It's Almost Here!

Watch for  ITEEA's announcement about its new member management software in the next several weeks. ITEEA members will receive an email with their login information that will allow them to view and make changes to their ITEEA profile, renew their membership or order publications right from their personal page, contact other members, and a whole lot more! Nonmembers will be able to become members, place orders, etc. with one click of a button. It's almost here...

Letter From the ITEEA President

Dear Colleagues,

Many of you have become aware of the report recently released by the National Research Council of The Academies directed by the National Board on Science Education entitled A Framework for K-12 Science Standards: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. This report can be accessed via www.nationalacademies.org/bose.

The significance of this report is the direction that it proposes for K-12 science education, including a strong emphasis on technology and engineering. One could argue that technology and engineering should or should not be a part of the science curriculum of the future. However, the reality is that this report is public and will affect future science standards. By its nature, it is aimed at providing a different area of the curriculum in which technology and engineering will be taught. Just as technology and engineering teachers teach some science, this science framework now places a stronger emphasis on science teachers teaching more about technology and engineering. This report certainly has the potential to change the positioning of these subjects in our schools.

The Science Board acknowledges that, “Many high schools already have courses designated as technology, design, or even engineering that go beyond the limited introduction to these topics specified in the framework.” The report further states, “We (the Board) simply maintain that some introduction to engineering practice, the application of science, and the interrelationship of science and technology is integral to the learning of science for all students.” The Framework is, “. . . not intended to define course structure, particularly at the high school level.” However, that does not preclude the Framework from doing so.

Technology and engineering educators should be proactive in their response to this report. Educators outside of our field will be discussing how they will be using this framework to create science core standards in every state. Technology and engineering educators need to be a part of those discussions to provide support to the science community as they attempt to teach more about our content.

ITEEA suggests the following steps for every concerned technology and engineering educator as it relates to this study:

• Read the report, become familiar with the general direction, goals, and progression as it relates to technology and engineering. You will find that many concepts and ideas are being taught by technology and engineering teachers like yourself.
• Work with your colleagues in developing a strategy for discussing this Framework with your state superintendent of instruction, the science teachers’ association, administrator associations, and any other groups that may play a central role in its implementation. These people want to know that many of these goals are being taught and that you are ready to be of assistance to the science community.
• Make appointments with key officials noted above. Your main asset in making your case is what you are already doing if your teaching includes Standards for Technological Literacy and your state standards for technology and engineering education. Selected states already have science and technology standards.
• Don’t go to sleep. Make sure you keep this strategy going for at least three years. People change positions, and key points are forgotten. Your influence will not be felt with just one meeting. Continue to inform your educational colleagues in these communities at all levels.
• Do the same thing in your own school system, starting at the top with your superintendent and moving through the school board as well as the administrators dealing with curriculum. Don’t forget to become a closer friend with your science counterpart.
  We want you to see this Science Framework as an opportunity to teach technology and engineering more widely than just your program. The average science teacher is not as prepared as you are to provide more than cursory detail regarding technology and engineering. The Framework only identifies general concepts. Therefore, your position becomes more important. Take the opportunity to be a leader and become very involved with the science community in their quest to be better educators.

Finally, keep in mind that being the maker of the rules is more important than having them made and put upon you. We want you to become one of the greatest assets involved in the Science Framework and exercise your leadership as you have never done before. You will never regret it, and education will become much stronger because of you. I look forward to hearing your success stories.

Sincerely,
Thomas P. Bell, Ph.D., DTE
ITEEA President 2011-12

EbD™ Consortium to Meet in September

The EbD™ Consortium Annual Fall Leadership Forum will take place in Herndon, VA on September 14-16, 2011. Consortium Representatives and invited guests who are interested in Consortium membership will attend to review the previous year and strategically plan for the future of EbD™.

The Consortium meets twice a year—in September and at the ITEEA Annual Conference. At the September meeting attendees are updated on what ITEEA’s STEM±Center for Teaching and Learning has done and is doing for the Consortium and EbD™. They share and discuss strategies and successes in their states and consider options for future development of STEM education through EbD™.

For more information about EbD™ and the EbD™ Consortium of States, visit www.iteea.org/EbD/ebd.htm or email bburke@iteea.org.

