ITEEA Responds to New Science Standards' Inclusion of Technology and Engineering

Several months ago, the National Science Board and the National Academy of Sciences, as part of the process of creating a new generation of science standards, released a draft that includes technology and engineering as a major addition to the science content to be taught, presumably, by science educators. These standards were also to be in the direction of “common core” standards that have been a major effort by the National Governors Association, et al, for the language and mathematics subjects. ITEEA members from the field of technology and engineering education on the science framework writing team included: Rodney Custer, DTE, Yvonne Spicer, and Maurice Frazier.

ITEEA was asked to provide input on the first draft of the framework, which occurred via a letter from Executive Director, Kendall N. Starkweather, DTE, Executive Director/CEO on behalf of the Board of Directors. After all input was received, a team of writers began a confidential writing process, which will continue until work is completed, with no specific end date. ITEEA has again been asked to provide a list of questions to be used in analyzing the pending framework.

ITEEA responded with another letter, including questions about the framework, specifically in areas of: Delivery of Instruction, Content and Discipline, Laboratory Work, State Licensure, and Teacher Preparation. ITEEA’s concerns require a serious approach to implementing these standards, as the new Science Board framework incorporates technology and engineering content and includes it under the umbrella of science content. Read the letter at www.iteea.org/Resources/PressRoom/2011/Apr/KellerLetter.pdf

Currently, science, technology, and engineering educators are awaiting the next generation science standards framework. Frameworks traditionally have dealt with content and not necessarily how that content will be delivered. Educators from the fields involved with this content will then have to make the next move towards implementation. This will be a national, state, and local effort, should educators choose to follow the direction suggested in the standards. For more information about the science standards, go to www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Standards_Framework_Homepage.html

CTTE Program at the 2012 ITEEA Conference in Long Beach

During the 2012 ITEEA Conference in Long Beach, CTTE (ITEEA’s Council on Technology Teacher Education) will have its own professional program of meetings, presentations, and related activities. The annual CTTE Business Meeting is one of the major events. Professional presentations cover a wide range of topics, from accreditation to special methods to research reports.

Members are invited to apply to present a CTTE session at the ITEEA Annual Conference March 15-17, 2012 in Long Beach, CA. There are three types of presentations (paper/research, general conference, and poster). Please review the application and consider sharing the work that you do with others through a CTTE presentation. Applications for the CTTE program are due by June 1, 2011. Completed applications and questions should be emailed to to Dr. Ryan Brown at rbrown@ilstu.edu.

Additional information and the application can be found at http://ctte.iweb.bsu.edu/conf/conf.html.

TECA Summer Leadership Conference

TECA members are invited to spend a weekend this summer with the TECA (Technology Education Collegiate Association) officer team in Boone, NC, right in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains! During this time, you will be participating in several leadership activities as well as touring everything the mountains have to offer.

Each year, the team hosts the Summer Leadership Conference (SLC), which is open for any TECA member. Previous SLCs have been held in Denver, CO and Washington, DC. This year, the officer team will be will be hiking, camping, and visiting Grandfather Mountain from June 24th through June 26th. Don’t have camping gear? No problem! Camping gear can be rented for a small additional fee.

Registration is due by June 10th. If extra camping gear is needed, we must be notified by June 1st. For information or registration forms, contact Dr. Jerianne Taylor at taylorjs@appstate.edu or Dustin Roten at rotendd@appstate.edu.

Total Cost $125.00 - Cost includes meals, admissions, and site rental.
Total Cost $150.00 if sleeping bags and tent are needed

Source: TECA College Comment, April 2011

ITEEA's STEM±Center and EbD™ in the News

• Foundations of Technology, 3rd Edition Professional Development

The Maryland Division of Career and College Readiness (DCCR), in partnership with ITEEA's STEM±Center for Teaching and Learning (STEM±CTL), is pleased to announce a series of professional development (PD) opportunities for high school technology education teachers. The PD is based on ITEEA’s national training model and led by Maryland ITEEA professional development trainers. Further, it will assist educators to deliver consistent instruction to implement the Foundations of Technology, 3rd Edition model course guide, which can be used to satisfy the Technology Education graduation requirement.  

