Zodiac Constellations: Student Representations From Cultural Astronomy And Contextualized Concept Cartoons

Abstract

This article presents the research project that analyzed the 6th-grade students' perspectives from a private school in Bogotá, Colombia, regarding Zodiac constellations using cultural astronomy. The study employed a qualitative interpretative approach and content analysis in five phases. These phases included identifying students' ideas about the Zodiac and constellations, designing a contextualized cartoon, selecting and organizing students' narratives, and describing students' representations of zodiac constellations. The study found that cartoons can effectively promote inquiry skills in the classroom based on students' experiences. Additionally, the study indicates that the study of Zodiac constellations can significantly impact students' observation of the movement of celestial bodies. Finally, the researchers suggest that studying Zodiac constellations can help students understand the different meanings and historical relevance of observing the sky through a transdisciplinary approach.