earth science education plan

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Earth ScienceEducation PlanInspire the Next Generation of Earth Explorers

Office of Earth ScienceNASA Headquarters | 300 E Street, SW | Washington, DC 20546

http://earth.nasa.gov

June 2004

Foreword

We stand today confronted with new challenges and opportunities for Earth science education.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research and development have contributedto more than 40 years of Earth exploration from the vantage point of space. The current suite of satel-lite observations provides new perspectives of Earth, enabling us to see, explore, and investigate ourworld in ways never before possible. The concept of Earth as a dynamic and complex system of inter-connected processes has become a dominant paradigm in scientific research. Upon this foundation liesthe opportunity for Earth science to serve the national interest by enabling us to understand and protectour home planet. Beyond our own world, the knowledge we gain about planet Earth and the innovativetechnologies used in creating this knowledge contribute to NASA’s mission to explore the universe andsearch for life. The intellectual capital needed to actuate this opportunity relies on the proficient scien-tific literacy of the general public and effective science education for all of our children.

NASA recognizes the role of space exploration in science education and has established “to inspire thenext generation of explorers . . . as only NASA can” as a core mission. The importance of this action andthe creation of the Education Enterprise within NASA have led to the Education Enterprise Strategy,the first Agencywide strategy for education. The Earth Science Enterprise adopts this framework in ful-filling our education mission.

The Education Enterprise Strategy, the expanding knowledge of how people learn, and the communi-tywide interest in revolutionizing Earth and space science education have guided us in developing thisplan for Earth science education. This document builds on the success of the first plan for Earth sci-ence education published in 1996; it aligns with the new framework set forth in the NASA EducationEnterprise Strategy; it recognizes the new educational opportunities resulting from research programsand flight missions; and it builds on the accomplishments that the Earth Science Enterprise has madeover the last decade in studying Earth as a system. This document embodies comprehensive, practica-ble plans for inspiring our children; providing educators with the tools they need to teach science,technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); and improving our citizens’ scientific literacy.

This plan describes an approach to systematically sharing knowledge; developing the most effectivemechanisms to achieve tangible, lasting results; and working collaboratively to catalyze action at a scalegreat enough to ensure impact nationally and internationally. This document will evolve and be peri-odically reviewed in partnership with the Earth science education community.

We stand together with many friends and colleagues in the Nation and around the world in a mutualcommitment to inspire the next generation of explorers.

Ghassem R. Asrar, Ph.D. Adena Williams Loston, Ph.D.Associate Administrator for Earth Science Associate Administrator for Education

Earth ScienceEducation Plan

iii

Table of Contents

1 Earth Science Enterprise Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.1 NASA Earth Science Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.2 NASA Education Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.3 Earth Science Education Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.4 As Only NASA Can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2 Achieving NASA’s Education Goals and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213.1 Information Infrastructures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233.2 Network of Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253.3 NASA Education Program Operating Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4 Program Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294.1 Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324.2 Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1Appendix A Community Recognition Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2Appendix B Recognition Awards Received in Earth Science Education 2002-03 . . . . . . A4Appendix C List of Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5Appendix D Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6Appendix E References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8

For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hun-dreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience mostcertainly changes your perspective. The things that we share in ourworld are far more valuable than those which divide us.

—Donald Williams, Astronaut, United States of America

11Earth Science EnterpriseEducation

Earth Science Education Plan

3

11Earth ScienceEnterprise Education The NASA Vision—To improve life here,To extend life to there,To find life beyond.

The NASA Mission—To understand and protect our home planet,To explore the universe and search for life,To inspire the next generation of explorers. . . as only NASA can.

NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) has aleading role in NASA’s mission to understandand protect our home planet. The ESE usesNASA’s unique capabilities to understand theEarth system and apply Earth system science toimproving prediction of Earth system change.

The ESE has a supporting role in NASA’s mis-sion to explore the universe and search for life.ESE advances in modeling complex Earth systemphenomena, processing and distributing largevolumes and varieties of data, and developingsophisticated Earth-observing instrumentationare directly applicable to the search for life else-where in our solar system and beyond.

The ESE has an essential role in NASA’s missionto inspire the next generation of explorers. TheEarth system science concept pioneered by NASAis changing how Earth science research is con-ducted, the way it is taught at elementarythrough postgraduate levels, and the way it is pre-sented to the public by the media and informallearning communities.