ITEEA will provide two regional training sessions on the newly revised Foundations of Technology, 3rd Edition (FoT³) curriculum. In either training, teachers will receive curriculum to support their instructional practices, pedagogy on how to successfully implement project-based learning, access to EbDonline™ (ITEEA’s collaborative learning community), and experience in administering ITEEA’s FoT³ end-of-course assessment and design challenge. Cost of the training will be $395.00 for school systems that have entered into the ITEEA-Maryland Network Agreement and $495.00 for school systems that have entered into the Maryland Assessment Agreement. Registration also includes lunch, parking, and instruction materials. 

Regional Training, Central Maryland: Howard County: Reservoir High School, June 23-29, 2011. Register online at: https://www.regonline.com/MD_FoT3_June2011. Registration closes June 1, 2011.

Regional Training, Eastern Shore: Caroline County: North Caroline High School, August 8-12, 2011. Register online at: https://www.regonline.com/MD_FoT3_August2011. Registration closes July 15, 2011.

School systems may have teachers register individually or as part of a group. If teachers register individually, they will need a credit card or a purchase order to complete the online registration. A local school system supervisor may also register a group of teachers using a credit card or a purchase order. A confirmation email will be sent to all registered participants. 

If you have any questions, please contact Barry Burke, Director, STEM±Center for Teaching and Learning, at 301-482-1929 or via email at bburke@iteea.org. You may also contact Luke Rhine, Specialist, Career and Technology Education, at lrhine@msde.state.md.us. 

• Game Design Courses Prepare Students for Careers
In a game design class at Page High School, groups of students collaborate to create 2-D and 3-D video games. Together, they brainstorm game ideas. A more serious game that the students collaborated on, which revolves around the life of a turtle, recently won a North Carolina game competition. Through game design courses created by two Guilford County Schools teachers, students in four schools learn skills that will allow them to enter new and emerging careers. And soon the curriculum will spread across the state and the nation. And these courses don't just prepare students for a future in game creation. They also prepare them to create serious games and animations. Down the road, they could create jet simulations that teach pilots how to fly or animations that show how natural disasters happen. 

In addition to becoming approved curriculum in North Carolina for 2012-13, these courses will be available for schools in other states to use through the Engineering byDesign™ program, developed by ITEEA's STEM±Center for Teaching and Learning. The science, technology, engineering, and math-focused program provides a standards-based national model for Grades K-12.

© 2011 Converge, a division of e.Republic, Inc. April 12, 2011, excerpted from an article by Tanya Roscorla www.convergemag.com/college-career/Game-Design-Courses-Careers.html

From ITEEA's FaceBook Page...

• Is There a Special Formula for Successful STEM Schools?
With all the attention to poor U.S. student achievement in math and science, the questions that Congress put to the National Science Foundation (NSF) 18 months ago tackle the problem from the opposite direction: What is the United States doing right in precollege science and math education? And what can the rest of the country learn from the schools that do it best? Read more...

• Program profile of Fleetwood Middle School (PA) teacher, recent DTE designee, and ITEEA member, Jared Bitting. Click here...

• To help equip classrooms with teachers to train more students to be the high-tech innovators of the future, Sen. Gillibrand is introducing the National STEM Education Tax Incentive for Teachers Act. Learn more about it...

Design Squad Nation Wants YOU to Build it Big by Entering the 2011 Build Big Contest!

We’re challenging kids across the country to show their creativity by creating a giant version of a Design Squad Nation activity. Form a team (that includes at least one adult), choose an activity, build it big, and upload a video of your design to YouTube. One prize (a Flip camera) will be awarded to the winning team along with an opportunity to Skype with hosts Judy and Adam and pick their brains! Submissions may also be posted on the Design Squad Nation website. No purchase is necessary, and entries must be received on or before August 1, 2011 at 12:00pm. For more details and complete official rules go to http://pbskids.org/designsquad/contest/index.html.

