Many schools visited have rigid, conservative approaches to education and questioning is not encouraged. Once the ice is broken and students see that they aren't being tested in any way, their questions are uncontrived and wide ranging. Another general problem that has been experienced is that students have little concept of the large numbers involving size, distances or time relating to astronomy. On other occasions trying to convince participants in an adult education programme that the Earth was not flat proved difficult. These again are reasons for keeping workshops as flexible and open-ended as possible with additional resources readily available.
Students often contribute to the direction they take.
Summary It is difficult to assess the impact of these visits other than by the response of the students and teachers. All schools, without exception, have asked for return visits. Anyone who has experienced the logistics of taking children on outings will appreciate the benefits of such a mobile facility. In a school system which has tended to overemphasize factual knowledge and content, astronomy encourages a different approach to science and technology. The workshops not only teach students about the science and technology behind astronomy, but also encourages them to observe the world around them and so develop a curiosity about their environment in general and science in particular.