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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Implementation of probabilistic design methodology at Tennessee State University

The fact that Deterministic Design Method no longer satisfies most design needs calls for methods that will cope with the high trend in technology. The advance in computer technology has reduced the rigors that normally accompany many design analysis methods that account for uncertainties in design parameters. Probabilistic Design Methodology (PDM) is beginning to make impact in engineering design. This method is gaining more recognition in industries than in educational institutions. Some of the reasons for the limited use of the PDM at the moment are that many are unaware of its potentials, and most of the software developed for PDM are very recent. The central goal of the PDM project at Tennessee State University is to introduce engineering students to this method. The students participating in the project learn about PDM and the computer codes that are available to the design engineer. The software being used for this project is NESSUS (Numerical Evaluation of Stochastic Structures Under Stress) developed under NASA probabilistic structural analysis program. NESSUS has three different modules which make it a very comprehensive computer code for PDM. Since this method is new to the students, its introduction into the engineering curriculum is to be in stages. These range from the introduction of PDM and its software to the applications. While this program is being developed for its eventual inclusion into the engineering curriculum, some graduate and undergraduate students are already carrying out some projects using this method. As the students are increasing their understanding on PDM, they are at the same time applying it to some common design problems. The areas this method is being applied at the moment include, Design of Gears (spur and worm); Design of Brakes; Design of Heat Exchangers Design of Helical Springs; and Design of Shock Absorbers. Some of the current results of these projects are presented.

Onwubiko, Chinyere↗
NASA NTRS1995

Supporting Research and Technology Activities for a Microwave Observing Program to Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Curriculum materials based on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) were developed for grades 3 through 9 science classes. The project was supported in part by NASA. Six teacher's guides, plus ancillary visuals, addressing topics in astronomy, biology, chemistry, geosciences, and physics as well as mathematics, social sciences, and language arts, were designed by a team of teachers, scientists. curriculum developers, and artists. First drafts were piloted by 10 design team teachers; revised drafts were field tested by 109 teachers in 30 states. Extensive feedback from these teachers and their students and reviews by scientists were used to revise materials prior to submission to the publisher. The field test teachers overall ranking of all guides (data from individual lesson feedback forms) was 431 on a one low to five high scale; 85% found the content appropriate to course and grade level and 75% indicated they had no reservations about using the materials again or recommending them to colleagues. The ratio of liked to disliked student responses (from 1305 student letters) was 70:30. Most recommendations from the teachers, students, and science reviewers were incorporated in the final versions for the guides, published by Libraries Unlimited/Teacher Ideas Press, 1995.

Tarter, Jill↗
NASA NTRS1998

The Mississippi NASA Community College Initiative

The object of this project was to provide greater utilization of existing resources to enhance the educational opportunities of Mississippi Community College students. When first introduced to the concept the teachers were understandably reluctant. They already had very heavy, prescribed work loads and most of what they had to do did not include NASA data. Teacher cooperation became a first goal. The second goal was effective use of NASA Earth Observation Data at every campus. Some compromises had to be made. The goal became to create a methodology or system that could be used on every campus and that the teachers would use. First year Biology was taught from a state-level prescribed curriculum on every one of the fifteen campuses. However, using Earth Observation Data in that curriculum was difficult. A compromise was made that allowed us to focus, in the first year, on the lesson hosting and creation process. Ten of the thirteen participating teachers agreed to create future lessons. They also asked to have a Community College Science Symposium in the Spring to demonstrate their lessons to the other science teachers in the state.

Lawhead, Pamela B.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Making the Learning of Mathematics More Meaningful

In the early 1980's, the National Commission on Excellence in Education responded to the call for reform in the teaching and learning of mathematics. In particular, the Commission developed a document addressing the consensus that all students need to learn more, and often different, mathematics and that instruction in mathematics must be significantly revised. In a response to these calls for mathematics education reform, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) developed its Curriculum and Evaluation Standards (1989) with a two-fold purpose: 1) to create a coherent vision of what it means to be mathematically literate in a world that relies on calculators and computers, and 2) to create a set of standards to guide the revisions of school mathematics curriculum.

