Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Curriculum”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10

Use of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite to Promote International Distance Education Programs for Georgetown University

Georgetown's distance education program is designed to demonstrate to faculty and administrators the feasibility and desirability of using two-way video transmission for international education. These programs will extend the reach of Georgetown's educational offerings; enrich the curriculum and content of Georgetown's offerings by interaction with institutions in other nations; enhance the world view of the School of Business Administration; enable Georgetown to share its resources with other institutions outside of the United States; and promote Commerce within the Americas. The primary reason for this pilot program is to evaluate the effectiveness and economic viability of offering academic courses and Small Business Development training.

Bradley, Harold↗

Defining a Mechanism of Educational Interface Between NASA Life Sciences the Nation's Students

Harnessing our greatest national resource, as represented by the nation's students, will require a thoughtful, well developed and administered program that includes precise, executable strategies and valid evaluation tools. Responding to a national education outreach priority, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Life and Biomedical Sciences and Applications Division has initiated a process or organizing and implementing various strategies through a steering committee that includes representatives from Headquarters and three field centers with major Life Sciences programs. The mandate of the Life Sciences Education Outreach Steering Committee is to develop ways of communicating space life science issues to America's students through the nation's teachers by curriculum enhancement and direct participation in the education process with an emphasis in the primary and secondary schools. Metrics are also developed for each individually defined process so that the mechanis can be continuously refined and improved.

Chamberland, D.↗

Exploring the Environment and the Astronomy Village: NASA Classroom of the Future

Astronomy Village: Investigating the Universe is a CD-ROM based multimedia program that provides teachers and students with ten complete investigations in astronomy intended to complement and extend the science curriculum in 9th and 10th grade classes. Students, in teams of three, use the Astronomy Village software to conduct investigations in astronomy and lear about the nature of scientific inquiry. The Astronomy Village's interface is based on the village like appearence of major observatories on mountain tops. Tools available to students include an image processing program, a document reader, an image browser, a telecommunications program for accessing the world wide web, and various simulation programs. The simulation programs include a star life cycle simulator, an orbital simulator, and a 3-D star simulator. Other resources available on this CD for the student research teams include: digitized video clips, images from the Hubble Space Telescope and other instruments; audio clips of astronomers discussing their work; computer animation and graphics; and full text documents such as book chapters, NASA publications, and articles from astronomy journals and magazines.

Myers, Bob↗

Practice Oriented Master's in Optics

This award provides support for the development and initial implementation of an interdisciplinary Master's Program with a concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology. This program is a collaboration between the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama A&M University, Northwest Shoals Community College, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the U. S. Army Missile Command, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the National Institute for Standards and Technology, Advanced Optical Systems Inc., Dynetics, Inc., Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Nichols Research Corp., SCI Inc., and Speedring Inc. These organizations have been participating fully in the design, development and implementation of the program. This program is directed at both traditional students as well as government and defense workers who desire specialty education in practical optics and optical systems design and manufacturing. It is intended to produce highly trained graduates who can solve practical problems, and includes an on-site practicum at a manufacturing location. The broad curriculum of this program emphasizes the fundamentals of optics, optical systems manufacturing and testing, and the principles of design and manufacturing-to-cost for commercial optical products. The degrees offered are the MS in Physics and the MSE in Electrical Engineering with concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology through the Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments of UAH with support from and in consultation with the Steering Committee composed of representatives from each of the participating organizations plus a student representative.