Distinguished Technology Educator Invitation

Mike Fitzgerald, DTE, Chair of the ITEEA DTE Committee, would like to invite any ITEEA member with 10 or more years of continuous membership to consider receiving recognition as an ITEEA Distinguished Technology Educator (DTE). The DTE is a coveted mark of distinction in technology and engineering education. It recognizes technology, innovation, design, and engineering educators who have demonstrated a high level of competence and professional activity in the field of technology and engineering education. The recipients who earn the Distinguished Technology Educator designation are some of the most highly respected people in our field. This honor is not just for the elite—it is all about those people who have earned the honor through their professionalism, service, and dedication. Recipients include classroom teachers, administrators, and university professionals. You too can earn this honor. Please see the application in the Members Only area of the ITEEA website. Feel free to contact Mike Fitzgerald, DTE Chair, at 302-857-3334 or mfitzgerald@doe.k12.de.us for questions or help.

ITEEA Senior Fellow Becomes Visiting Scholar

William E. Dugger, Jr., Senior Fellow at ITEEA, will be a visiting scholar at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei, Taiwan from September 15-28, 2011. His responsibilities there are to deliver some presentations on "STEM in the United States" at NTNU and at another university in Taiwan—the National United University in Miaoli, Taiwan. Also, he will give a presentation to a group of research professors working at Taiwan's National Science Council. A copy of the lead presentation PowerPoint to be given in Taiwan will be available at www.iteea.org/Resources/PressRoom/pressroom.htm

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons courtesy of Tsubasa.

Curriculum-Focused Article Online

Thanks to Van Hughes, for making us aware of a series of articles that might be of interest to those in the technology and engineering profession. Van is a retired technology education teacher in the Pittsburgh, PA system. Here is his introduction to the article:

Below is a link to an article, "Middle School Course Emphasizes Wonders of STEM" from ASCD Express, Vol. 6, No. 24 (Copyright 2011 by ASCD). You may already have seen this article and other curriculum-focused articles in the series. If you choose to read the article, I would ask that you substitute the word Technology in place of the word STEM. It will soon become evident, as it is becoming increasingly evident to those in the world of K-12 certified science and math instruction, that the presentation of math and science in an exclusively abstract domain serves only a limited number of learners! Our certified technology teacher colleagues must realize and celebrate their potential to breathe life into the creative ability of all students, thereby unleashing otherwise stagnant information that may remain locked in their minds indefinitely. Let's hope the rest of the academic community soon catches on to the strategic and vital role we play for every student in the K-12 education community.” 

The article can be found at www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol6/624-cieslik.aspx

43rd PDK/Gallup Poll Release August 17

Despite low opinions of the nation’s schools, Americans rate their public school teachers more highly now than they have in the past. More than 70 percent of Americans say they have trust and confidence in the men and women who are teaching in public schools. Sixty-nine percent of Americans give public school teachers in their community a letter grade of an A or B, compared to only 50 percent in 1984.

Other key findings:

• Funding is the biggest problem facing schools. Thirty-six percent of Americans believe that lack of financial support is the biggest problem facing schools.
• Teacher salaries and layoffs should be based on multiple factors. Consistent with past findings, Americans believe teacher salaries should be based on multiple factors, including advanced degrees, experience, and the principal’s evaluations of the teacher. Students’ scores on standardized tests were rated as least important. Similarly, Americans believe that school districts should use multiple factors to determine which teachers should be laid off first, rather than basing it primarily on seniority (last hired, first fired).
• Americans are conflicted over whether standardized test scores should be published. Some newspapers are releasing information about how the students of individual teachers perform on standardized tests. When asked whether they were in favor of or opposed to this practice, Americans were equally split, with 51 percent favoring it and 48 percent opposing it.
• College is important but doesn’t guarantee readiness. College graduates are considered most ready for the world of work. However, not all Americans believe that a college degree is sufficient for readiness.

Download the full report and other resources, including a one-page flyer of poll highlights, for FREE at www.pdkpoll.org.

Solar Decathlon 2011

Dow Corning Sponsoring U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 to Help Inspire Sustainability, Innovation, Education

To spur growth of the solar industry and support education, Dow Corning has announced that it is a sustaining sponsor of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011, which will be held September 23-October 2 in Washington, DC.