Ward, Robin A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Geospatial Education and Research Development: A Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Environmental Analysis (LaRSEA)

Old Dominion University has claimed the title "University of the 21st Century," with a bold emphasis on technology innovation and application. In keeping with this claim, the proposed work has implemented a new laboratory equipped for remote sensing as well as curriculum and research innovations afforded for present and future faculty and students. The developments summarized within this report would not have been possible without the support of the NASA grant and significant cost-sharing of several units within the University. The grant effectively spring-boarded the university into major improvements in its approach to remote sensing and geospatial information technologies. The university has now committed to licensing Erdas Imagine software for the laboratory, a campus-wide ESRI geographic information system (GIS) products license, and several smaller software and hardware utilities available to faculty and students through the laboratory. Campus beneficiaries of this grant have included faculty from departments including Ocean, Earth. and Atmospheric Sciences, Political Science and Geography, Ecological Sciences, Environmental Health, and Civil and Environmental Engineering. High student interest is evidenced in students in geology, geography, ecology, urban studies, and planning. Three new courses have been added to the catalog and offered this year. Cross-cutting curriculum changes are in place with growing enrollments in remote sensing, GIS, and a new co-taught seminar in applied coastal remote sensing. The enabling grant has also allowed project participants to attract external funding for research grants, thereby providing additional funds beyond the planned matching, maintenance and growth of software and hardware, and stipends for student assistants. Two undergraduate assistants and two graduate assistants have been employed by full-time assistantships as a result. A new certificate is offered to students completing an interdisciplinary course sequence in remote sensing and coastal environments. Subsequent phases of the project are under planning. including seminars for regional coastal managers and public dissemination of remote sensing science through the local media and university publications.

Allen, Thomas R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Practice Oriented Master's in Optics

The development of an interdisciplinary Masters Program with a concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology has been is described. This program was developed under the U.S. Manufacturing Education and Training Activity of the Technology Reinvestment Project. This development was a collaboration between the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), Alabama A&M University, Northwest Shoals Community College, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the U.S. Army Missile Command, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Advanced Optical Systems Inc., Dynetics, Inc., Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Nichols Research and Speedring Inc. These organizations as well as the National Institute for Standards and Technology and SCI, Inc. have been participating fully in the design, development and implementation of this program. This goal of the program is to produce highly trained graduates who can also solve practical problems. To this end, the program 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 products. The Master's of Science (MS) in Physics and Master's of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Electrical Engineering Degrees with concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology are offered by the respective UAH academic departments with support from and in consultation with a Steering Committee composed of representatives from each of the participating organizations, and a student representative from UAH. The origins of the programs are described. The curricula of the programs is described. The course outlines of the new courses which were developed for the new curriculum are included. Also included are samples of on-site practicums which the students have been involved in. Also included as attachments are samples of the advertisements, which includes flyers, and the program description given to prospective students. The expenditures in the development and information about the cost sharing among the participating organizations is also included. Finally a listing membership of the steering committee is attached.

Dimmock, John O.↗
NASA NTRS1998

BioSIGHT: Interactive Visualization Modules for Science Education

Redefining science education to harness emerging integrated media technologies with innovative pedagogical goals represents a unique challenge. The Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC) is the only engineering research center in the area of multimedia and creative technologies sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The research program at IMSC is focused on developing advanced technologies that address human-computer interfaces, database management, and high-speed network capabilities. The BioSIGHT project at is a demonstration technology project in the area of education that seeks to address how such emerging multimedia technologies can make an impact on science education. The scope of this project will help solidify NASA's commitment for the development of innovative educational resources that promotes science literacy for our students and the general population as well. These issues must be addressed as NASA marches toward the goal of enabling human space exploration that requires an understanding of life sciences in space. The IMSC BioSIGHT lab was established with the purpose of developing a novel methodology that will map a high school biology curriculum into a series of interactive visualization modules that can be easily incorporated into a space biology curriculum. Fundamental concepts in general biology must be mastered in order to allow a better understanding and application for space biology. Interactive visualization is a powerful component that can capture the students' imagination, facilitate their assimilation of complex ideas, and help them develop integrated views of biology. These modules will augment the role of the teacher and will establish the value of student-centered interactivity, both in an individual setting as well as in a collaborative learning environment. Students will be able to interact with the content material, explore new challenges, and perform virtual laboratory simulations. The BioSIGHT effort is truly cross-disciplinary in nature and requires expertise from many areas including Biology, Computer Science Electrical Engineering, Education, and the Cognitive Sciences. The BioSIGHT team includes a scientific illustrator, educational software designer, computer programmers as well as IMSC graduate and undergraduate students.

Wong, Wee Ling↗
NASA NTRS1999

Multidisciplinary Design and Analysis for Commercial Aircraft

Multidisciplinary design and analysis (MDA) has become the normal mode of operation within most aerospace companies, but the impact of these changes have largely not been reflected at many universities. On an effort to determine if the emergence of multidisciplinary design concepts should influence engineering curricula, NASA has asked several universities (Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson, BYU, and Cal Poly) to investigate the practicality of introducing MDA concepts within their undergraduate curricula. A multidisciplinary team of faculty, students, and industry partners evaluated the aeronautical engineering curriculum at Cal Poly. A variety of ways were found to introduce MDA themes into the curriculum without adding courses or units to the existing program. Both analytic and educational tools for multidisciplinary design of aircraft have been developed and implemented.

