Ulaanbaatar
‘Next Astronaut’ program to pave way for training of aerospace engineers
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Dudu Education Foundation is implementing ‘Next Astronaut’ subprogram within its ‘Space Camp Mongolia’ program, which paves the way for the training of aerospace engineers. Founder of the foundation D.Munkhtulga underlined that it could become a reality if we can make children enthusiastic about space research and engineering. About his project that began nine years ago, he said, “We are implementing a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-based multidisciplinary program geared to developmental characteristics of Mongolian children, in which the children gain knowledge about space technology in easy and fun ways. In other words, the children are educated through interesting tasks that stimulate their cognitive and imaginative functions instead of hard problems and formulas. Simply put, the children will be able to gain basic knowledge on space technology while playing.”
In the program, children aged between five and eight make paper rockets, which help them understand gravity, and those older than eight make straw rockets.
Developed countries have children take part in after school activities such as museum visits and camping to provide scientific and technological knowledge. Children who had their cognitive development fostered through such approach become fond of learning. For example, it is not enough for children to only visit a full-size spacecraft replica. So they take a mock preliminary test, try on the space suit and are taught spacecraft safety regulations. The main goal of the program is to stimulate the children’s interest in aerospace engineering.