The sponsorship includes overseeing the creation of educational resources that will help strengthen middle school students' understanding of solar energy and sustainability and the importance of STEM. The materials include:

• A school curriculum for teachers, designed to introduce students in Grades 5-8 to the principles and potential of renewable energy technologies by showcasing the cutting-edge applications of solar power and energy-efficiency solutions at the Solar Decathlon.
• A Student Welcome and Education Center on the Decathlon grounds where students, teachers, and parents can access educational materials about solar energy and engage in a series of interactive, hands-on, and video-based educational opportunities.
• A student-oriented Solar Decathlon program to be made available to students visiting the Solar Village in person and virtually via the Solar Decathlon website.

  
The Solar Decathlon is an award-winning program that challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.

Design in Action Comes to Philadelphia

The Association of Architecture Organizations (AAO), Architecture + Design Education Network (A+DEN), and the Association for Community Design (ACD) will be coming to Philadelphia October 9-11 for their annual meeting, "Design in Action."

Design in Action is a casual event offering pointed learning for those involved in public education on issues of the built environment. Over the course of Monday and Tuesday (October 10-11), you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy 30+ learning sessions, mobile tours and hands-on workshops, keynote lecture by architect Teddy Cruz, and even a chance for an in-depth tour of the Charter High School for Architecture + Design (CHAD). This year's copresentation with the community design centers only makes the conversation more interesting. Conference sessions are arranged to encourage sharing across disciplines, combining applied learning from architecture centers, community design centers, and design educators to inform new perspectives for approaching public engagement on issues of the built environment. We're expecting more than 200 design educators, architects, community designers, and arts and culture leaders. Registration information is available at www.aaonetwork.org/DIA2011.

New Opportunity at Fitchburg State

Fitchburg State University is offering the Advanced Methods of Teaching for Technology Engineering Education as a Hybrid course. Earn master's level credits, earn PDPs, and fill your teaching tool box with the latest in teaching theory, methods, and technology. Students will read pertinent, up-to-the-minute articles, create new innovative course modules, and be able to use the new understandings immediately.

The dynamic, hands-on, and directly related-to-practice course is taught by Dr. Ray McCarthy. McCarthy has taught Industrial Arts/Industrial Technology, Technology Education/Technology Engineering Education in 5th through 12th grade settings for 35 years in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Ray was appointed a full-time Senior Fellow at Northeastern University in April. At the doctoral level, Dr. McCarthy concentrates on how education needs to shift to problem-based learning while bringing the T&E of STEM to our students and helping every student find her or his best self. This course will hone your skills and bring you up to date with the international innovation initiatives.

There will be three on-ground meetings on Saturdays, with the rest of the course accomplished online. You do not need to be a Massachusetts resident to participate. The online section is asynchronous, so you can live your busy lives and fit in this learning experience as you can, when you want. Please spread the word! People from Maine to New York state (and beyond!) are invited!

From the IdeaGarden

Dirty Jobs' Mike Rowe Goes to Washington

IdeaGardeners thought you might enjoy following Mike Rowe’s adventures and wanted to share his website with you: www.mikeroweworks.com/

For Mike’s Washington trip, click here:

Other websites of interest are:

· John Ratzenberger www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org/
· Mike Holmes www.skillsusa.org/about/presskit/speaker.shtml

IdeaGarden is a benefit of ITEEA membership composed of teachers helping teachers. For information about IdeaGarden and other ITEEA networking opportunities, visit: www.iteea.org/Networking/networking.htm

School-Wide STEM Opportunity – International Space Station . . .

. . . Student Experiment Design Competition

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE) recently announced an immediate and historic opportunity for Schools and Districts – Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 1 to the International Space Station.

SSEP is a keystone STEM Education program launched as a U.S. National initiative in June 2010 by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE; http://ncesse.org)

Each participating community will be provided an experiment slot in a real microgravity research mini-laboratory scheduled to fly on the International Space Station (ISS) from March 30 to May 16, 2012. An experiment-design competition in each community allows student teams to design "real" experiments, vying for their community's reserved experiment slot on ISS.

More broadly, SSEP is about a commitment to student ownership in exploration, to science as journey, and to the joys of learning. For school districts—even individual schools—it provides an opportunity to implement a systemic, high-caliber education program that is tailored to a community's strategic needs in STEM education.

SSEP missions on STS-134 (Shuttle Endeavour) and STS-135 (Shuttle Atlantis) have recently been completed, with 30,700 students given the opportunity to participate, 1,027 student team proposals received, and 27 SSEP experiments selected and flown—representing the 27 communities that participated in SSEP on the Space Shuttle.

