Profession space science lecturer

Space science lecturers are subject professors, teachers, or lecturers who instruct students who have obtained an upper secondary education diploma in their own specialised field of study, space science, which is predominantly academic in nature. They work with their university research assistants and university teaching assistants for the preparation of lectures and of exams, grading papers and leading review and feedback sessions for the students. They also conduct academic research in their field of space science, publish their findings and liaise with other university colleagues.

Personality Type

• Social / Enterprising
• Social / Investigative
• Social / Artistic
• Social / Conventional
• Social / Realistic

Knowledge

• Aerospace engineering

  The engineering discipline that combines various technologies and engineering disciplines such as avionics, materials science and aerodynamics in order to design, develop and manufacture aircraft, spacecraft, missiles and satillites.

• Curriculum objectives

  The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

• Physics

  The natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.

• Astronomy

  The field of science that studies the physics, chemistry, and evolution of celestial objects such as stars, comets, and moons. It also examines phenomena that happen outside Earth's atmosphere such as solar storms, cosmic microwave background radiation, and gamma ray bursts.

Skills

• Develop course outline

  Research and establish an outline of the course to be taught and calculate a time frame for the instructional plan in accordance with school regulations and curriculum objectives.

• Liaise with educational staff

  Communicate with the school staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, academic advisors, and the principal on issues relating to students' well-being. In the context of a university, liaise with the technical and research staff to discuss research projects and courses-related matters.

• Apply teaching strategies

  Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners' level, goals, and priorities.

• Liaise with educational support staff

  Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students' well-being.

• Teach space science

  Instruct students in the theory and practice of space science, more specifically in astronomy, aerospace engineering, astrobiology, space archaeology, and astrochemistry.

• Compile course material

  Write, select or recommend a syllabus of learning material for the students enrolled in the course.

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Assess students

  Evaluate the students' (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.

• Perform classroom management

  Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.

• Demonstrate when teaching

  Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.

• Monitor developments in field of expertise

  Keep up with new research, regulations, and other significant changes, labour market related or otherwise, occurring within the field of specialisation.

• Give constructive feedback

  Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.

• Teach astronomy

  Instruct students in the theory and practice of astronomy, and more specifically in topics such as celestial bodies, gravity, and solar storms.

• Assist students with equipment

  Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.

• Write work-related reports

  Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.

• Prepare lesson content

  Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.

• Apply intercultural teaching strategies

  Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB