Capacity Building in STEAM to ensure a sustainable community development: A working example in Timor

Abstraksi

This work was initiated with a very specific objective: to develop a common platform upon which a new astronomical facility and its surrounding community in a remote mountainous region in Timor can advance together, create a synergetic symbiosis, for a long term mutual benefit, including the preservation of natural resources. One vehicle to reach this objective is a strong and relevant Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education which elucidates the working of Earth system as our natural environment and the development of technology in modern civilization and its impact on Earth, which leads to the understanding and acceptance of the cruciality of sustainable development ideas and practices. Despite the very specific objective, driven by specific needs, positive outcome of this work is not only to the benefit of astronomy but to a much larger context of development. In certain perspective it even deconstructs classical notion of development. We ask what we mean by ‘a developed community’. We focus less on ourselves, on this moment, and spread the development indicator to include the wellness of our Earth and our fellow earthlings, and to cover a time span all the way to some foreseeable distant future. Through the STEAM project training, which include vocational training and art projects, young people are directly involved in developing solutions to real local challenges. The gained knowledge, skill, and better attitude towards STEAM-related works, will constitute a significant raise in the human capital value; empowering them to constructively take charge of their future as a workforce competent and independent in managing and supporting their community. The trainings will prepare them to be creative in the economic sector whilst still preserving their natural treasure and traditional cultural wonder. Refined and high level creativity manifested in ecotourism, well-governed farming, IT-related services, are among the possibilities. Sustainable development must also amount to preparing and absorbing local skilled human resource in their own region development. This should automatically curb urbanization. East Nusa Tenggara region is blessed with the clearest sky in Indonesia. Like all traditions in the world, people in Timor pay close attention to nature, including the heavenly bodies. They correlate earthly phenomena with the presence of certain stellar configuration in the sky and have made the sky their calendar and compass. Modern astronomy education adds scientific narrative to the traditional knowledge by offering description of the causal relation underlying the observed correlation. This in itself constitutes a rational empowerment that potentially enhance critical and constructive thinking, arguably the two most required elements in human capacity building. The splendor of the night sky allures human of all ages, and this makes astronomy the most engaging of all sciences, and it opens door to other STEAM fields. Combining astronomy and STEAM education creates professional environment particularly in science, mathematics, and engineering, as well as specific context in preserving the environment for ecological balance and astronomical purpose. It accelerates the production of local skilled and knowledgeable human resource capable of elaborating sustainable development ideas suitable to the region and putting them into practice. Reviving and including the beauty of their natural environment and the rich cultural heritage in this holistic approach of education will form mindful generations who care for others as well as themselves and are resilient to unnecessary changes brought forth by rapid modernization. This young generation will respond positively to the challenges of the new world as their rational power, skill, and knowledge are robust human capacity. We also nurture young generations to be active contributors in the future running of the observatory and astronomical research. The international character of astronomical work is attractive to young people, and therefore effective in expanding their horizon. Additionally, pairing astronomy and STEAM education paves the way to gaining support for the needed regulation on the use of artificial light to reduce light pollution, crucial in preserving the dark night sky. Its enforcement requires cooperation with both the local community and government. In this particular project STEAM education focuses on developing a holistic system, including any feasible supporting facility and instrumentation focused on chosen challenges: energy, water, and lighting regulation to ensure natural dark sky preservation. At this time of writing, many regions in Timor only have the most basic infrastructure, healthcare and education facilities, and still do not have electricity and clean water system. We are learning from experiences from various experts and institutions and work together to run astronomy and STEAM education and training programs and assist the local government in planning. This project is supported by collaboration with experts in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia Institute for Energy Economics, Faculty of Sciences and Technics of Nusa Cendana University, Kupang Polytechnic Institute, Ganesha 83 STEAM Teacher Education Program, the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Manchester, and the Office of Astronomy for Development of the International Astronomical Union. This project will serve as a well exercised example in together unrolling a long term development plan, balancing short term gain against long term benefit, at a harmonious pace with the beat of the local souls. Whereas one has to wait long to see a sustainable thriving region as the whole result of this work, short term results could be assessed. This could manifest, amongst others, in the increase in motivation in young people to further their education, in teachers’ creativity in school activity, in student academic performance, in parental support of their children schooling, in public participation in higher level dialogues, in public participation in communal teamwork, including the construction of and caring for public facilities.