach develops hands-on activities with the support of astronomers, psychologists, and organizations for the visually impaired and the deaf; (2) PhD candidates teach High School (HS) students how to deliver the activities; (3) HS students lead the activities at the Astronomy Festival "The Universe in All Senses"; (4) HS students train teachers to implement the activities in their classrooms. AMACA also develops tools to guide project development and track participants' learning. Key findings show improved communication and accessibility awareness among PhD candidates, increased emotional engagement with astronomy among HS students, enhanced public engagement with research and accessibility awareness, and high teacher satisfaction with the flipped-roles, hands-on approach. Overall, AMACA enhances accessibility and engagement in astronomy education across audiences.

Figures (7)

• Figure 1: An educational path to share scientific culture in an atmosphere of cooperation and inclusion. Summary of the phases that are at the basis of the AMACA project.
• Figure 2: The timeline of the AMACA educational path.
• Figure 3: Template of AMACA Design Canvas (upper left), Feedback Wheel (bottom left) and ICEBAGS (right).
• Figure 4: AMACA Design Canvas filled in by PhD students at the beginning (top) and at the end (bottom) of the course. We show, as an example, the canvas prepared for the activity "The many looks of a galaxy".
• Figure 5: Feedback Wheel obtained by the debrief of the user testing for the activity "The many looks of a galaxy"