ABSTRACT
FOSCA (FOrum of SCientist TeenAgers) is a communication forum of senior high school science clubs from Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi) and was established formally in Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory, 24th April 2008. Most activities in this year were focus on Astronomy study in accordance with International Years of Astronomy 2009. FOSCA participated in IYA project by creating and joining in some astronomical events. The respond from students in Jabodetabek on FOSCA’s Activities was very positive. For next years we will focus on Biodiversity study. Although, the others subjects still will be continued. So, we need more support from stakeholders, especially research institutions and government to continue all of the FOSCA’s programs.
Keywords: FOSCA, astronomy, research, students, senior high school, communication forum.
1. INTRODUCTION
FOSCA (FOrum of SCientist TeenAgers) is a communication forum of senior high school science clubs from Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi). It was set up on the initiative of 3 students from different senior high school in Jakarta who want to develop more their senior high school science club. With the assistance from HAAJ, they created this forum for sharing how to make better activities of science club in their schools. Fortunately, students from Bekasi and Bogor heard about FOSCA and want to join. Finally, in the 24th April 2008 FOSCA was established formally with membership of students from Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. FOSCA has a vision to be a place for students who want to explore their creativity to develop their senior high school science club. In 2 year, FOSCA has been developed and now 108 senior high schools in Jabodetabek and 24 institutions & organization joined.
2. ACTIVITIES
There were some activities have been conducted on approaching our vision during 2 years of establishing this forum. Among others:
· Public Lecture. FOSCA attended some science classes that carried out by Schmutzer about primate in Ragunan and by HAAJ about Astronomy in Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory.
· Talk show. Some talk shows has been attended and conducted by FOSCA in World Book Day 2009 at Mandiri Museum and in LAPAN at LAPAN Rawamangun Jakarta.
· Visiting. To increase our knowledge we visit some event such as Peluncuran Perangko International Years of Astronomy at Bosscha, and Seminar Pendidikan Nasional about Biology at UNJ.
· Exhibitions. FOSCA was invited by some organizations and senior high school to introduce about FOSCA for example in IOAA (International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics) 2008 at Bandung, in World Science Day 2009 at 31 Jakarta Senior High School, and in World Book Day 2009 at Mandiri Museum.
· Training. FOSCA got a basic training from Jakarta Aeromodeling club about aeromodeling type Helicopter at Halim Jakarta.
· Workshop and Presentation. FOSCA has already done some workshops and presentations on telescope assembly and how to use it well in 14 senior high schools in Jabodetabek during this year.
· Research. A member of FOSCA has conducted some research on various subjects such as biology, astronomy, chemistry, etc. for competition or just practice in research.
· Science Camp. This activity has been started in 2009, on purpose as training activity on basic research for senior high school student in science club and makes relationship between students from different area.
· Science Organizing Committee (SOC). Many senior high schools have been interested in to invite FOSCA to be their Science Organizing Committee, since FOSCA became a SOC in the event of World Science Day at 31 Jakarta Senior High School (SMAN 31 Jakarta).
3. FOSCA in IYA (International Years of Astronomy) 2009
As we understand, the year of 2009 was declared as the International Years of Astronomy by UNESCO – UN (United Nation). FOSCA participated in IYA project by creating and joining in some astronomical events. In international project, FOSCA joined in several events such as, 100 Hours of Astronomy Project, You Are Galileo Project from Japan, Awareness Cornerstone Project – Dark Skies, Developing Astronomy Globally, and Galilean Night Project. FOSCA has also joined in local astronomical event conducted by several institutions such as, LAPAN (Talkshow on Astronomy and Scientific Paper Competition on Space Science), HAAJ – Jakarta Amateur Astronomy Society (Star Party, Astro Party, Talk Show, Workshop and public lecture), Depdiknas – National Department of Education (Competition for Teenagers of Scientific Research and National Science Olympiad in Astronomy subject).
4. YOU ARE GALILEO PROJECT
You Are Galileo project is a project from Japan that imitate Galileo in 400 years ago in observing the moon, Jupiter and Venus using a simple telescope. Dr. Hakim L. Malasan who coordinate You Are Galileo project in Indonesia give a trust to socialized a simple telescope to senior high school in Jabodetabek, so that FOSCA has one small telescope from him. HAAJ has assisted FOSCA by lending two others small telescope. Once more telescope has been kindly given to FOSCA by Widya Sawitar.
