Purpose The Heliophysics Educator Ambassador (HEA) for Informal Educators program will focus on in-depth, learning experiences around Earth, Space, and Physical Science topics for informal educators in museum or science center settings that work with K-12 teacher professional development. The HEA program will provide the opportunity and materials for participants to develop the capacities needed to use NASA science, data, and educational resources to be an educational ambassador for NASA Heliophysics science concepts. After attending a week-long intensive training, HEA participants will conduct two (2) professional development workshop for K-12 educators, engage a direct audience through their institute or organization using the provided NASA educational resources and activities, and mentor and train another fellow informal educator to use the same materials and resources with their audiences.
Benefits Throughout the program, Informal Heliophysics Educator Ambassadors will receive support in the following ways:
February 2015 Workshop The Chicago HEA intensive workshop will be a rich and engaging experience that will ready participants to be able to meet the professional and mentoring program requirements. In this intensive workshop, participants will:
1) Participate in hands-on, inquiry-based Earth, Space, and Physical science activities that utilize educational resources that have been developed by NASA and other educational partners, such as the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, and incorporate current and relevant NASA science and data.
2) Engage with NASA scientists and educational professionals to learn about the science of the Sun and its interactions with Earth’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere, the Moon, and the interstellar medium.
3) Design a professional development workshop for K-12 science educators to put into practice in their own home institute or center.
4) Develop a plan to utilize the received resources and activities with a direct audience.
5) Acquire the skills, experience, and materials to recruit, mentor and support another regional informal educator to do the same.
Responsibilities Heliophysics Educator Ambassadors commit to participate in the program in the following ways:
Attend at all professional development sessions, including an in-person intensive workshop in Chicago, IL and online webinars and events
Recruit a colleague partner to train and mentor in using the same materials and resources with audiences or professional development programs
Design and implement a professional development workshop for K-12 educators utilizing the provided NASA-developed curriculum, activities and resources
Design and implement a program with a direct audience using the provided NASA-developed curriculum, activities and resources
Submit of professional development and audience engagement design plans
Participate in all program evaluation including administering, collecting and submitting any program evaluation materials and results, and completing an end of program report
Written support from the director/supervisor
Because this program requires ongoing program engagement, we are asking that each applicant acquire consent to participate from their home institute or center. An institutional consent form that outlines the program goals, benefits and requirements for agreement will be emailed to you with a welcome packet once accepted. This consent is required before attending the workshop in order to be considered fully accepted.
Please read the full description of all requirements here