Dimmock, John O.↗

School Science Comes Alive

Phase 3 of the School Science Comes Alive Program (S(sup 2)CAP) created an exciting, science - enrichment experience for third, fourth and fifth graders and their teachers and enhanced the science-teaching skills of teacher teams at each of four participating elementary schools on Virginia's Peninsula. The schools involved enroll a majority of Black students, many of whom are from economically disadvantaged households. Designed to build on the highly successful S(sup 2)CAP program of the preceding two years, this project brought college faculty together with classroom teachers and trained volunteers in a cooperative effort to make a lasting difference in the quality of science education at the four schools. In total, this program touched approximately 1000 the school children, more than half of whom are black, giving them direct and indirect exposure to the spirit of inquiry and adventure of the world-wide science community. In S(sup 2)CAP Phase 3, a large measure of responsibility was placed on the classroom teachers, thus creating a more sustainable partnership between college faculty and grade school teacher. Our college physics professors coached and supported teams of teachers from each school at intensive training workshops. A volunteer program provided each teacher with one or more trained volunteers to assist in class with the hands-on activities that have been central to the S2CAP program. Most of the equipment for these activities was constructed during the workshops by the teachers and volunteers from low cost materials provided by the program. Two types of volunteers were enlisted: science smart black college students and technically trained retirees (many of whom are ex-NASA employees). One goal of this program was to increase the numbers of minority students who see science as an interesting and exciting subject, to make the science period a time which students look forward to in the school day. Such an attitude is expected to translate naturally into a higher interest in science and engineering as a career for these students. A second goal was to create a sustainable improvement in the way science is taught at the elementary level. By the end of the program we expected that our teachers would be significantly more self reliant in using hands-on-activities as a part of their science curricula than they were prior to their involvement with S2CAP. In summary, S2CAP Phase 3 offered intensive training workshops for teachers and supporting volunteers followed by stimulating hands-on activities in the classroom for the children. These components combined to amplify the experience, enthusiasm, and ideas of our scientists in a way that complements the normal elementary school curriculum in each of the two school systems involved.

Hartline, Frederick F.↗

IITA Cooperative Agreement Projects for Classroom Usability

Based on this review, the following conclusions are drawn regarding the 'school readiness' of the sites. All six of the sites had great appeal to the reviewers and therefore we can conclude that each has tremendous potential for use in the classroom. None, however, were given a completely 'school-ready' assessment. With recommended revisions, each site will be a valuable asset to the classroom teacher. For each as well, teachers particularly had problems with access or finding them, but once there, felt they all had some relevance. Many of the weaknesses noted related to lack of guidance for teachers with links to their curriculum or provision of activities. Other weaknesses related to the lack of educational purpose, however, this may be addressed in the development of strong teacher resources and guides linked to the sites. For those sites with a weak or without a teacher's guide, adding this component would be worth the expenditure of time and money needed.

Grabowski, Barbara↗

Microgravity: A Teacher's Guide With Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology

The purpose of this curriculum supplement guide is to define and explain microgravity and show how microgravity can help us learn about the phenomena of our world. The front section of the guide is designed to provide teachers of science, mathematics, and technology at many levels with a foundation in microgravity science and applications. It begins with background information for the teacher on what microgravity is and how it is created. This is followed with information on the domains of microgravity science research; biotechnology, combustion science, fluid physics, fundamental physics, materials science, and microgravity research geared toward exploration. The background section concludes with a history of microgravity research and the expectations microgravity scientists have for research on the International Space Station. Finally, the guide concludes with a suggested reading list, NASA educational resources including electronic resources, and an evaluation questionnaire.

Rogers, Melissa J. B.↗

MCTP Summer Research Internship Program. Research Presentation Day: Experience Mathematics and Science in the Real World

This paper presents the summaries of the MCTP Summer Research Internship Program. Technological areas discussed include: Mathematical curriculum development for real world problems; Rain effects on air-water gas exchange; multi-ring impact basins on mars; developing an interactive multimedia educational cd-rom on remote sensing; a pilot of an activity for for the globe program; fossils in maryland; developing children's programming for the american horticultural society at river farm; children's learning, educational programs of the national park service; a study of climate and student satisfaction in two summer programs for disadvantaged students interested in careers in mathematics and science; the maryland governor's academy, integrating technology into the classroom; stream sampling with the maryland biological stream survey (MBSS); the imaging system inspection software technology, the preparation and detection of nominal and faulted steel ingots; event-based science, the development of real-world science units; correlation between anxiety and past experiences; environmental education through summer nature camp; enhancing learning opportunities at the Salisbury zoo; plant growth experiment, a module for the middle school classroom; the effects of proxisome proliferators in Japanese medaka embryos; development of a chapter on birth control and contraceptive methodologies as part of an interactive computer-based education module on hiv and aids; excretion of gentamicin in toadfish and goldfish; the renaissance summer program; and Are field trips important to the regional math science center?