Cummings, Russell M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Chancellor's Model School Project (CMSP)

What does it take to create and implement a 7th to 8th grade middle school program where the great majority of students achieve at high academic levels regardless of their previous elementary school backgrounds? This was the major question that guided the research and development of a 7-year long project effort entitled the Chancellor's Model School Project (CMSP) from September 1991 to August 1998. The CMSP effort conducted largely in two New York City public schools was aimed at creating and testing a prototype 7th and 8th grade model program that was organized and test-implemented in two distinct project phases: Phase I of the CMSP effort was conducted from 1991 to 1995 as a 7th to 8th grade extension of an existing K-6 elementary school, and Phase II was conducted from 1995 to 1998 as a 7th to 8th grade middle school program that became an integral part of a newly established 7-12th grade high school. In Phase I, the CMSP demonstrated that with a highly structured curriculum coupled with strong academic support and increased learning time, students participating in the CMSP were able to develop a strong foundation for rigorous high school coursework within the space of 2 years (at the 7th and 8th grades). Mathematics and Reading test score data during Phase I of the project, clearly indicated that significant academic gains were obtained by almost all students -- at both the high and low ends of the spectrum -- regardless of their previous academic performance in the K-6 elementary school experience. The CMSP effort expanded in Phase II to include a fully operating 7-12 high school model. Achievement gains at the 7th and 8th grade levels in Phase II were tempered by the fact that incoming 7th grade students' academic background at the CMSP High School was significantly lower than students participating in Phase 1. Student performance in Phase II was also affected by the broadening of the CMSP effort from a 7-8th grade program to a fully functioning 7-12 high school which as a consequence lessened the focus and structure available to the 7-8th grade students and teachers -- as compared to Phase I. Nevertheless, the CMSP does represent a unique curriculum model for 7th and 8th grade students in urban middle schools. Experience in both Phase I and Phase II of the project allowed the CMSP to be developed and tested along the broad range of parameters and characteristics that embody an operating public school in an urban environment.

Lopez, Gil↗
NASA NTRS1998

BioSIGHT: Interactive Visualization Modules for Science Education

Redefining science education to harness emerging integrated media technologies with innovative pedagogical goals represents a unique challenge. The Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC) is the only engineering research center in the area of multimedia and creative technologies sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The research program at IMSC is focused on developing advanced technologies that address human-computer interfaces, database management, and high- speed network capabilities. The BioSIGHT project at IMSC is a demonstration technology project in the area of education that seeks to address how such emerging multimedia technologies can make an impact on science education. The scope of this project will help solidify NASA's commitment for the development of innovative educational resources that promotes science literacy for our students and the general population as well. These issues must be addressed as NASA marches towards the goal of enabling human space exploration that requires an understanding of life sciences in space. The IMSC BioSIGHT lab was established with the purpose of developing a novel methodology that will map a high school biology curriculum into a series of interactive visualization modules that can be easily incorporated into a space biology curriculum. Fundamental concepts in general biology must be mastered in order to allow a better understanding and application for space biology. Interactive visualization is a powerful component that can capture the students' imagination, facilitate their assimilation of complex ideas, and help them develop integrated views of biology. These modules will augment the role of the teacher and will establish the value of student-centered interactivity, both in an individual setting as well as in a collaborative learning environment. Students will be able to interact with the content material, explore new challenges, and perform virtual laboratory simulations. The BioSIGHT effort is truly cross-disciplinary in nature and requires expertise from many areas including Biology, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Education, and the Cognitive Sciences. The BioSIGHT team includes a scientific illustrator, educational software designer, computer programmers as well as IMSC graduate and undergraduate students. Our collaborators include TERC, a research and education organization with extensive k-12 math and science curricula development from Cambridge, MA.; SRI International of Menlo Park, CA.; teachers and students from local area high schools (Newbury Park High School, USC's Family of Five schools, Chadwick School, and Pasadena Polytechnic High School).