ITEEA Members Participate in the VEX World Competition

Steve Price, DTE, Georgia technology education teacher and TSA Representative, Rachel Kane, ITEEA student member, and Gregory Kane, Connecticut ITEEA Affiliate Representative, participated in the VEX World Competition at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney World April 14-16, 2011.

The photo at left was taken at the opening ceremonies of the event, which involved over 5000 middle school, high school, and college students from around the world. Steve Price was at the event as both a judge and liaison from TSA to VEX. Rachel Kane is a senior in the Central Connecticut State University Technology Education teacher preparation program and competed as a team member on the CCSU VEX collegiate team. Greg Kane was both the organizer of the Connecticut VEX State Competition and a judge in the collegiate division. While this was the VEX World Event, it also was the BEST Robotics National Competition and a demonstration site for the U.S. Coast Guard's water-based robotics program.

David Andrews Rigsby

ITEEA Life Member, David Andrews Rigsby, 88, of Jacksonville, FL, passed away on Wednesday, March 16th after a short illness. David was born December 3, 1922, in Bowling Green, KY. One of the "Greatest Generation," he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1940 at the age of 18 and was shipped to England as a member of the Corps of Engineers in preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe. By the time he returned home at the age of 22 in 1945, he had participated in the D-Day landing and the Battle of the Bulge in the European theatre as well as the campaign for Okinawa in the Pacific theatre. Upon his return, he married his hometown sweetheart and resumed his college career with a Bachelor of Science at what was then Western Kentucky State College. He advanced to a Masters of Science in Education at the University of Kentucky. Interrupted by a call back to service during the Korean War, David enjoyed a 40+ year career in education. He taught at Appalachian State University before becoming the Director of Vocational Education for Duval County in 1970. He retired from this position in 1988. He was a beloved and respected teacher who maintained friendships with his students over decades, often until their own retirement.

Source and photo: Florida Times-Union, March 18, 2011, jacksonville.com

STEM in Congress

• Engineering Education (E2) for Innovation Act for 2011
The Engineering Education (E2) for Innovation Act for 2011
(S. 969) was introduced in the Senate on Thursday, May 12. The bill would authorize the Secretary of Education to competitively award planning and implementation grants in order to integrate engineering education into K-12 curriculum and instruction. Its goals include increasing: student achievement in STEM subjects; knowledge and competency in engineering design skills; the number of teachers prepared to teach technology and engineering; and the number and diversity of students planning to pursue a career in engineering. In the Senate, the bill was introduced by Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) and cosponsored by Senator Snowe (R-ME), with additional cosponsors including Senator Begich (D-AK), Sen. Brown (D-OH), and Sen. Stabenow (D-MI). Rep. Tonko (D-NY) and Rep. Fudge (D-OH) are cosponsoring the bill in the House. Additional cosponsors are still being sought in both the House and Senate. Currently, over 100 organizations, including many Triangle Coalition members, have signed on to endorse the legislation. To find out more about the legislation, and how to support the initiative, visit the Triangle Coalition Legislative News.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, May 19, 2011 - Volume 17, Number 19 Online Version

• FY2011 Budget Passed; STEM Education Fares Well
On April 14, 2011, Congress passed the FY2011 spending bill (H.R. 1473) to fund the federal government, including the agencies, through September 30th. The bill passed in the House by a vote of 260 to 167 and the Senate by 81 to 19. The measure makes historic spending cuts totaling nearly $40 billion, the largest nondefense cut ever.

While education did see its share of cuts, STEM education programs fared rather well considering the overall reductions. Read more...

Source: Triangle Coalition Legislative Update, April 15, 2011

ASEE News

• ASEE'S Annual K-12 Workshop 
Build a guitar to teach math and physics. Integrate engineering into science classrooms using wind energy. Design a rover to introduce the engineering design process. These are just some of the exciting projects ASEE's day-long K-12 Teachers' Workshop will cover. You won't want to miss it – Saturday, June 25, 2011 in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. You'll discover valuable best practices, new contacts for collaboration, and the latest take-away tools for effective teaching and engineering instruction.  