Source record↗

NASA CORE: Central Operation of Resources for Educators-Educational Materials Catalog

The NASA Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE), established in cooperation with Lorain County Joint Vocational School, serves as the worldwide distribution center for NASA-produced educational materials. For a minimal charge, CORE will provide a valuable service to educators unable to visit one of the NASA Educator Resource Centers by making NASA educational audiovisual materials available through its mail order service. Through CORE's distribution network, the public has access to more than 200 videocassette, slide, and CD-ROM programs, chronicling NASA!s state-of-the-art research and technology. Through the use of these curriculum supplement materials, teachers can provide their students with the latest in aerospace information. NASAs educational materials on aeronautics and space provide a springboard for classroom discussion of life science, physical science, astronomy, energy, Earth resources, environment, mathematics, and career education.

Source record↗

The Chemistry of Early Self-Replicating Systems

The NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Exobiology is a consortium of scientists at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies (Salk) and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). All three institutions are located in close geographical proximity in La Jolla, California. The NSCORT/Exobiology is administered through the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Since its inception in January 1992, the NSCORT in Exobiology has made major contributions with respect to the question of how life began on Earth. The Principal Investigators (PIs) and their associated Fellows have published numerous articles in peer reviewed journals on topics relevant to Exobiology. They have presented papers and sponsored symposia at several meetings of national and international scientific societies. A total of 30 undergraduate, 12 graduate and 15 postdoctoral Fellows have been supported by the NSCORT. The Fellows have met on their own at least once a month to discuss Exobiology topics and research progress. The NSCORT has arranged seminars and evening discussion meetings, and offered an undergraduate class on "Biochemical Evolution" as well as graduate courses dealing with topics in Exobiology. A visiting scientist program has allowed 11 scientists from the U.S. and 4 foreign countries to conduct cooperative research with the various PIs. An active outreach program has been initiated, which includes an Exobiology high school level teaching module and curriculum guide, and an elementary school level booklet about basic atomic structure and formation of the universe, Sun and Earth. A World Wide Web Homepage (http://www-chem.ucsd.edu/-nscort/ NSCORT.html) has been developed, which describes the NSCORT activities, research programs and Fellowship opportunities. The various activities of the NSCORT in Exobiology have received wide-spread coverage in both the scientific and public media. The major function of the NSCORT is the training of young scientists in the field of Exo- biology. Thus, the bulk of the $1,000,000 annual budget is used to support the research and training of undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral Fellows who are selected on a competitive basis. About five Fellows at each level are supported each year. Our goal is to train scientists whose major research interest is Exobiology, but whose mastery in the classical fields of chemistry, biology and earth science is so strong that they outstanding candidates for either graduate school or academic tenure-track positions in departments at leading national and international Universities. Applicants for these Fellowships are solicited by advertisements in journals such as Science and Nature and in organizational newsletters such as the one published by the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life (ISSOL), by contacting academic and NASA colleagues working in Exobiology or related fields and by recruiting students who have already been admitted into the various academic programs with which the PIs are affiliated.

Bada, Jeffrey L.↗

Studying the Earth's Environment from Space: Computer Laboratory Exercised and Instructor Resources

Studying the Earth's Environment From Space is a two-year project to develop a suite of CD-ROMs containing Earth System Science curriculum modules for introductory undergraduate science classes. Lecture notes, slides, and computer laboratory exercises, including actual satellite data and software, are being developed in close collaboration with Carla Evans of NASA GSFC Earth Sciences Directorate Scientific and Educational Endeavors (SEE) project. Smith and Alfultis are responsible for the Oceanography and Sea Ice Processes Modules. The GSFC SEE project is responsible for Ozone and Land Vegetation Modules. This document constitutes a report on the first year of activities of Smith and Alfultis' project.

