STEM camps based on astronomy and space science applications

Astronomy and space science that is the largest application area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) as a interdisciplinary field that makes use of other basic sciences that such as physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology, while exploring the universe, use and develops technology in a wide range of fields from photo plates to CCDs and from observatories to space telescopes and other spacecraft. In this thesis, STEM approach was examined as a solution to the problems encountered in astronomy and space sciences education, a sample lesson plan was developed by taking astronomy to the centre of the developed curricula and applied in some activities inside and outside the classroom. An online learning platform called "www.astrostem.org" was created as an alternative learning environment and web 2.0 tool in order to communicate the activities to educators, students and other individuals interested in astronomy and to provide interaction. In this way, it was aimed to motivate individuals to discover by experimenting and observing make STEM lesson plans prepared with astronomy and space sciences based applications more effective in the classroom, workshop or camp environment and to encourage them to develop innovative ideas, prototypes and projects in this field.