Registration is now open. This one-day program for teachers and engineering educators from both Canada and the U.S. will provide a fast-paced, exciting overview of engineering education for the K-12 classroom. Attendees will discover valuable best practices, new contacts for collaboration, and the latest tools for effective teaching. To register, go to http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/2011-workshop-registration. Registration is complimentary for K-12 teachers who register by June 10.

• The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
This program is open to U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents and offers a competitive stipend as well as insurance, relocation, and travel allowances. This program offers one- to three-year postdoctoral fellowships designed to increase the involvement of scientists and engineers from academia and industry in scientific and technical areas of interest and relevance to the Navy. This program has a rolling admission. Go to: www.asee.org/nrl/.

Girls in STEM

• National Girls Collaborative Project Webcast
The Society of Women Engineers and 4-H:
Resources and Partnerships to Enhance Girl-Focused STEM Programming
Thursday, June 16, 2011, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Pacific

Two national organizations working to increase equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and 4-H—will share resources available for practitioners working with girls in STEM and partnership opportunities at the regional and local level. SWE offers resources and activities for girls, parents, educators, and engineers including scholarships, hands-on events, connections to partners, and trainings. 4-H offers a variety of resources including: curriculum, science-related tools, relevant professional development, and opportunities to partner at a local level.
Register: www.ngcproject.org/events/events.cfm?eventid=193

Source: National Girls Collaborative Project E-Newsletter, May 2011

• Celebrate 20 Years of NCGS Schools Leading the Way for Girls and STEM With Advancing Girls in STEM: An NCGS Symposium
June 21, 2011, 8am to 4pm
Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

There is so much talk about helping girls move forward in STEM subjects that you may wonder: "Is there more we could be doing?" The answer is YES. We must ensure that at every stage of girls' education, we are most effectively engaging and retaining girls in the STEM pipeline. Join us as we convene the key players in girls and STEM, both in and out of school time, public and private, to create and strengthen bridges between and among girls' schools, colleges, and the professional world.  

On June 21st, 2011 at Wellesley College, the National Coalition of Girls' Schools will host “Advancing Girls in STEM: An NCGS STEM Symposium,” an event for K-12 educators that will highlight nationally renowned speakers, present original research, and share innovative ways to engage and retain girls in the STEM fields.

Anyone who is interested in furthering girls in the STEM fields is welcome to attend. You do not need to be affiliated with a girls’ school. Visit the Symposium agenda to view the full list: www.ncgs.org/STEMSymposium2011/agenda/

Be a part of the movement. Register at www.ncgs.org/STEMSymposium2011/registration/. If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Coles at lcoles@ncgs.org.

Challenges and Winners!

• High Point Students Compete in College of Architecture and Design NJIT, Dean's Design Competition for High School Students (photo at left)
The College of Architecture and Design, New Jersey Institute of Technology held its first annual Dean's Design Competition for New Jersey high school architectural design students. Students had to design an interactive exhibit that could be used in a museum or shopping mall to educate visitors on how to save the environment, inspired by the four Greek elements of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water.

High Point students Stephanie Peterson, Alyssa Smith, Alexis Brennan, Aleksasha Wannemacher, Chris Gilmore, and Brandon Werner participated in this competition. Alexis Brennan received the third place award for her work. Her entry will be displayed at regional venues. She received a scholarship to the school's COAD Overnight Summer Architecture Program The College of Architecture and Design at NJIT. The summer program introduces high school students to the study of design and the experience of college. They offer two programs; Summer Design and Summer Architecture. Acceptance into COAD programs is based on academic standing and availability of space.