Visit the SSEP “In Our Own Words” page to read about the powerful experiences of communities thus far: http://ssep.ncesse.org/communities/in-our-own-words/

Losses

• Dr. James A. "Jimmy" Holmes
Dr. James A. "Jimmy" Holmes lost his valiant fight with cancer in July at the Ogeechee Area Hospice Inpatient Facility in Georgia. He was 64 years old. Jimmy received his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University, an M.Ed. from Virginia State University, and a doctorate in Education from Virginia Tech. In 1989, Jimmy and his wife, Becky, moved to Statesboro, where Jimmy taught Print Management and Technology at Georgia Southern University. He retired in 2005.

Statesboro Herald, July 27, 2011

• Thomas Barber
Mr. Thomas Barber, a former Dean at Kent State University and a long-time strong advocate of industrial arts and later technology education, passed away as a result of an extended illness. Barber missed very few professional meetings of ITEEA and the Mississippi Valley Conference. One could not find a better advocate for the profession. He received recognition from ITEEA, served as the Program Coordinator of the 1984 Columbus Conference, received numerous state awards, and was honored by Epsilon Pi Tau. He was always accompanied by his wife, Carol. They resided in Canton, OH for many years.   

Math in Technology and Engineering Survey

If you are a teacher, teacher educator, or curriculum developer who helps others learn about technology and engineering, please take about 15 minutes to partcipate in a new survey. The purpose of this survey is to uncover your thoughts and experiences regarding the grade level of the math that is in some technology student activities. The results of this study will provide information to improve teacher education, professional development, and curriculum.

This study is anonymous and voluntary. Information about the survey can be found at http://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/mathinfo.htm. The survey itself is posted at http://inquisitor.bsu.edu/inqsit/show_module.cgi/export/home/flowers2?math

If you have any questions, please contact Jim Flowers at jcflowers1@bsu.edu.

STEM Learning in the Library

STEM learning can happen anywhere. Most students think of a classroom, but how about a Library?

The Marcellus Free Library, located in Upstate New York, is like any other library in that it offers storytelling, book outreach programs, and musical events. However, one venture that makes it stand apart from most other libraries is its STEM outreach program. It has attracted a new group of students who are eager to learn and join their “City/County Tech Club.” It’s an unusual place for this type of activity, but the students don’t mind. They enjoy the challenge of being innovative while applying math, science, and engineering concepts. This library offers unique STEM classes that teach through hands-on activities. Carol Johnson, the programs Director, explains, “There are plenty of kids out there who are interested in technology and are looking for a place to learn, experiment, and have fun. TeacherGeek kits gave us the opportunity to offer technology programming at our public library. Our first series was a big hit and we are looking forward to offering more.”

The Marcellus Free Library used the new Rubber Band Racer vehicle, designed by TeacherGeek. Students are able to build a car, experiment, and redesign (if necessary), then they get to test their Rubber Band Racers against their classmates and see how their creation performs. Parts are interchangeable, so students can enjoy endless design opportunities, building almost anything their minds can conceive. Johnson is now working with the other libraries in the system to offer new STEM activities, including inter-library events, to other local branches. The opportunity is there, with weekend, school holidays, and summer vacations; there will always be STEM activities at this library.

From Paul Jordan, TeacherGeek

FAA Design Competition for Universities

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium manages the FAA Design Competition for Universities. We are pleased that the FAA is continuing to offer a Design Competition for Universities for the 2011–2012 academic year! The Competition has added new design categories in each challenge area and retained many previous categories as well. Virginia teams have competed, and several have won awards in the past.

The Competition guidelines and many resources are posted at the Competition website: http://FAADesignCompetition.odu.edu

The broad challenge categories of Airport Operations and Maintenance, Runway Safety/Runway Incursions/Runway Excursions, Airport Environmental Interactions, and Airport Management and Planning embrace many engineering, science, and information technology disciplines. The Competition is again open to individual and student teams at U.S. colleges and universities (both undergraduate and graduate) working under the mentorship of a faculty advisor. Winners can earn substantial cash awards, and first-place winners have the opportunity and travel funds to present their design at a national aviation event in the summer of 2012 and at one other professional meeting related to their winning design. A notice of intent is strongly encouraged.
Competition guidelines and full details are available at http://faadesigncompetition.odu.edu

Weightless Flights of Discovery Class of 2011

30 Current and Future Teachers Selected for Microgravity Flight in Washington, DC

The Northrop Grumman Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s Weightless Flights of Discovery “Class of 2011.” Thirty educators—28 math and science teachers from Arizona, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC, along with two college students studying to become teachers—have been selected to participate in this year’s teacher-development program. These educators will participate in a unique initiative that places them on microgravity flights to test Newton’s Laws of Motion and in turn energize their students, most of whom are in their formative middle school years. The flight will take place in the Washington, DC area on September 12, 2011.

