NASA's Langley
Research Center hosted its fourth annual MY NASA DATA workshop June 22 to
27 attracting 21 educators from regions across America.
Kathy Doerner, a sixth-grade science teacher at Gildersleeve Middle
School in Newport News, selected the workshop for professional development
because the training included using real data collected by NASA satellites,
weather balloons and other sources.
The MY NASA DATA (MND) program offered educators in math and science
relevant tools for teaching that are both standards based and challenging
for students. This year's workshop goals allowed teachers to access and
explore NASA Earth system science data and develop lesson plans to share
these data with their students.
"In the sixth grade, we cover weather and climate, watersheds, energy,
matter and the solar system," Doerner says. "The topics covered at the
workshop are directly related to the material in our curriculum."
Even more important to Doerner is that students are very receptive to
lessons applying directly to their world.
"Having attended this workshop, I can now go back and teach my students
how to access and manipulate the data," Doerner says. "Then, students can
make their own assessments of the current state of our planet. The next
thing I tell them is 'what happens to Earth in the future is up to you.'"
"There is an educationally effective blend of content lectures, tours,
directed practice, and self-guided exploration of the technology," says
Susan Moore, a member of the MND team. "Enthusiastic about their
profession, our team of teachers have developed networking opportunities
and lesson collaborations among one another."
The importance of scientific inquiry and reflection to advancing
student knowledge was a common thread in this year's discussion. These
processes are important skills in scientific studies and are not techniques
children learn from a textbook. Scientific inquiry and reflection motivate
students to think on deeper levels.
Lin Chambers, an atmospheric scientist at NASA Langley who developed
the MY NASA DATA program, is pleased with the growth and progress she sees
in the program.
"Being the fourth workshop, we have definitely learned from past
experience," Chamber says. "We can provide a quality experience for our
teacher participants."
In addition to the weeklong summer program, daylong MND professional
development workshops are available to Hampton Roads school districts.
SOURCE NASA
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