Bringing Astronomy Closer to the Classroom: How the Teacher Gulameryan Training Program at Byurakan Is Inspiring Science Education

For many teachers, professional development is about gaining new knowledge. But the most meaningful training goes further — creating opportunities to explore, exchange ideas, recharge, and return to the classroom with renewed enthusiasm.

That is what 30 physics teachers from different regions of Armenia experienced during a professional development "Gulameryan" program at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. Teachers from Tavush, Shirak, Lori, Ararat, Kotayk, Vayots Dzor, Aragatsotn, Gegharkunik, Armavir, and Yerevan came together to deepen their knowledge of physics and astronomy and discover new ways to bring science to life in the classroom.

For Nelli Asoyan, a physics teacher at Masis Secondary School No. 5 in Ararat Province, the program offered much more than traditional lectures.

“We attended many accessible lectures that we can apply at school, took part in practical sessions, went on educational visits and museum tours, and got to know the work of the observatory’s researchers. We also had opportunities to observe the night sky. The observatory staff did not hesitate to stay late into the night so that we could see the stars more clearly,” she says.

Asoyan had heard about the "Gulameryan" program from friends and social media and was encouraged by the positive feedback of previous participants. She says that, compared with other professional development programs she has attended, the Byurakan experience was exceptional in both its organization and its approach.

The program aimed to strengthen teachers’ professional knowledge and practical skills in astronomy and physics, introduce innovative and non-formal education methods, and connect them with the school curriculum. Interdisciplinary topics and practical approaches were also an important part of the training.

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The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory has been organizing professional development programs for schoolteachers since 2009. In recent years, the program has been supported by the Fund for Armenian Relief as part of its ongoing science and education initiatives.

According to Areg Mikaelyan, Director of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory and head of the program, these trainings are particularly important given that astronomy has not been taught as a separate school subject since 2009.

“In these circumstances, the teacher training programs organized by the Byurakan Observatory are irreplaceable and can significantly help fill the existing gap,” he says.

Although around 30 teachers participate each year, Mikaelyan emphasizes that the regularity of the program is what makes its impact grow over time — strengthening teachers’ astronomical knowledge and teaching methods while encouraging greater interest in astronomy.

The program also created a space for teachers from different regions to share their experiences and discuss challenges they encounter in the classroom.

“We value these trainings because they provide a space to identify challenges, discuss them, and suggest solutions. Teachers from different regions share their experiences and discover new teaching methods and interesting ways of approaching problems,” says Eduard Karapetyan, Head of Scientific and Educational Programs at FAR.

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The initiative also supports the broader goals of Armenia’s National Center for Education Development and Innovation (KZNAK), particularly the development of students’ scientific knowledge and their ability to apply it in practice.

Mariam Sargsyan, a specialist at KZNAK’s Department of the State Standard and Curricula for General Education, says that the training gave teachers an opportunity to explore new teaching approaches, problem-solving methods, exchange knowledge and experience, and adapt international best practices to the Armenian context. Educational and scientific visits further enriched the experience.

For the participants, however, the program was not only about acquiring new knowledge. It was also about stepping away from routine, discovering something new, and returning to school energized.

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Asoyan believes this balance is one of the program’s greatest strengths.

“I have participated in many professional development programs throughout my career, but this one was exceptional — both in its organization and in the topics, it covered, and especially in the way it cared about teachers.

Knowledge is very important, of course, but it is also important when people think about our rest, about making our everyday experience interesting, and about helping teachers’ recharge. That way, we can return to school with even more energy and bring what we have learned to our students,” she says.