For more information contact:
High Point Regional High School Department of Technological Studies
Ben Kappler: Architectural Design Teacher, bkappler@hpregional.org  
Mark Wallace, Supervisor of Technological Studies, mwallace@hpregional.org

• WISE Awards 2011 Now Open for Submissions
Innovative educational projects from all regions of the world and from all educational sectors may now be entered for the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Awards 2011 at www.wise-qatar.org The submissions deadline is May 31, 2011.

The WISE Awards are designed to identify, showcase, and promote innovative educational projects from around the world. To date, 12 projects have been awarded and 78 finalists have been shortlisted out of more than 900 submissions from 110 countries. These "real world" initiatives are progressively building a global community of educational innovators. To find out more about the WISE Awards, please visit the website and the WISE Awards blog.

• Xavier Falcons from Middletown, CT Win the 2010-2011 Real World Design Challenge™
PTC, a Founding Member of the Real World Design Challenge™ (RWDC) recently announced that the Xavier Falcons from Middletown, CT won the 2010-2011 National Finals Competition. PTC, along with the Challenge partners, congratulates the Xavier Falcons for designing a next-generation airplane wing that maximizes fuel efficiency and enhances performance. 

The Real World Design Challenge is a national aviation design competition for high school students run by a public-private partnership with the goal of increasing the STEM workforce. Students from 20 states competed in elimination presentations at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. The top three teams presented their national final solutions to a panel of VIP judges representing government, academia, and industry in Washington, DC. In a very close competition, the Xavier Falcons’ design was judged to be the best.

The Challenge problem was designed by a team of engineers from government and industry including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cessna Aircraft Company, the Federal Aviation Administration, and others to let students tackle the design challenges that engineers face every day. This Competition prepares them for the workforce of tomorrow. 

This year, more than 3,000 students from across the country participated in the Challenge. Every student participated at no cost to themselves or their schools. In fact, partners have donated more than a billion dollars to schools since the Challenge’s inception. Forty partners from industry, government, and academia (including ITEEA) have come together to make the Challenge a reality. They have worked in collaboration with the governors and lieutenant governors of 28 states and the District of Columbia. 

For more information about the Real World Design Challenge, visit www.realworlddesign
challenge.org or contact the Program Director, Dr. Ralph K. Coppola, at rcoppola@ptc.com.

• Finalists Announced in Christopher Columbus Awards
Eight student teams have recently been selected as national finalists in the Christopher Columbus Awards science and technology competition. The Christopher Columbus Awards program, now in its 15th year, challenges middle-school students to explore opportunities for positive change in their communities. It is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation (www.columbusfdn.org). Read about this year’s finalist teams at www.christophercolumbusawards.com/10_11_finalists.php

• Winning Student Inventors Tackle Medical Challenges
A replacement for the century-old bandage and a wheelchair of the future won top honors in Polytechnic Institute of New York University's (NYU-Poly) search for young inventors known as the Time Warner Cable Inno/Vention Competition. The contest, now in its fourth year, challenges young people to change the world for the better through technology. The 2011 competition attracted record participation and for the first time included high school teams from schools with nationally recognized science and mathematics programs. The competition also drew NYU-Poly undergraduates as well as graduate and doctoral students. At the university level, the first-place winners were two NYU-Poly freshmen who aimed their innovative skills at the century-old bandage and proposed to replace it with an organic gelatinous bandage that solidifies and bonds to a laceration while helping reproduce healthy skin cells around the injury.

At the high school level, first place went to Staten Island Technical High School students who designed a "Comfort Control Wheelchair Seating System" with features that ease persistent problems of those confined to wheelchairs: climate control, bacteria prevention, and pressure relief. Second place went Smithtown (NY) High School West students who had previously won a Massachusetts Institute of Technology grant to facilitate the use of alternative energy within households. For the Time Warner Cable Inno/Vention Competition, they developed a promotional plan for their Double Axis Solar Tracker. The design tracks the path of the sun throughout the day and absorbs solar energy to recharge electronics and small household items. More details on the competition are at www.poly.edu/InnoVention, along with information about how high schools could participate next year.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, May 19, 2011 - Volume 17, Number 19 Online Version