Young Earth explorers at the Oregon Museum ofScience and Industry learn how satellites are used tostudy Earth with “Eyes on Earth,” an interactive travel-ing museum exhibit. (http://www.omsi.edu/visit/earth/eyesonearth)


4

NASA’s ESE Education Program systematicallyextends NASA’s results in Earth system scienceand the development of remote sensing andgeospatial technologies to support national prior-ities for STEM education. The ESE EducationProgram sponsors all levels of formal and infor-mal educational activities to provide opportunitiesfor learners to investigate Earth system processesusing unique NASA resources as they progressthrough the academic pipeline and continue ontheir individual paths of lifelong learning.

NASA established the Education Enterprise (EE)in 2003 to unify all education program activitiesin NASA’s Science and Technology Enterprises.1The EE has the leading role in the Agency’s mis-sion to inspire the next generation of explorers.The Education Enterprise captures and commu-nicates the excitement of NASA activities both toinspire and motivate students to pursue careers inSTEM and to effectively translate and deliverNASA content to formal and informal learningcommunities. The Earth Science Enterpriseworks in close partnership with the EducationEnterprise to ensure alignment of ESE contribu-

tions with NASA’s strategic goals, objectives, andoutcomes for education.2 This ESE EducationPlan3 has two parent documents, the EarthScience Enterprise Strategy (http://earth.nasa.gov/visions) and the Education EnterpriseStrategy (http://education.nasa.gov).

The ESE contribution to NASA’s education mis-sion is to inspire the next generation of Earthexplorers. The ESE views the concept of Earthexplorers broadly. The elementary school studentasking if El Niño events occur in oceans otherthan the Pacific, the researcher investigating theconnections between Arctic ozone depletion andglobal climate change, the consumer comparinghydrocarbon versus hydrogen-powered cars, thecitizen-scientist interested in how changing cli-mate and/or changing land cover/land use affectanimal migration patterns, and the business per-son projecting future needs for harvest, transport,and storage of crops are all Earth explorers. Allshare a vital interest in Earth system processesand the impact these processes have on sustaininglife on Earth for current and future generations.

NASA

NASA

Earth ScienceCommunity

Education/STEMCommunity

(formal and Informal)

EarthScience

EnterpriseEducationEnterprise

Earth Science Education

Figure 1.1

1NASA’s Science and Technology Enterprises: Aeronautics, Biological and Physical Research, Earth Science, ExplorationSystems, Space Flight, and Space Science.2See the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2003 Strategic Plan. 3Available at http://earth.nasa.gov/education.


5

The ESE Education Program stands at the nexusof NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise, NASA’sEducation Enterprise and the broader Earth sci-ence education community (figure 1.1). Workingin close collaboration with these three communi-ties, the ESE Education Program provides uniqueinquiry-based Earth system science content toengage students in new technologies and preparethem for their participation in the 21st-centuryglobal society.

1.1 NASA Earth Science Enterprise(http://earth.nasa.gov)

The solid scientific and technological foundationlaid by NASA over the past 40 years enables theESE to play a leading role in NASA’s mission tounderstand and protect our home planet. TheESE pursues answers to the fundamental ques-tion “How is Earth changing and what are theconsequences for life on Earth?” by utilizingNASA’s unique orbital and suborbital vantagepoints to observe, study, and improve the predic-tion of Earth system change. The ESE workswith domestic and international partners to pro-vide accurate, objective scientific data andanalysis to advance understanding of Earth sys-tem processes and to help policymakers andcitizens achieve economic growth and effective,responsible stewardship of Earth’s resources.

The ESE has established six scientific focus areasfor understanding complex Earth system processes: climate variability and change; atmo-spheric composition; carbon cycle and ecosystems;water and energy cycle; weather; and Earth sur-

face and interior. The ESE seeks the input of theEarth science community to identify scientificquestions to be addressed within each of theseareas and to define effective strategies to pursuethe answers to those questions. Table 1.1 (nextpage) identifies scientific questions pursued ineach of the six focus areas.

The major enabling elements of the EarthScience Enterprise—research, education, applica-tions, and technology—and their relationship toEarth system science research questions andsocioeconomic benefit are portrayed in figure 1.2(page 7). The Earth Science Enterprise collectsover 2 terabytes of geophysical information dailyusing approximately 80 sensors operating on asuite of approximately 20 Earth observingresearch satellites. These polar-orbiting satellitestravel at 7 kilometers per second hundreds ofkilometers above Earth’s surface, collecting keymeasurements of geophysical parameters. Themeasurements are used in computer models thatsimulate past and present conditions and predictfuture conditions of Earth system processes.Models, data, and information services enhancescientific understanding of Earth. They enablescientific assessments of Earth system processes,

The ESE Mission

The mission of the Earth Science Enterprise is tounderstand and protect our home planet by usingour view from space to study the Earth system andimprove prediction of Earth system change.


