Fostering innovation, inclusion, and diversity in astronomy education: The Czech Astronomy Olympiad experience (2401.12376v1)

Abstract: Astronomy education and outreach are very important when it comes to the future generation's interest in science. The Czech Astronomy Olympiad shows how an educational competition for secondary and high schools can help us drive innovation and promote inclusion and diversity. In this work, we introduce the scope of this competition and show statistics on participation. We also discuss some of the steps taken to make astronomy accessible to a wider audience, such as organising international workshops. In addition, we explore some of the approaches which were adopted to broaden the Olympiad's reach and impact. These include, e.g., developing a dedicated website environment or publishing Open Access booklets with solved problems.