• Teens Invent One-of-a-Kind Products, Address Tech Challenges
Demonstrating they had the most unique approaches to solving real-world challenges in aerospace, clean energy, and cyber security, winners of the Conrad Foundation's 2011 Innovation Summit were announced recently at NASA-Ames Research Center. The annual innovation program encourages high school students from across America to solve the challenges of the 21st century by creating breakthrough technologies using science, technology, engineering, and math knowledge and skills. The grand prize winners earning the coveted title of 2011 Pete Conrad Scholars sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation were:

• Ouroboros, Upper Clair High School, Pittsburgh, PA for their Perpetual Harvest Space Nutrition System that takes organic waste created during long-duration space flight and creates compost used to grow fresh foods also serving as an air filter for human habitation.
• West Philly EVX Team, West Philadelphia High School Auto Academy, West Philadelphia, PA for their Electric Very Light Car.
• Unisecurity, North Carolina School of Science & Mathematics, Durham, NC (cyber security) for their Med PAL smartphone application that works with a Bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor worn by the user. MedPAL will automatically contact a call center and/or personal emergency contacts based on GPS coordinates should irregularities occur.

Winning teams receive a $5,000 Next Step Grant to continue their product development. In addition to the funding and product support, every team member receives a one-year student membership in American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a one-year affiliate membership to Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. The team coach receives a $500 stipend via the AIAA Coaches Award. Teams also have the opportunity to raise additional funds for the commercial development of their projects. Information about donating directly to the development of a team's project, or donating to a team's sponsoring school, can be found at www.conradawards.org.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, May 19, 2011 - Volume 17, Number 19 Online Version

• Texas Students Take First Place in Team America Rocketry Challenge
A team from Rockwall-Heath High School in Heath, TX, took first place at the recent ninth annual Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) finals, besting 99 teams from across the country to earn the title of national champion. Rockwall-Heath joined more than 600 participating teams in September 2010 on a journey that included rocketry design, simulated flights, and test launches. Sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry, the contest encourages students to prepare for careers in the aerospace industry, which is working to boost the pipeline of students with science, technology, engineering, and math skills.

Each three- to 10-person team was challenged to design and build a rocket that lifted off to exactly 750 feet during a 40- to 45-second flight. The payload, a raw egg, had to return to the ground by parachute undamaged. The Rockwall-Heath team will advance to the international fly-off on June 24 at the Paris Le Bourget Air Show to compete against teams from the United Kingdom and France. The winning team shares a prize pool of more than $60,000 in scholarships and prizes with other top finishers. More details are at www.rocketcontest.org. 

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, May 19, 2011 - Volume 17, Number 19 Online Version

National Grid Grant to Museum of Science, Boston Supports STEM

National Grid has formed a new partnership with the Museum of Science, Boston to improve education in STEM through support for the development of middle school engineering curricula by the National Center for Technological Literacy. The grant will also support bringing the Museum's innovative Traveling Programs to more people. Specifically, National Grid's two-year grant will help underwrite development of "Engineering Now" curricular units and bring Traveling Programs to selected underserved communities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York. Traveling Programs exemplify the Museum's effort to connect with the broadest, most diverse audiences, bridging geographic and socioeconomic barriers to bring science presentations to over 90,000 people in schools, community centers, and public libraries throughout New England.

One of the exciting ways the Museum is introducing engineering into schools nationwide involves collaborating with WGBH to develop "Engineering Now," a series of classroom units that link learning about engineering to science and math, in conjunction with the popular television series Design Squad Nation. The program aims to increase students' understanding of the technological world in which we live, deepen their understanding of the engineering design process, improve their ability to design innovative solutions to real problems, and increase their interest in pursuing STEM studies at the high school level. Triangle Coalition member, the National Center for Technological Literacy, has been helping to educate children and adults in a variety of educational settings since 2004. NCTL's goal is to integrate engineering as a new discipline in schools nationwide and to inspire the next generation of engineers and innovators. NCTL fosters learning about how technologies are created and used. It offers educational products and programs for pre-K-12 students and teachers, creates curricula, supports an online resource center, and engages in partnership and outreach with other institutions. NCTL works with state departments of education and teacher organizations to facilitate the re-engineering of curricula and learning standards.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, April 28, 2011 - Volume 17, Number 16 Online Version

