NASA Education Programs Enlighten and InspireNASA'S EDUCATION VISION IS TO PROMOTE excellence in America's education systems for its basic product—the advancement of human knowledge. When Congress first established NASA 40 years ago, asking it to instruct and inspire, the Agency committed its mission and resources in supporting the teaching profession and increasing awareness of the impact that science, mathematics and technology will have on the quality of life in the 21st century. NASA's national education programs are carried out through NASA Headquarters, its 10 field centers and a multifaceted network of partners, using educational resources that complement one another. The following highlights some of the curricula, programs, resources, alliances and opportunities for students, teachers and faculty through NASA's fellowships, scholarships, apprenticeships, workshops, classroom materials and interactive projects. Visit http://www.spacelink.nasa.gov/Educational.Services for a more extensive list of programs and information, including points of contact, admission criteria and financial support information. Teacher/Faculty Preparation and EnhancementThese programs are designed to provide opportunities for teachers and faculty to enhance knowledge and teaching skills through the use of NASA-related topics and research. NASA Educational Workshops (NEW) integrate national standards in math, science and technology. Participants are given an all-expenses-paid, two-week opportunity in the summer to observe NASA's state-of-the-art research and development through direct interaction with NASA scientists, engineers, technicians and educational specialists at each of the 10 NASA field centers. Techniques to integrate and translate information from this experience into the curriculum are a part of the workshops. Program collaborators with NASA are the National Science Teachers Association, the International Technology Educational Association and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Visit http://www.nsta.org/programs/new.htm The NASA Opportunities for Visionary Academics (NOVA) project provides faculty with enhanced knowledge and skills to create change in higher education by creating a national preservice model based on science, math and technology literacy standards using the NASA mission, facilities and resources. Project NOVA encourages faculty to collaborate in developing innovative approaches to student learning that are not used in traditional content courses. Faculty and students also are encouraged to use the World Wide Web as an interactive technology utilization tool to exchange and have access to models, materials, activities and updated information. The process is sustained by mentoring workshop participants and collaborating with partner institutions. For more information, visit http://www.eng.ua.edu/~nova Through Summer Faculty Fellowships,research fellowships are awarded to full-time engineering and science faculty members of U.S. colleges and universities—and some nonscience disciplines—for a 10-week research summer session. Fellows conduct research onsite, of mutual interest to them and the NASA research and development center. They are directly involved with a center colleague, the aeronautics and space program and accompanying basic research problems. Short courses, workshops and seminars are common features of the research programs. Families may join participants during the summer. Weekly $1,000 stipends are awarded, and a travel allowance is paid, with relocation allowance possible where necessary. Visit http://www.ASEE.org/fellowships Curriculum Support and DisseminationThese programs provide instructional materials based on NASA's unique mission and resources in the areas of science, engineering, technolog y and mathematics. These materials are available to increase student interest, involvement and achievement. The NASA Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE),a national distribution network for hundreds of NASA's videocassette, slide and CD-ROM programs (including those designed for hearing-impaired students), provides teachers with access to NASA's multimedia educational tools. CORE also enables the educational community to access programs, materials and services of NASA's national education program. For mail-order service, visit one of the NASA Educator Resource Centers located at NASA field centers and in selected museums, libraries, planetariums and universities throughout the United States, or contact Lorain County JVS, 15181 Route 58, South, Oberlin, Ohio 44074, 440/774-1051, ext. 235 or 249, fax 440/774-2144. View the catalog at http://www.spacelink.nasa.gov/CORE The Educator Resource Center Network (ERCN),with
at least one center in every state, gives educators the opportunity
to preview, copy and/or receive science, math and technology instructional
products aligned with national and state frameworks and based on
NASA's missions and results. Demonstrations of educational technologies,
such as NASA Spacelink, NASA Television and the NASA Education Home
Page, are also provided to educators. Inservice and preservice training
using NASA instructional products can also be provided. In addition,
NASA has established several Regional Educator Resource Centers
by forming partnerships with school systems, planetariums, museums