Smith, Elizabeth A.↗

Advanced Technology for Engineering Education

This document contains the proceedings of the Workshop on Advanced Technology for Engineering Education, held at the Peninsula Graduate Engineering Center, Hampton, Virginia, February 24-25, 1998. The workshop was jointly sponsored by the University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Computational Technology and NASA. Workshop attendees came from NASA, other government agencies, industry and universities. The objectives of the workshop were to assess the status of advanced technologies for engineering education and to explore the possibility of forming a consortium of interested individuals/universities for curriculum reform and development using advanced technologies. The presentations covered novel delivery systems and several implementations of new technologies for engineering education. Certain materials and products are identified in this publication in order to specify adequately the materials and products that were investigated in the research effort. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement of products by NASA, nor does it imply that the materials and products are the only ones or the best ones available for this purpose. In many cases equivalent materials and products are available and would probably produce equivalent results.

Noor, Ahmed K.↗

SEMS: System for Environmental Monitoring and Sustainability

The goal of this project was to establish a computational and data management system, SEMS, building on our existing system and MTPE-related research. We proposed that the new system would help support Washington University's efforts in environmental sustainability through use in: (a) Problem-based environmental curriculum for freshmen and sophomores funded by the Hewlett Foundation that integrates scientific, cultural, and policy perspectives to understand the dynamics of wetland degradation, deforestation, and desertification and that will develop policies for sustainable environments and economies; (b) Higher-level undergraduate and graduate courses focused on monitoring the environment and developing policies that will lead to sustainable environmental and economic conditions; and (c) Interdisciplinary research focused on the dynamics of the Missouri River system and development of policies that lead to sustainable environmental and economic floodplain conditions.

Arvidson, Raymond E.↗

K-12 Aerospace Education Programs

NASA, the United States Air Force Academy, the Air Force Space Command, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), and the United States Space Foundation teamed to produce a dynamic and successful graduate course and in-service program for K-12 educators that has a positive impact on education trends across the nation. Since 1986, more than 10,000 educators from across the United States have participated in Space Discovery and Teaching with Space affecting nearly a million students in grades K-12. The programs are designed to prepare educators to use the excitement of space to motivate students in all curriculum subjects.

Source record↗

NASA-OAI HPCCP K-12 Program

The NASA-OAI High Performance Communication and Computing K- 12 School Partnership program has been completed. Cleveland School of the Arts, Empire Computech Center, Grafton Local Schools and the Bug O Nay Ge Shig School have all received network equipment and connections. Each school is working toward integrating computer and communications technology into their classroom curriculum. Cleveland School of the Arts students are creating computer software. Empire Computech Center is a magnet school for technology education at the elementary school level. Grafton Local schools is located in a rural community and is using communications technology to bring to their students some of the same benefits students from suburban and urban areas receive. The Bug O Nay Ge Shig School is located on an Indian Reservation in Cass Lake, MN. The students at this school are using the computer to help them with geological studies. A grant has been issued to the friends of the Nashville Library. Nashville is a small township in Holmes County, Ohio. A community organization has been formed to turn their library into a state of the art Media Center. Their goal is to have a place where rural students can learn about different career options and how to go about pursuing those careers. Taylor High School in Cincinnati, Ohio was added to the schools involved in the Wind Tunnel Project. A mini grant has been awarded to Taylor High School for computer equipment. The computer equipment is utilized in the school's geometry class to computationally design objects which will be tested for their aerodynamic properties in the Barberton Wind Tunnel. The students who create the models can view the test in the wind tunnel via desk top conferencing. Two teachers received stipends for helping with the Regional Summer Computer Workshop. Both teachers were brought in to teach a session within the workshop. They were selected to teach the session based on their expertise in particular software applications.

