NASA Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project to Begin Accepting Applications for Cohort 2



The NASA Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project awards one-year fellowships each year to over 40 current and prospective teachers. The project is administered by U.S. Satellite Laboratory, Inc. Funding authorization for the project is provided through the NASA Endeavor Teacher Fellowship Trust Fund as a tribute to the dedicated crew of the space shuttle Challenger.



In partnership with state departments of education, Endeavor Fellows take five graduate courses in an innovative, online format from the comfort of their home or school. In these courses, participants will learn to apply research-based pedagogical strategies and cutting-edge STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) content to their classroom contexts while becoming a part of a special network of like-minded educators across the nation.



Endeavor Fellows will be awarded a NASA Endeavor Certificate in STEM Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition, 15 graduate credits are awarded from other regionally accredited partners in higher education.



Applications for Cohort 2 will be accepted through Nov. 10, 2009.



For more information, visit http://www.us-satellite.net/nasa/endeavor/index.cfm.



Additional questions about this opportunity should be directed to nasa_endeavor@us-satellite.net.





Teacher Training Opportunity: Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope Program



The Lewis Center for Educational Research announces an opportunity for K-12 teachers to participate in a unique program. The Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope Program, or GAVRT, is an education partnership involving NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and LCER. The program is a K-12 project using radio astronomy to provide an opportunity for students to experience real science and to learn that science is an ongoing process and actual discovery is possible. Using classroom computers, 32,000 students have taken control of a 34-meter, 500-ton, nine-story-tall radio telescope located at NASA's Deep Space Network at Goldstone, Calif. There are currently 473 trained teachers at 283 schools in 37 states across the United States and at American schools in 14 countries and three U.S. territories.



What is in it for the students? They learn how to gather data, understand what the data mean and how to follow through with analysis. Students and teachers team with scientists to conduct cutting-edge research leading to discovery. GAVRT is exciting for students while accomplishing educational and scientific objectives.



In 2010, the teacher training program will also include Radio JOVE. Radio JOVE is a hands-on educational activity that brings the radio sounds of the sun, Jupiter, the Milky Way galaxy, and terrestrial radio noise to students, teachers and the public. This program targets students in grades 6 - 14 and involves building a simple radio telescope, making observations, and sharing results with other participants and with professional radio astronomers.



To bring the GAVRT program into the classroom, teachers must attend a five-day class. Teacher training classes are scheduled to take place at the Lewis Center on March 8-12, July 19-23, and Oct. 25-29, 2010. The program strongly recommends that at least two teachers attend the training from each school or area. While this is not a requirement, it will definitely help in program support once back in the classroom. The cost of the five-day class is $745. Teachers interested in participating are invited to apply online at http://www.lewiscenter.org/gavrt/opportunities.php.



For more information about GAVRT and Radio JOVE, visit http://www.lewiscenter.org/gavrt/ and http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov.



Questions about this program and the training opportunities should be directed to gavrt-info@lcer.org or 760-946-5414, ext. 234


David Cottle

UBB Owner & Administrator