"Partners in Education: A Strategy for Integrating Education and Public Outreach into NASA's Space Science Programs" describes the Office of Space Science's approach for making education at all levels and the enhancement of public understanding of science integral parts of space science research activities. This Strategy reflects our belief that the talents of the space science community can and should more directly serve broad national needs in science, mathematics, and technology education. This Strategy is one component of NASA's overall contribution to a national initiative to dramatically improve science, technology, and mathematics education and scientific and technological literacy in the United States. It complements, supports, and helps to implement key aspects of the NASA Strategic Plan, the Office of Space Science (OSS) Science Strategic Plan, and NASA's Strategic Plan for Education.
Although the OSS mission remains first and foremost to plan and carry out a world-class program of scientific research, it is now clear that NASA, OSS, and the scientific community must contribute to larger national objectives as well. Global economic competitiveness and sustained leadership in science and technology depend on greater public literacy in science, mathematics and technology, and on the appropriate production of scientists, technologists, and engineers to meet the future needs of the workforce in terms of both number and diversity. Producing the finest scientists and engineers for the twenty-first century, and raising the scientific and technological literacy of all Americans are identified as major national goals in the recently released White House report "Science in the National Interest". The NASA Strategic Plan specifically singles out education as one of the fundamental operating principles to be embodied in the conduct of every NASA activity.
The OSS Education and Public Outreach Strategy is a direct response to these charges. It was developed in collaboration with NASA's Education Division in the Office of Human Resources and Education, and NASA's Minority University Research and Education Division in the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs. It articulates a long term vision for OSS involvement in education and public outreach, and outlines the initial steps which must be taken to begin to realize this vision. In so doing, it acknowledges the fact that the responsibilities of scientists must include explaining scientific results to the public and communicating the role and importance of science and technology in contemporary society.
This Strategy explicitly establishes a number of new directions for OSS. In response to national goals, we place a special emphasis on precollege education and on the development of introductory college courses directed towards raising students' broad understanding and appreciation of science (a set of activities that will subsequently be referred to as K-13 education). Contributions to life-long education must also be regarded as an important component of such activities. This direction does not diminish the importance of the traditional role of OSS in supporting graduate and post-graduate professional education. Rather, it extends and expands OSS's role in education to meet pressing national needs. There is an emphasis on establishing collaborations and partnerships between the space research and the education communities that will be crucial if our educational and public outreach activities are to be useful to teachers, effective in the classroom, and understood by the public. There is an emphasis on the integration of OSS educational efforts with the many state and national activities that are now underway to reform science, mathematics, and technology education in America so that we can enhance these activities and amplify the impact of what we do.
Students are offered hands-on experience in space science during
workshops like this one at the Naval Research Laboratory. Here
students use a 12.5 inch Newtonian telescope and CCD camera to
observe Jupiter. Such space science activities serve to engage
students' imaginations and strengthen their interests in science.
Photo: George Carruthers, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington
DC.
Space science can strengthen American education and enhance scientific and technological literacy by engaging people's imagination and strengthening their interest in science and exploration. The results of space science missions have literally revealed the universe through new eyes and opened up new worlds to explore and understand. The awe-inspiring missions, rich data bases, and creative talents of the space science community can have a powerful and positive effect on science, technology, and mathematics education for all students and on the public understanding and appreciation of science.