Selected teachers will participate in a full-day workshop several weeks before their flights. Teachers then will work with their students to develop experiments to be conducted in lunar gravity, Martian gravity, and weightless environments. Following the approximately two-hour flight, each teacher will share his or her experiences with their students back in the classroom using video and photos taken during the flight.

Demonstrating the program’s overall impact, a poll conducted in 2009 of 230 teachers who participated in the first three years of the program revealed that 84.7% reported an increase in the number of students interested in pursuing science- and math-related careers; and 92.3% reporting a notable increase in their students’ overall interest in science.

From the Triangle Coalition

• State Outcomes in Math and Science Education Reveal Big Disparities
In a new ranking of how well the states' K-12 schools are preparing their students for science and engineering careers, Massachusetts leads the pack, while Mississippi trails behind as “worst in the United States.” The SERI is calculated from publicly available data, including Advanced Placement results, National Assessment of Educational Progress reports, teacher certification requirements by state, and data on high school physics class enrollment gathered by AIP.

The final SERI score indicates, on a scale of 1 to 5, how each state measures up to others in physics and math education and teacher qualifications. "The rankings show that there are a small number of high-performers, but that most states are doing a poor job of preparing students to earn science or technology degrees." AIP is an organization of 10 physical science societies, representing more than 135,000 scientists, engineers, and educators, and is one of the world's largest publishers of scientific information in physics. More details are at www.aip.org.

• Engineering Innovation Center Brings Together Tools to Launch Future Entrepreneurs
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $10 million grant over five years to launch a national center based at Stanford University for teaching innovation and entrepreneurship in engineering. Directed by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at Stanford's School of Engineering, the new national center addresses the critical need for innovative and entrepreneurial engineers across the United States. The center, which begins operation in September 2011, will catalyze major changes in undergraduate engineering programs by developing an education, research, and outreach hub for the creation, collection, and sharing of innovation and entrepreneurship resources among the almost 350 engineering schools in the U.S. The center will actively engage participation by U.S. faculty and students in helping create the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and conduct an ongoing assessment to enhance its impact and reach. More details are at http://stvp.stanford.edu.

Source: Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, August 4, 2011 - Volume 17, Number 29 Online Version

New Book on Game Development

The third edition of Jeannie Novak's Game Development Essentials: An Introduction, the world’s best-selling textbook on game development, is now available.

To date, Game Development Essentials: An Introduction has been adopted by more than 50 game-development programs in the United States, including Indiana University, Ohio University, Texas State Technical College, Portland Community College, and the International Academy of Design & Technology. Books in the series have been translated into several languages, with the second edition alone generating more than $1 million in sales.

Website for Author, Speaker, and Educator Dr. June Scobee Rodgers . . .

. . . Debuts at 25th Anniversary Events

Dr. June Scobee Rodgers recently announced a new informative and interactive website to support her ongoing advocacy efforts in STEM education – www.junescobeerodgers.com. The website features a calendar of Scobee Rodgers' speaking engagements and book signings, offers frequent updates and motivational messages to teachers and students, and provides a downloadable form with booking information.

“I am very excited to launch this website,” said Scobee Rodgers. “It covers it all – not only can viewers order my books or locate where I will be speaking, but it highlights one of my greatest passions, the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. With proceeds from book sales and speaking engagements directly supporting Challenger Center, my hope is that this website will further advance our mission and the immediate importance of STEM education in America.”

The website announcement was made in Alexandria, VA, where Scobee Rodgers was participating in the annual conference of the Challenger Learning Center network and for a special 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. Scobee Rodgers serves as Founding Chairman for the organization, which was established in honor of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger accident, which claimed the life of her husband, Commander Dick Scobee, and his six crewmates, including teacher Christa McAuliffe.

