118 Geoscience Education V: Innovations in Geoscience Education

Monday, 10 October 2011
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Room 208CD

MAXIMIZING THE IMPACT THROUGH RESOURCE-RICH PARTNERSHIP: THE AGI-ASU-NASA TRIAD

Paper number: 118-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM

Authors

Abstract

In 2010, the American Geological Institute (AGI) and Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration (ASU SESE) were awarded a NASA cooperative agreement in support of the NASA Triad program, a three-part effort to promote science literacy and NASA STEM education at the national level. The components of the Triad are (1) infusion of NASA STEM content into AGI’s secondary Earth science curricula; (2) national lead teacher professional development workshops; and (3) an online professional development guide for teachers running NASA STEM workshops. The AGI-ASU-NASA collaboration has proven to be a powerful, resource-rich partnership. AGI’s stellar inquiry-based professional development, curriculum resources and workforce-building priorities are brought to the Triad along with the national K-12 teacher network AGI has fostered for many years. ASU SESE's extensive program of research in Mars and Moon exploration, astrobiology, meteoritics, Earth systems, and robotics and its well-established education and outreach programs provide robust and exciting content plus direct access to new findings and resources. NASA contributes myriad dynamic education resources, virtual experiences and access to NASA facilities. Together AGI, ASU SESE and NASA work together to provide the diverse community of STEM teachers and students a highly engaging and relevant suite of experiences and resources.

At the completion of its first year, the AGI-ASU-NASA Triad is considering its challenges and accomplishments, in looking forward to its second year and back at the past year. Robust program assessments, including content gains, teacher-perceived classroom relevance, teacher-cohort lesson development and teacher workshop design were implemented and the data and outcomes will inform the program’s efforts in this upcoming year. Major Triad activities to date include week-long national-scale teacher workshops held at ASU in Tempe and NASA Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston along with the infusion of NASA resources into AGI’s print and virtual curriculum component. The session will describe the initiatives that proved particularly effective for paving the path of the Triad’s success and share lessons learned from this unique and exciting partnership.