6

• Earth system science comes to life as stu-dents view Terra satellite data showingthe transport of African dust across theAtlantic and investigate possible connec-tions to the health of coral reef populationsin the Caribbean Sea.

• The global reach of El Niño events isillustrated as students view TOPEX/Poseidon animations of anomalous seasurface heights propagating across thePacific and along the coasts of North andSouth America.

• The role of air-sea interactions in ElNiño becomes apparent as students ana-lyze the relationships among wind speed,evaporation, sea surface temperature,ocean current direction, clouds, and pre-

support the development of educationalresources, and drive decision-support tools. Eachof these results enhances socioeconomic benefits.

The compelling context of Earth system sciencepresents opportunities for engaging all stu-dents—independent of academic preferences,ethnic background, and socioeconomic status—in the process of scientific inquiry, helping themachieve in STEM while developing a deeperunderstanding of the complexities of the Earthsystem. Examples of how ESE resources are usedto support STEM curricula include the following:

• Imagery from the Tropical RainfallMeasuring Mission (TRMM) satellitehelps convey the water cycle concept byillustrating the three-dimensional distri-bution of rainfall over land and oceans.

Earth Science Enterprise Research Focus Areas

Science Focus Area Prediction Question

Climate Variability and Change

Atmospheric Composition

Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems

Water and Energy Cycle

Weather

Earth Surface and Interior

How can predictions of climate variability and change be improved?

How will future changes in atmospheric composition affect ozone,climate, and air quality?

How will carbon cycle dynamics and terrestrial and marine ecosys-tems change in the future?

How will water and energy cycle dynamics change in the future?

How can weather forecast duration and reliability be improved?

How can our knowledge of Earth surface change be used to predictand mitigate natural hazards?

Table 1.1


7

emission scenarios while running a sim-plified interface to a coupled atmo-sphere-ocean climate model.

• The concept of anomaly is illustrated asstudents create their own time series ofglobal average temperature anomaliesusing data from ground-based measure-ments over the past century and satellitedata over the past decade.

The ESE Education Program is committed to thedevelopment of innovative methods for usingESE resources to enhance STEM education anddeepen student understanding of Earth systemscience and related careers. Educational opportu-

cipitation using TRMM and Aqua datain combination with other satellite andmodeled data.

• TOMS data help students visualize theozone hole as a dynamic, asymmetricalregion over the Antarctic associated withstratospheric wind and temperature pat-terns rather than as a static, symmetrical“hole” through which ozone is lost tospace, a common misconception.

• Students’ understanding of scientificuncertainty is enhanced as they predictEarth’s global average temperature in 2100by varying projected greenhouse gas

Figure 1.2

Earth Science for Society Framework and Program Elements


8

nities are embedded within ESE research pro-grams and flight missions to increase the numberof students that are inspired, motivated, andintellectually prepared to contribute to the Earthsystem science workforce and to increase the pub-lic’s scientific literacy about the Earth system andthe environment. The Earth Science EnterpriseSystem Components chart (see http://www.esa.ssc.nasa.gov/m2m/opening.asp) summarizes currentand planned flight missions, along with the geo-physical parameters, Earth system models, andmodel predictions associated with these missions.

1.2 NASA Education Enterprise (http://education.nasa.gov)

NASA’s founding legislation directs the Agencyto expand human knowledge of Earth and spacephenomena and to preserve the role of theUnited States as a leader in aeronautics, space sci-ence, and technology. High levels of achievementin STEM education are therefore essential to theaccomplishment of NASA’s mission. The Edu-cation Enterprise works to align NASA’seducation strategy with STEM priorities estab-lished by the U.S. Department of Education(ED), the National Science Foundation (NSF),the States, the District of Columbia, theCommonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S.Territories.