This Project has been done in 14 senior high schools in Jabotabek during this year, included 10 in Jakarta, 2 in Bogor, 1 in Tangerang, and 1 in Bekasi. Activity of this project consists of introducing International Years of Astronomy & astronomy in general, workshop about how to assemble small telescope You Are Galileo and practice to using this telescope. During You Are Galileo Project, we understand that all participants were very excited to learn about astronomy and very interested in this program.
5. SCIENCE CAMP 2009
Science Camp is a training activity on basic research for senior high school student in science club and makes relationship between students from different area. In Science Camp 2009, FOSCA collaborating with HAAJ, Planetarium Jakarta, and LIPI (Indonesian Institute of Sciences) to integrated Astronomy and Oceanography knowledge in one theme “Beautiful stars in the sky and the ocean”. It was held in Pari Island - Thousand Island, Jakarta, 15th – 17th August 2009.
In Science Camp activity, 34 students from 15 schools in Jabodetabek, 5 instructors from HAAJ, and 1 supervisor from LIPI have been joined. Student’s Participants were divided into four groups and learned about research method for astronomy and oceanography, doing sampling, analyzing data, and presenting their research result. Each group got a different topic about astronomy and oceanography for their research. Topics in Astronomy research were Jupiter, Moon, Messier object, and Venus. Whereas in the oceanography, they got topics on coral, mangrove, mollusk, and flora in the beach. Facilitations from Planetarium Jakarta, HAAJ, and LIPI for observation were 1 vixen telescope, 2 Spica Orbys telescope, 4 Hoschi No Techno telescope, and snorkeling apparatus.
All programs have been going well and everybody enjoyed in doing this research. Moreover, astronomy is a new knowledge for some of them and they looks very amazed when they know about how beautiful our skies in the night. Collaborating astronomy and oceanography is a new innovations to teach us about our beautiful earth, our universe and our existence with how blue ocean in the sea, and how bright stars in the dark skies. It was a beautiful experience for us.
6. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
FOSCA’s Program for next year will focus on International Years of Biodiversity. Therefore, we plan to make some activities on Introducing of teenager scientific research activity, Ciliwung exploration, Seminar and workshops about Biodiversity and Visiting some biological study object. In addition, several activities on Astronomy still will be continued by doing research about the Sun in Bosscha Observatory, You are Galileo project, providing seminar and workshop on Astronomy and regular meeting.
FOSCA has a role to stimulate student interest on science activity by developing their science club. Moreover, the respond from students in Jabodetabek on FOSCA’s activities was very positive. However, to make those activities sustain we still had problem in:
1. Place to organize, FOSCA still use Planetarium Jakarta’s facilities.
2. Budget from Government for conducting all activities planned, for this time being all cost was burden of the member.
3. Support not only from Astronomical institutions but also support from the others research institutions in various subjects.
4. School support by provide the permit on FOSCA’s activities
7. CONCLUSION
FOSCA was established in Jakarta, 24th April 2008. Many activities has been successfully conducted and got positive respond from students in Jabodetabek area. Most activities in this year were focus on Astronomy study in accordance with International Years of Astronomy 2009. For next years, FOSCA will focus on Biodiversity study. Although, the others subjects still will be continued. So, we need some support from stakeholders, especially research institutions and government.
REFERENCES
Walesa, G., 2009, Laporan Kegiatan Science Camp 2009, FOSCA.
Walesa, G., 2009, FOSCA activity, ppt-file Presented in Workshop and Seminar You Are Galileo Project at 6 Jakarta Senior High School (SMAN 6 Jakarta).
Walesa, G., 2009, FOSCA – You Are Galelio, ppt-file Presented in Workshop and Seminar You Are Galileo Project at 15 Jakarta Senior High School (SMAN 15 Jakarta).
Mr. Widya Sawitar and Gwyn Walesa colaborating in
Conference of The Indonesia Astronomy and Astrophysics
Picture of all participants in Conference of The Indonesia
Astronomy and Astrophysics, ITB, Bosscha 29-31 Oktober 2009\