STEM Effort Seeks to Recruit Accomplished Women Away From Industry

Inside Higher Ed (5/17) reported that increasing female STEM faculty numbers "has become an area of intense focus for academe in recent years, and attempts to boost these numbers have focused on everything from probing the barriers at individual institutions to encouraging more girls, while they are still in school, to consider careers in these fields." At the Ramps into Academia workshop, held recently at the University of Washington, organizers took "a different approach: encouraging and coaching talented and accomplished women to leave their positions in private industry and return to campus." Calling the effort "notable because it seeks to woo back scientists who may, in turn, serve as role models for younger women about to consider their career options," Inside Higher Ed reported that "organizers have been pleased with the results so far."

Source: First Bell from ASEE, May 18, 2011

New NASA Website Available for Kids

Two award-winning websites for kids have joined forces to further inspire a new generation of explorers.

NASA's science.nasa.gov/kids and spaceplace.nasa.gov have combined to provide several new Web features with interactive graphic design and easy, versatile navigation. The new site includes the extensive and rich science and technology content of the "old" Space Place with over 50 NASA science missions enriched with content from science.nasa.gov/kids. These sites offer the best of NASA material for elementary school students.

The new site includes over 300 separate modules available in English and Spanish. Modules are sorted into menus for Space, Earth, Sun, Solar System, People and Technology, and Parents and Teachers. Information mirrors the missions of the NASA's Science Mission Directorate, as well as the agency's commitment to education and public engagement.

Visitors can filter the menus on subject or type of activity (game, hands-on project, or exploration) and use the search field to produce customized menus. All pages are printer-friendly.

The site is available at http://science.nasa.gov/kids or http://spaceplace.nasa.gov.

NASA News

• NASA Summer of Innovation Mini-Grant Program
Join forces with NASA and help your students reach for the stars!

Does your organization:
Develop activities to encourage student interest in STEM and NASA-themed topics – earth and space science, robotics. aeronautics, and rocketry,
Inspire middle school students to become the scientists and engineers of the future, and
Engage middle school students during the summer or in after-school programs?

NASA is looking for community and school-based organizations that inspire and engage middle school students in STEM disciplines during the summer or in after-school programs. Eligible organizations include, but are not limited to: Boy Scout troops, Girl Scout troops, YMCA programs, science centers, museums, libraries, school clubs, and any other community or school-based organization.

Applications due: late Spring 2011
To learn more, visit http://soi.spacegrant.org.

• National Community College Aerospace Scholars Program
National Community College Aerospace Scholars is an interactive, online learning experience featuring engineering career possibilities. It is highlighted by an on-site experience where selected students are encouraged to study math, science, engineering, or computer science by interacting with engineers at a NASA center.

The only cost to participants is a $30 registration fee. NASA covers travel, food, and lodging. NCAS is open to community college students throughout United States. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have access to the Internet.

Applications are due June 2, 2011.
For more information and to apply online, visit http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/NCAS/.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to jsc-ncas@mail.nasa.gov.

Source: NASA Education Express Message, April 28, 2011

• Electronic Professional Development Network Course: Engage and Educate — Podcasts in the Classroom
NASA’s Learning Environments and Research Network and the Georgia Institute of Technology have teamed up to offer the ePDN, an initiative dedicated to preparing K-12 teachers to engage their students in STEM through the use of NASA-developed learning materials and resources.

If you are looking for a way to enhance your instructional skills, meet your professional development goals, or find new and exciting resources to use in your learning environments, apply for this free course today! The application is now open.