NASA’s Education Enterprise inspires and moti-vates students at all levels to pursue STEM andteaching careers. The EE partners with academicinstitutions, professional education associations,industry, and other U.S. Federal agencies to pro-vide teachers and faculty with the experiencesthat capitalize on the excitement of NASA’s dis-coveries to spark their students’ interest andinvolvement. The EE provides students withopportunities for involvement in NASA’s vastresearch efforts to promote STEM disciplinesand encourage students to pursue higher educa-tion at the graduate and doctorate levels. The EEis working to ensure that students who areengaged in NASA learning experiences will bekept informed of new opportunities as theyadvance through the education pipeline. The EEsupports and encourages lifelong learning byengaging the public in shaping and sharing theexperience of exploration and discovery.

1.3 Earth Science EducationCommunity

The importance of Earth science to the future ofour planet is unprecedented. Challenging globalenvironmental change issues, including climateand ecological change, freshwater availability, andmanagement of Earth’s natural resources, face ourgeneration and our children’s generations as weenter the 21st century. The continued delivery ofup-to-date Earth system science knowledge inour Nation’s elementary through postgraduateand informal educational institutions contributes

S’COOL: Students’ CloudObservations On-Line

S’COOL engages K–12 students worldwide in active sci-ence as they provide ground truth measurements toassist scientists in the validation of the Clouds andEarth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) satellite-basedinstrument. Students observe and report on cloud condi-tions at the time CERES passes overhead on a NASAsatellite. Student observations are available in an onlinedatabase, along with corresponding data from the satel-lite. Students use these observations in a variety ofinquiry-based activities.

http://scool.larc.nasa.gov


9

to the development of a workforce qualified toaddress global sustainable development issues andto a scientifically literate and informed citizenry.The National Science Education Standards presenta holistic approach for developing student under-standing of Earth and advocate presenting Earthscience from an Earth system perspective over thecourse of K–12 education. Members of the Earthscience education community—for example, theNational Conference on the Revolution in Earthand Space Science Education—are workingtoward strengthening its ties to other STEMfields, including physics, chemistry, biology, tech-nology, engineering, and mathematics, by integratingEarth science reform within larger science, math-ematics, and technology education reform efforts.

The Earth science research community is directingefforts toward education and increasing diversity,recognizing that a diverse and productive scienceand technology workforce, along with a betterand broader public understanding of Earth sci-ence, is essential to global sustainability. Concertedefforts between the Earth science education andresearch communities are underway to improveEarth science education for all students. Activitiesinclude stronger emphasis on understandingEarth as a system, inquiry-based learning, and theuse of visualization technologies in Earth scienceeducation. In higher education, efforts emphasizethe integration of research and education, thedevelopment of Earth system science courses anddegree programs, the integration of the humandimensions of environmental change into Earthsystem science education, and the creation ofcyberinfrastructure4 to support education andresearch. NASA, other Federal agencies, and pro-fessional societies are taking leadership roles inincreasing participation and retention of women,minorities, and persons with disabilities in theEarth sciences.

The Earth science community has an interna-tional dimension involving organizations andprograms committed to global sustainable devel-opment and Earth observation, including theCommittee for Earth Observation Satellites, theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development,

and the World Meteorological Organization. TheESE Education Program supports the principlesof these organizations, including their centralemphases on international capacity building forutilizing satellite data for socioeconomic benefitand sustainable development, education of thebroader public in global sustainability, and work-force development. Workforce developmentprograms engage professional and scientific usersin Earth observation technologies and geographicinformation systems.

1.4 As Only NASA CanAs one of three U.S. Federal agencies with educa-tion as a stated mission, NASA has a unique rolein advancing the technical education agenda ofour Nation. NASA has the inspiring mission ofexploration and discovery, world-class laborato-ries and facilities, a talented workforce, andworld-renowned university and industry part-ners. This wealth of resources and capabilitiespresents learners and educators with unparalleledlearning opportunities and experiences. Thephrase “as only NASA can” provides the funda-mental guiding principle for all education efforts.NASA ESE educational activities are centered onand draw upon NASA’s unique assets:

• Knowledge of Earth system processesacquired through science and technol-ogy programs provides stimulating andchallenging content in support ofSTEM education.

• Facilities and tools provide hands-onopportunities and include world-classground-based, airborne, and inorbit lab-oratories; advanced technologies; obser-vational data sets; and Earth system andsubsystem models.

• Earth system science professionals,including NASA employees and NASA-sponsored scientists, as well as technicaland engineering experts, are role andcareer models for students interested inEarth system science and related fields.