Wong, Wee Ling↗
NASA NTRS1998

Teaching with Space: K-6 Aviation, Space and Technology Resource Guide

Teaching with Space permits easy and quick identification of resources you will find most beneficial. This guide captures the essence of resources with applicability across the elementary curriculum. Specific product reviews and suggested uses in the classroom are provided to enable informed decision-making. Materials from NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration may be obtained in limited quantities at no cost from public domain sources when available. Pricing in this guide is based on duplication, warehousing, and overhead costs associated with distributing these items. Although this resource guide is a prototype guide distributed on a limited basis, we trust you will find it useful in locating quality instructional resources. Your suggestions and comments are most welcome, and will receive the fullest consideration as we work to expand and validate this guide for national distribution. Based on teacher criteria for quality, educational soundness, compatibility with the curriculum, ease of use, and affordability, the guide will be updated as new resources become available, and in response to teacher feedback. You may provide us with additional items for consideration at any time. We also are planning to develop a resource guide for middle and high school teachers, and your input is welcome for that effort too. This guide is just one way that space can help you in the classroom.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1998

Improving Student Achievement in Math and Science

As the new millennium approaches, a long anticipated reckoning for the education system of the United States is forthcoming, Years of school reform initiatives have not yielded the anticipated results. A particularly perplexing problem involves the lack of significant improvement of student achievement in math and science. Three "Partnership" projects represent collaborative efforts between Xavier University (XU) of Louisiana, Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO), Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Stennis Space Center (SSC), to enhance student achievement in math and science. These "Partnerships" are focused on students and teachers in federally designated rural and urban empowerment zones and enterprise communities. The major goals of the "Partnerships" include: (1) The identification and dissemination of key indices of success that account for high performance in math and science; (2) The education of pre-service and in-service secondary teachers in knowledge, skills, and competencies that enhance the instruction of high school math and science; (3) The development of faculty to enhance the quality of math and science courses in institutions of higher education; and (4) The incorporation of technology-based instruction in institutions of higher education. These goals will be achieved by the accomplishment of the following objectives: (1) Delineate significant ?best practices? that are responsible for enhancing student outcomes in math and science; (2) Recruit and retain pre-service teachers with undergraduate degrees in Biology, Math, Chemistry, or Physics in a graduate program, culminating with a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction; (3) Provide faculty workshops and opportunities for travel to professional meetings for dissemination of NASA resources information; (4) Implement methodologies and assessment procedures utilizing performance-based applications of higher order thinking via the incorporation of Global Learning Observations To Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), Mission to Planet Earth and the use of Geographic Imaging Systems into the K-12th grade curriculum.

Sullivan, Nancy G.↗
NASA NTRS1997

PACES Participation in Educational Outreach Programs at the University of Texas at El Paso

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is involved in several initiatives to improve science education within the El Paso area public schools. These include outreach efforts into the K- 12 classrooms; training programs for in-service teachers; and the introduction of a strong science core curricula within the College of Education. The Pan American Center for Earth and Environmental Studies (PACES), a NASA-funded University Research Center, will leverage off the goals of these existing initiatives to provide curriculum support materials at all levels. We will use currently available Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) materials as well as new materials developed specifically for this region, in an effort to introduce the Earth System Science perspective into these programs. In addition, we are developing curriculum support materials and classes within the Geology and Computer Departments, to provide education in the area of remote sensing and GIS applications at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Dodge, Rebecca L.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Space-Based Astronomy: An Educator Guide with Activities for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education

If you go to the country, far from city lights, you can see about 3,000 stars on a clear night. If your eyes were bigger, you could see many more stars. With a pair of binoculars, an optical device that effectively enlarges the pupil of your eye by about 30 times, the number of stars you can see increases to the tens of thousands. With a medium-sized telescope with a light-collecting mirror 30 centimeters in diameter, you can see hundreds of thousands of stars. With a large observatory telescope, millions of stars become visible. This curriculum guide uses hands-on activities to help students and teachers understand the significance of space-based astronomy--astronomical observations made from outer space. It is not intended to serve as a curriculum. Instead, teachers should select activities from this guide that support and extend existing study. The guide contains few of the traditional activities found in many astronomy guides such as constellation studies, lunar phases, and planetary orbits. It tells, rather, the story of why it is important to observe celestial objects from outer space and how to study the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Teachers are encouraged to adapt these activities for the particular needs of their students. When selected activities from this guide are used in conjunction with traditional astronomy curricula, students benefit from a more complete experience.