NASA News

• Presenters Needed for 2012 Space Exploration Educators Conference
The 18th Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference, or SEEC, is taking place February 2-4, 2012, at Space Center Houston. The goal of SEEC is to encourage K-12 educators to use space to teach all subjects in their classrooms. Over 700 educators gather for this event each year. Conference organizers are looking for 170 interactive sessions that present exciting classroom activities. All sessions must have a hands-on component; lecture sessions will not be accepted. Proposals will be accepted between September 1 and September 9, 2011. For more information, visit http://spacecenter.org/TeachersSEEC.html.

• NASA Undergraduate Student Research Project Spring 2012 Session
NASA’s Undergraduate Student Research Project is accepting applications for 15-week spring 2012 internships. These internships offer students the opportunity to work alongside NASA scientists and engineers at NASA's field centers, laboratories, and test facilities.

Applicants must be upcoming sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a minimum 3.0 grade point average with a major or concentration in engineering, mathematics, computer science, or physical or life sciences. Participants work on practical problems to provide solutions that will be applied in aerospace or on future NASA missions. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

The application deadline for the spring 2012 session is October 31, 2011. For more information and to apply online, visit http://usrp.usra.edu/. Please email any questions about this opportunity to NASA USRP Project Manager, Anthony Zippay, at john.a.zippay@nasa.gov.

• 2011 DIME and WING Competitions
NASA announces two opportunities for students to design and build an experiment to be conducted in a NASA research drop tower. The Dropping In a Microgravity Environment, or DIME, competition is for students in Grades 9-12. Students in Grades 5-8 are encouraged to participate in the “What If No Gravity?” or WING, competition.

Four teams in the high school DIME competition will be invited to visit NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio and operate their experiments in the drop tower. Four additional teams will send their experiments to Glenn for the drop tower staff to operate them. The winning WING teams will have their experiments operated in the same drop tower by the NASA drop tower staff.

Proposals for both competitions are due on November 1, 2011. Competition selections will be on December 1, 2011, and drop tower operations will be conducted in March 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/DIME.html. If you have questions about this opportunity, please email your inquiries to the DIME team at dime@lists.nasa.gov.

• 2012 NASA Space Settlement Design Contest
Design a space settlement! Space settlements are permanent communities in orbit, as opposed to being on the moon or other planets. Designing a space settlement involves physics, mathematics, space science, environmental science, and many other disciplines. The NASA Space Settlement Design Contest is for 11-18-year-old students from anywhere in the world. Individuals or teams may enter. Grades 6-8, 9-10 and 11-12 are judged separately, except for the grand prize. All participants will receive a certificate.

Submissions must be received by March 15, 2012. For more information about the NASA Space Settlement Design Contest, visit http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/Contest/. If you have any questions about the contest, please email Al Globus at aglobus@mail.arc.nasa.gov.

• NASA Students on Facebook: New Page
The NASA Students on Facebook site has moved to a new page within Facebook. To receive daily updates on Facebook, please visit the page and hit the Like button located toward the top of the page. The student Facebook page highlights opportunities open to students in Grades 9-12 and above and broadcasts information regarding feature articles, podcasts, videos, and more that might be of interest to high school and college groups.

If you have the old site bookmarked, that link will no longer contain updated information. Please make sure to change your bookmark to the new address: http://www.facebook.com/pages/NASA-Students-at-wwwnasagov/ 176813089042984?v=wall

• ARISSat-1 Satellite Launched
A satellite with amateur radio capabilities and a student-designed experiment was released into orbit around Earth on August 3, 2011 during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The satellite is transmitting signals containing information that students around the world can access. ARISSat-1, which stands for Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Satellite-1, contains a student-designed experiment and other equipment that students can use to learn more about space and space exploration. The rectangular spacecraft is covered by six solar panels that will charge the batteries in the satellite for about six months as it orbits Earth. Spoken telemetry values, with data such as temperature and battery life, are intended to promote science and mathematics education by encouraging school children to listen to the satellite, track its progress, and plot the changes.

The project website provides free downloadable software that can be used to decode the data. In addition to data, the satellite will transmit 24 prerecorded greetings in 15 different languages. Check out the ARISSat-1 website at http://arissat1.org/ for information on data transmissions, contests, and student activities. Questions about ARISSat-1 should be directed to teachers@arissat1.org.

• 2012 NASA's Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program
NASA is offering undergraduate students an opportunity to test experiments in microgravity aboard NASA's reduced-gravity aircraft. The opportunity is part of NASA's Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program, which gives aspiring explorers a chance to propose, design, and fabricate a reduced-gravity experiment. Selected teams will test and evaluate their experiment aboard NASA's reduced-gravity airplane. The aircraft flies about 30 roller-coaster-like climbs and dips during experiment flights to produce periods of weightlessness and hypergravity ranging from 0 g to 2 g.