and other nonprofit organizations. Visit http://www.spacelink.nasa.gov/Educational.Services/NASA.Education.Programs/Curriculum NASA's On-line Resources for Educators provide current educational information and instructional resource materials to teachers, faculty and students. A wide range of information is available, including science, math, engineering and technology education lesson plans, historical information related to the aeronautics and space program, current status reports on NASA projects, news releases, information on NASA educational programs, useful software and graphics files. Educators and students can also use NASA resources as learning tools to explore the Internet, accessing information about educational grants, interacting with other schools that are already on-line, participating in on-line interactive projects and communicating with NASA scientists, engineers, and other team members to experience the excitement of real NASA projects. Visit http://www.hq.nasa.gov/education Student Support These programs provide enrichment experiences and financial support
for students in research or industrial settings (for example, NASA
centers, higher education institutions and industry) to foster careers
in science, engineering, technology and mathematics. The Graduate
Student Researchers Program invites university students
to pioneer the nation's future in space and on Earth (within the
framework of the NASA Strategic Plan). The competitive evaluation
of proposals sub mitted nets nearly 160 new fellowship awards each
year for graduate study, leading to research-based master's or doctoral
degrees in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering. Fellowship
grants of up to $22,000 for one year and renewed up to three years,
based on progress and available funding, are awarded to U.S. citizens
enrolled as full-time graduate students in the nation's higher education
institutions. Research and DevelopmentThese programs use the talent and resources of the higher education community in NASA programs that contribute to the development of new knowledge in support of the NASA mission. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) develops academic research enterprises that are long term, self-sustaining and nationally competitive for non-EPSCoR dollars. Running in tandem with the NASA Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, EPSCoR targets states of modest research infrastructure with funds to develop a more competitive research base within their member academic institutions. EPSCoR projects are closely related to one of NASA's four Strategic Enterprises. EPSCoR researchers collaborate frequently with NASA field centers and program officers. EPSCoR fosters cooperation among departments, across institutions, with state and local governments and with business and industry. EPSCoR awards encourage the participation of students, both graduate and undergraduate, in the funded research projects at NASA. EPSCoR awards require a one-to-one match from participating states and are guaranteed for three years with satisfactory performance, followed by a two-year renewal option after a comprehensive review. Other EPSCoR outcomes include the transfer of developed technology to industry, the increased economic development of the participating states and the communication of the benefits of research to the public. Visit http://www.hq.nasa.gov/epscor NASA's Space Grant College and Fellowship Program emphasizes the diversity of human resources, the participation of students (elementary through secondary levels) in research and the communication of the benefits of science and technology to the public. This program provides NASA funding for space-related research, education and public service projects with business, industry and departments among its national network of 52 university-based Space Grant Consortia. Since the program's inception by Congress in 1989, the Space Grant Consortia collectively have awarded more than 12,000 U.S. citizens with tuition assistance in science, engineering and related fields of study. Individual student awards have averaged $2,000 for undergraduates and $8,000 for graduate students. Remaining funds must be matched by other sources for research, the development or revision of research infrastructure and engineering and science curricula, as well as offer precollege activities to stimulate interest in science, mathematics and technology. Visit http://www.hq.nasa.gov/spacegrant Educational TechnologyThese programs use advanced technologies for education, including Internet services, CD-ROM databases, live or taped video, computer software, multimedia systems and virtual reality. This category also supports education technology research and development and the development of multimedia instructional resources, databases and dissemination systems. The NASA Education Home Page serves as a cyber-gateway to information regarding educational programs and services offered by NASA, providing specific details and points of contact for all of NASA's program and projects. This site gives a comprehensive overview of NASA's educational programs and services, supplies specific details and points of contact and provides a searchable program inventory that has catalogued NASA's educational programs. Visit http://education.nasa.gov NASA Spacelink is a "virtual library" search engine enabling educators to find information, regardless of its location within NASA. NASA educator guides, educational briefs, lithographs and other materials are cross-referenced throughout Spacelink with related topics and events. Special events, missions and intriguing web sites are featured in Spacelink's "Hot Topics" and "Cool Picks" areas, including NASA...On the Cutting Edge, a series of live and interactive education television programs. Broadcast via satellite to thousands of schools across the country, the series includes web chats, staff development for teachers, publications, curriculum support materials and occasional rebroadcasts of previous programs. Visit http://www.spacelink.nasa.gov For more information, visit http://education.nasa.gov |
NASA Educator Resource Centers around the country help teachers and educators in incorporating technology into their classrooms and with curriculum development.
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