Vogt, Gregory L.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Enhancing Science Teacher Training Using Water Resources and GLOBE

Heritage College, located on the Yakama Indian Reservation in south central Washington state, serves a multicultural, underserved, rural population and trains teachers to staff the disadvantaged school districts on and surrounding the reservation. In-service teachers and pre-service teachers in the area show strength in biology but have weak backgrounds in chemistry and mathematics. We are addressing this problem by providing a 2-year core of courses for 3 groups of 25 students (15 pre-service and 10 in-service teachers) using GLOBE to teach integrated physical science and mathematics. At the conclusion of the program, the students will qualify for science certification by Washington State. Water resources are the focal point of the curriculum because it is central to life in our desert area. The lack or excess of water, its uses, quality and distribution is being studied by using GIS, remote sensing and historical records. Students are learning the methodology to incorporate scientific protocols and data into all aspects of their future teaching curriculum. In addition, in each of the three years of the project, pre-service teachers attended a seminar series during the fall semester with presentations by collaborators from industry, agriculture, education and government agencies. Students used NASA educational materials in the presentations that they gave at the conclusion of the seminar series. All pre- and in-service teachers continue to have support via a local web site for Heritage College GLOBE participants.

Falco, James W.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Integration of NASA Research into Undergraduate Education in Math, Science, Engineering and Technology at North Carolina A&T State University

The NASA PAIR program incorporated the NASA-Sponsored research into the undergraduate environment at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. This program is designed to significantly improve undergraduate education in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology (MSET) by directly benefiting from the experiences of NASA field centers, affiliated industrial partners and academic institutions. The three basic goals of the program were enhancing core courses in MSET curriculum, upgrading core-engineering laboratories to compliment upgraded MSET curriculum, and conduct research training for undergraduates in MSET disciplines through a sophomore shadow program and through Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Since the inception of the program nine courses have been modified to include NASA related topics and research. These courses have impacted over 900 students in the first three years of the program. The Electrical Engineering circuit's lab is completely re-equipped to include Computer controlled and data acquisition equipment. The Physics lab is upgraded to implement better sensory data acquisition to enhance students understanding of course concepts. In addition a new instrumentation laboratory in the department of Mechanical Engineering is developed. Research training for A&T students was conducted through four different programs: Apprentice program, Developers program, Sophomore Shadow program and Independent Research program. These programs provided opportunities for an average of forty students per semester.

Monroe, Joseph↗
NASA NTRS2004

[Exploring Aeronautics]

This summer I have been working with the N.A.S.A. Project at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) under the title of Exploring Aeronautics Project Leader. The class that I have worked with is comprised of students that will enter the eighth grade in the fall of 2004. The program primarily focuses upon math proficiency and individualized class projects. My duties have encompassed both realms. During the first 2-3 weeks of my internship, I worked at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) researching, organizing, and compiling information for weekly Scholastic Challenges and the Super Scholastic Challenge. I was able to complete an overview of Scholastic Challenge and staff responsibilities regarding the competition; a proposal for an interactive learning system, Quizdom; a schedule for challenge equipment, as well as a schedule listing submission deadlines for the staff. Also included in my tasks, during these first 2-3 weeks, were assisting Tammy Allen and Candice Thomas with the student application review and interview processes for student applicants. For the student and parent orientation, I was assigned publications and other varying tasks to complete before the start of the program. Upon the commencement of the program, I changed location from NASA GRC to Tri-C Metro Campus, where student classes for the Cleveland site are held. During the duration of the program, I work with the instructor for the Exploring Aeronautics class, kkkk, assisting in classroom management, daily attendance, curriculum, project building, and other tasks as needed. These tasks include the conducting of the weekly competition, known as Scholastic Challenge. As a Project Leader, I am also responsible for one subject area of the Scholastic Challenge aspect of the N.A.S.A. Project curriculum. Each week I have to prepare a mission that the participants will take home the following Monday and at least 10 questions that will be included in the pool of questions used for the Scholastic Challenge competition on Thursdays. For at least one of these competitions, I must compile all mission and question information submitted by the staff, distribute missions to the students, and enter questions into Jeopardy formatted PowerPoint presentation. Unique to the N.A.S.A. Project are its Saturday sessions and opportunities for field trips. As a Project Leader, I am required to attend all field trips and Saturday sessions held for participants and their parent(s)/guardian(s). The Saturday sessions do not require my assistance because they are facilitated by a contracting company, Imhotep. This leaves my duties to observation unless instructed otherwise.

Robinson, Brandi↗
NASA NTRS2005

Study Results on Knowledge Requirements for Entry-Level Airport Operations and Management Personnel

This paper identifies important topical knowledge areas required of individuals employed in airport operations and management positions. A total of 116 airport managers and airfield operations personnel responded to a survey that sought to identify the importance of various subject matter for entry level airport operations personnel. The results from this study add to the body of research on aviation management curriculum development and can be used to better develop university curriculum and supplemental training focused on airport management and operations. Recommendations are made for specialized airport courses within aviation management programs. Further, this study identifies for job seekers or individuals employed in entry level positions those knowledge requirements deemed important by airport managers and operations personnel at different sized airports.

Quilty, Stephen M.↗