Engage and Educate: Podcasts in the Classroom (June 8–July 12, 2011)
Learn how podcasts can be integrated in classroom lessons to engage students in STEM disciplines. In this course the benefits as well as obstacles to podcasts will be discussed, and participants will be introduced to the tools and techniques of creating podcasts. Participants will finish by creating their own podcasts using NASA resources. This course is designed for beginners who have little or no experience with podcasts.

To learn more about this free course and to apply online, visit www.nasaepdn.gatech.edu/certificates/technologyintegration.php

For more information on the e-PDN and the resources it offers to K-12 teachers, visit www.nasaepdn.gatech.edu.

Questions about the course should be directed to Fran Sponsler at fran.sponsler@dlpe.gatech.edu.

• 2011 INSPIRE Project
U.S. high school students are invited to participate in NASA's Interdisciplinary National Science Program Incorporating Research Experience, or INSPIRE, through an online learning community. INSPIRE is designed to encourage students in 9th through 12th grades to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Applications are being accepted through June 30, 2011. NASA will make selections for the program in September. The selected students and their parents will participate in an online learning community with opportunities to interact with peers, NASA engineers, and scientists. The online community also provides appropriate grade-level educational activities, discussion boards, and chat rooms for participants to gain exposure to careers and opportunities available at NASA.

Students selected for the program also will have the option to compete for unique grade-appropriate experiences during the summer of 2012 at NASA facilities and participating universities. The summer experience provides students with a hands-on opportunity to investigate education and careers in the STEM disciplines.

INSPIRE is part of NASA's education strategy to attract and retain students in the STEM disciplines critical to NASA's missions. For more information about INSPIRE, visit www.nasa.gov/education/INSPIRE.

To apply for the program, visit https://inspire.okstate.edu/index.cfm?liftoff=login.LoginForm.

• Celebrate World Space Week
Join educators and space enthusiasts around the world to celebrate World Space Week, October 4-10, 2011. This international event commemorates the beginning of the Space Age with the launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957.

World Space Week is the largest public space event in the world, with celebrations in more than 50 nations. During World Space Week, teachers are encouraged to use space-themed activities.

To find NASA educational resources that can be used during World Space Week, visit the Educational Materials Finder: http://search.nasa.gov/search/edFilterSearch.jsp?empty=true.

To learn more about World Space Week, search for events in your area and find educational materials related to the event, visit www.worldspaceweek.org/index.html.

• Host a “From Earth to the Solar System” Exhibit
Celebrating NASA’s Year of the Solar System, “From Earth to the Solar System” is a collection of high-resolution images that showcase the excitement of planetary exploration—our journey to understand the origin and evolution of the solar system, to the search for life elsewhere.

“From Earth to the Solar System” is freely available to organizations worldwide to use to host their own exhibitions. The high-resolution images can be downloaded for free, and printed and displayed in any format, in any location! Tips for success are included on the website.

The images are at once artistic and informative, weaving together themes in astrobiology, planetary science, and astronomy. The collection represents the current state of exploration as seen through the eyes of the scientific community. Image contributions include those from backyard astronomers, large telescopes in space, and even point-and-shoot cameras of field researchers.

For more information, visit http://fettss.arc.nasa.gov. Questions should be directed to Daniella Scalice at Daniella.M.Scalice@nasa.gov.

• Texas Student Wins Top Honor in USA TODAY/NASA No Boundaries National Competition
USA TODAY and NASA have announced the winners of the 2011 No Boundaries National Competition for middle and high school students. The winning student teams hail from all over the country and excel in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

No Boundaries, a USA TODAY education initiative in collaboration with NASA, encourages students to explore careers in STEM. Students explore STEM careers through stimulating project-based learning and team competition. No Boundaries targets students in Grades 7-12 and is designed as a team-centered cooperative learning project. No Boundaries is cross curricular and requires minimal teacher preparation. It aligns to national standards and includes assessment rubrics.

For more information and the list of this year’s winners, visit www.noboundaries-stemcareers.com.

Source: NASA Education Express Message, May 12, 2011