Source record↗

Space Discovery: Teaching with Space. Evaluation: Summer, Fall 1998 Programs

This is the final report of the 1998 NASA-sponsored evaluation of the effectiveness of the United States Space Foundation's five-day Space Discovery Standard Graduate Course (Living and Working in Space), the five-day Space Discovery Advanced Graduate Course (Advanced Technology and Biomedical Research), the five-day introductory course Aviation and Space Basics all conducted during the summer of 1998, and the Teaching with Space two-day Inservice program. The purpose of the program is to motivate and equip K- 12 teachers to use proven student-attracting space and technology concepts to support standard curriculum. These programs support the America 2000 National Educational Goals, encouraging more students to stay in school, increase in competence, and have a better opportunity to be attracted to math and science. The 1998 research program continues the comprehensive evaluation begun in 1992, this year studying five summer five-day sessions and five Inservice programs offered during the Fall of 1998 in California, Colorado, New York, and Virginia. A comprehensive research design by Dr. Robert Ewell of Creative Solutions and Dr. Darwyn Linder of Arizona State University evaluated the effectiveness of various areas of the program and its applicability on diverse groups. Preliminary research methodology was a set of survey instruments administered after the courses, and another to be sent in April-4-5 months following the last inservice involved in this study. This year, we have departed from this evaluation design in two ways. First, the five-day programs used NASA's new EDCATS on-line system and associated survey rather than the Linder/Ewell instruments. The Inservice programs were evaluated using the previously developed survey adapted for Inservice programs. Second, we did not do a follow-on survey of the teachers after they had been in the field as we have done in the past. Therefore, this evaluation captures only the reactions of the teachers to the programs immediately after the instruction. Although EDCATS is designed for teachers to enter their data logged onto the appropriate internet web site, most surveys were completed on a printed copy and entered into the EDCATS system by USSF personnel. The Aviation and Space Basics class were taken to a computer lab where they responded to the survey on-line. Data from the Inservice surveys were manually entered into a computer spreadsheet program by US Space Foundation personnel and processed using the statistical program SPSS for Windows. The raw data and copy of the EDCATS survey for the five-day programs are in Appendix 1. The raw data and copy of the Inservice survey are in Appendix 2. Comments from both programs are in Appendices 3 and 4, respectively.

Ewell, Bob↗

NASA's Earth Science Enterprise: 1998 Education Catalog

This catalog presents a reference guide to NASA Earth science education programs and products. The topics include: 1) Student Support (Elementary and Secondary, Undergraduate and Graduate, Postgraduate, and Postdoctorate); 2) Teacher/Faculty Preparation and Enhancement; 3) Systemic Change; 4) Curriculum Support; and 5) Resources.

Source record↗

NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program Ronald E. McNair PhD Program

The NASA Ronald E. McNair PHD Program was funded in September 1995. Implementation began during the spring of 1996. The deferment of the actual program initial semester enabled the program to continue support through the fall semester of 1998. This was accomplished by a no-cost extension from August 15, 1998 through December 31, 1998. There were 12 fellows supported by the program in 1996, 15 fellows in 1997, and 15 fellows 1998. Current program capacity is 15 fellows per funding support. Support for the academic outreach component began in spring 1998. The program was named the "Good Enough" Crew Activity (GECA) in honor of Dr. McNair's philosophy of everyone being good enough to achieve anything they want bad enough. The program currently enrolls 65 students from the third through the eight grades. The program is held 12 Saturdays per semester. The time is 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM each Saturday Morning. Program direction and facilitation is jointly administered with the PHD fellows and the Saturday Academy staff. Dr. John Kelly, REM-PHD Principal Investigator serves in a program oversight and leadership capacity. Ms. Sunnie Howard, The NASA REM-PHD Administrative Coordinator serves in an administrative and logistical capacity. Mr. Aaron Hatch, the NASA-AMES Liaison Officer, serve@'in a consultative and curriculum review capacity. The first recognition activity will be held on December 12, 1998, with the students, parents, faculty, PHD fellows, and other local student support services persons. Program outreach efforts are jointly supported by the NASA REM-PHD Program and the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. The Ph.D. program reached its first milestone in May 1998. North Carolina A&T State University graduated the first Ph.D. fellows. The first three Ph.D. Alumni were Ronald E. McNair PHD Program Fellows. It is hoped that this is just the beginning of a highly acclaimed doctoral program. The ultimate program success will be recognized when the program begins to graduate 15 fellows per year. The Ph.D. Program is only three and a half years old and the expectations of graduating PH.D's in that timeframe, is a phenomenal accomplishment for any program in the country. Since inception of the NASA REM-PHD program, tuitions and fees have increased. Stipend support was increased to offer the Ph.D. program on a competitive basis. These increases will place allocation restraints on r_ the current level of funding. These issues are being addressed in the proposal and will bear their own merit.

Howard, Sunnie↗