Proposals are due October 26, 2011. Interested students also should submit a letter of intent by September 14, 2011. This step is optional but serves as an introductory notice that a team plans to submit a proposal for the upcoming competition.

NASA will announce selected teams December 7, 2011. The teams will fly in the summer of 2012. All applicants must be full-time undergraduate students, U.S. citizens, and at least 18 years old. To learn more about this opportunity, visit http://microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov. Questions about this opportunity should be emailed to jsc-reducedgravity@nasa.gov.

• New DIY Podcast Module: Rocket Science
Launch into the new school year with a new Do-It-Yourself Podcast topic module: Rocket Science. NASA Launch Vehicle Systems Analyst (rocket scientist) Tristan Curry provides expert sound bites for students to build podcast episodes about the laws of physics that govern building and launching rockets. Education specialist Fred Kepner explains the stability of a rocket and how to achieve it.

Whether you're building a film canister rocket or a launch vehicle to travel beyond Earth, the science behind rockets is the same. The topic module includes 33 video clips with Curry, Kepner, historical footage of rockets and shuttle launches, and animations. Sixteen audio clips also are included in the module. Students may download these NASA multimedia materials and integrate them into their own recordings and narration to create a podcast. Students can build their own multimedia projects, while teachers meet national education standards. A companion blog offers tips and suggestions for incorporating the DIY Podcast into the classroom. To learn more and to start building podcasts, visit www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/diypodcast/index.html.

• New NASA eClips Videos Available
Check out the new videos that NASA eClips™ has rolled out.

• Real World: Comets – It’s Done With Math (Grades 6-8) — NASA engineers are finding new uses for old spacecraft as a way to study comets. Find out how a repurposed spacecraft can return to a comet for a second visit to uncover secrets about the formation of the solar system. Use angular size to see just how big this comet really is!
• Real World: Legacy of NASA’s Space Shuttle – Because It Flew (Grades 6-8) — Use a graph to learn more about the history of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. Find out how mission complexity increased over time, leading to new careers and innovations that will launch us into the next stage of space exploration. See how important the shuttle was, just because it flew!
• Launchpad: Curiosity Goes to Mars (Grades 9-12) — Find out why Curiosity is the best name for the largest rover ever sent to another planet. Learn about the challenges of landing on a planet with an atmosphere and the geology and chemistry questions scientists hope to answer with instruments on the Mars Science Laboratory.

To learn more about NASA eClips, visit www.nasa.gov/nasaeclips.

Follow NASA eClips on Facebook and Twitter!

• 100-Year Starship Study Public Symposium
NASA's Ames Research Center in California and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will host a public symposium for the 100 Year Starship Study. The symposium will take place September 30 - October 2, 2011, in Orlando, FL. Registration to attend the symposium is free and open to the public. The 100-Year Starship Study aims to stimulate students, academia, industry, researchers, and the public to consider possibilities and issues surrounding long-duration, long-distance spaceflight.

This endeavor will require an understanding of questions such as: How do organizations evolve and maintain focus and momentum for 100 years or more? and What models have supported long term technology? The 100-YSS public symposium will feature presentations of papers and panel discussion in seven relevant tracks related to interstellar travel:

• Time-Distance Solutions — Propulsion, time/space manipulation and/or dilation, near-speed-of-light navigation, faster-than-light navigation, observations, and sensing at near speed of light or faster than light
• Habitats and Environmental Science — To have gravity or not, space and radiation effects, environmental toxins, energy collection and use, agriculture, self-supporting environments, optimal habitat sizing
• Biology and Space Medicine — Physiology in space, psychology in space, human life suspension (e.g., cryogenic), medical facilities and capabilities in space, on-scene (end of journey) spawning from genetic material
• Education, Social, Economic, and Legal Considerations — Education as a mission, who goes, who stays, to profit or not, economies in space, communications back to Earth, political ramifications, round-trip legacy investments — assets left behind
• Destinations — Criteria for destination selection, what do you take, how many destinations and missions, probes versus journeys of faith
• Philosophical and Religious Considerations — Why go to the stars, moral and ethical issues, implications of finding hospitable worlds, implications of finding life elsewhere, implications of being left behind
• Communication of the Vision — Storytelling as a means of inspiration, linkage between incentives, payback and investment, use of movies, television and books to popularize long-term research, long-term journeys

For more information about the 100-Year Starship Study and the public symposium, please visit the website at: www.100yss.org. If you have questions about the study or the public symposium, please email your inquiries to info@100yss.org.

• NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program
NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate is accepting scholarship applications from graduate and undergraduate students for the 2012 academic year. The application deadline is January 15, 2012. Graduate students must apply under a specific research topic to align with NASA's aeronautics research programs. The list of available topics is posted online.

NASA expects to award 20 undergraduate and five graduate scholarships to students in aeronautics or related fields. Undergraduate students entering their second year of study will receive up to $15,000 per year for two years and the opportunity to receive a $10,000 stipend by interning at a NASA research center during the summer. Graduate students will receive up to $35,000 per year for up to three years, with an opportunity to receive a $10,000 stipend interning at a NASA research center for up to two consecutive summers.

Students not committed to a specific academic institution or program still may apply. If accepted, they must be admitted by fall 2012 into an aeronautical engineering program or related field of study at an accredited U.S. university. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Scholarship money may be used for tuition and other school-related expenses.

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate conducts cutting-edge, fundamental, and integrated systems research in traditional and emerging disciplines. The intent is to help transform the nation's air transportation system and to support development of future air and space vehicles. Its goals include improving airspace capacity and flexibility; aviation safety and aircraft performance; reducing overall noise, engine emissions, and fuel usage.

For details about this scholarship program, a list of available research topics, and the application process, visit http://nasa.asee.org/. For more information about aeronautics research at NASA, visit: http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov. Questions about this scholarship should be directed to nasa.asp@asee.org.

• Solving the Challenges of Space in the RealWorld and InWorld
The RealWorld-InWorld NASA Engineering Design Challenge encourages students in Grades 7-12 to explore and build skills essential for successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through two phases of project-based learning and team competition.

• RealWorld (Phase 1): Teams of middle- and high-school-aged students with support of their teachers/coaches/parents work collaboratively as engineers and scientists to explore and design solutions related to the James Webb Space Telescope and Robonaut 2. Phase 1 begins September 1, 2011 and ends January 27, 2012. To be considered to move to the InWorld phase, all RealWorld work must be submitted by this deadline.
• Recognition: Submitted final project solutions will be featured on the RealWorld-InWorld website, and teams will receive recognition for their work once they complete the RealWorld challenge and InWorld registration.
• InWorld (Phase 2): Participating college students select teams of two to four middle- and high-school-aged students who have completed the RealWorld phase to build their InWorld teams. Participation is limited to U.S. citizens. Teams work in a 3-D virtual online environment using 21st Century tools to refine designs and to create 3-D models of their design solutions. Phase 2 begins January 28, 2012 and ends April 20, 2012.
• Recognition: InWorld teams will compete for cash awards ($1,000 per member, including team leader, for each winning team). Contest rules apply.

To learn more about the challenge and to register for online resources for this free and flexible project, visit www.nasarealworldinworld.org.

• What's New at NASA's Space Place Website
Appearances can be deceiving. But that’s not the case with the Space Place website. Our pizzazzy new look only enhances the appeal, accessibility, and navigability of our quality resources. The new Space Place includes all the compelling, fun, and educational content it always has. Explore. Enjoy!

The website is reorganized, revamped, rebuilt, and recommitted as a fun, free, fulfilling, and fantastic NASA website for kids, teachers, and parents. It makes use of the newest Web development tools and techniques to provide a more dynamic, interactive, educational, and enjoyable experience.

The menus are filterable on subject or type of activity. Searches of any word, term, or NASA mission produce customized menus. Dozens of educational and compelling games have been reframed as intrinsic parts of the site (no pop-ups or new contextually isolated windows or tabs). Many images and illustrations are enlargeable with a mouse click, and all videos run seamlessly within the page, with no external video players or plug-ins needed. All pages are printer friendly.

The site includes over 150 separate modules intrinsic to the site, plus links to other valuable NASA kids’ sites for our Grades-4-6 target audience. The modules and links are classified under the categories of Space, Earth, Sun, Solar System, People & Technology, and Parents & Teachers.

Check it out. Let us know what you think. Email your feedback to info@spaceplace.nasa.gov.