4NSF coined the term “cyberinfrastructure” to connote an infrastructure for research and education based upon distributed net-works of computers, information resources, and online instruments. (See Cyberinfrastructure for Environmental Research andEducation, National Science Foundation, http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/Geoinfo2/cyber_report_new.pdf).

A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions.

—Anonymous

22Achieving NASA’sEducation Goalsand Objectives


13

The ESE contribution to NASA’s education mis-sion is to inspire the next generation of Earthexplorers. ESE Education Program goals andobjectives reflect Agency goals and objectives foreducation as outlined in table 2.1(next page).

ESE Education Program contribution toNASA strategic goal 6.—Inspire and motivatestudents to pursue STEM careers by providingstimulating and challenging content using theresults of Earth system science research and Earthscience applications.

The ESE supports NASA’s education goal to helpprepare a new generation of Americans to pursuechallenging careers in STEM and teaching. TheESE Education Program sparks student interestin STEM at an early age by providing modern,stimulating, and challenging Earth system sciencecontent in support of STEM curricula. The ESEcontinues to provide Earth system science learn-ing opportunities at all education levels tosupport teacher professional development andstudent achievement in STEM and to nurture theresearch careers of young scientists and engineers.Over the long term, Enterprise contributions tothe formal education pipeline will continue tohave a profound impact on ensuring a competi-tive and diverse science and technology workforcecapable of approaching tasks from an interdisci-plinary perspective.

The ESE Education Program has established fourobjectives in support of NASA strategic goal 6.These objectives, described below, focus on theeducation pipeline from the elementary to post-secondary levels. They foster participation by

22Achieving NASA’sEducation Goals and Objectives

NASA’s suite of Earth observing platforms and sensorsprovides the foundation for the development of unique,stimulating, and challenging learning resources.


14

Objective 6.4: Increase student, teacher, and public access to NASA education resources via the establishment of e-education as a principal learning support system.

Increase student, teacher, and public access to Earth system science education resources via electronic information infrastructures.

E-Education

Objective 7.1: Improve public understanding and appreciation of science and technology, including NASA aerospace technology, research, and exploration missions.

Provide engaging Earth system science content and human resource support to informal learning institutions for the benefit of all learners.

Cultivate citizens' abilities to get the data, resources, and information they need to satisfy their own curiosity about how the Earth system works and/or to take actions to meet individual or societal needs.

Informal Education

NASA Education Enterprise Strategic Goals and Objectives

Earth Science Education Contribution

Objective 6.1: Increase the number of elementary and secondary students and teachers who are involved in NASA-related education opportunities.

Draw upon the compelling nature of Earth system science to promote student achievement and enrollment in STEM courses.

Goal 6: Inspire and motivate students to pursue STEM careers.

Inspire and motivate students to pursue STEM careers relevant to Earth system science and Earth science applications and technology.

Goal 7: Engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery.

Increase public scientific literacy of Earth system science and climate change by engaging the public in shaping and sharing the experience of NASA's exploration and discovery.

Objective 6.3: Establish and continually improve support systems that annually increase the number and diversity of STEM students, teachers, faculty, and researchers from underrepresented and underserved communities.

Inspire and support underrepresented and/or underserved communities through each sponsored education program.

Objective 6.2: Support higher education research capability and opportunities that attract and prepare increasing numbers of students and faculty for NASA-related careers.

Ensure the continued training of a highly qualified and diverse workforce to support Earth system science research and Earth science applications.

Higher Education

Elementary and Secondary Education

Underrepresented and Underserved Participation

Table 2.1


15

underrepresented and underserved populationsand emphasize e-education as a principal learningsupport system.

ESE Education Program contribution toNASA strategic objective 6.1: Elementary andsecondary participation.—Draw on the com-pelling context of Earth system science to supportteacher professional development and promotestudent achievement in STEM.

The familiar and compelling context of Earth sys-tem science provides a stimulating context for thestudy of core scientific disciplines, includingphysics, chemistry, and biology, along with math-ematics, engineering, and technology. The ESEEducation Program for elementary and second-ary education promotes student achievement inSTEM by providing unique learning resourcesand experiences. These opportunities challengestudents as they participate in the practices of sci-entists, experience the excitement and value ofSTEM education, and consider careers relevantto Earth system science. To continue challengingthese students, the ESE Education Program pro-

vides opportunities for educators to use the toolsof scientists and to participate in unique Earthsystem science learning experiences, therebyenhancing their knowledge of the inherent linksbetween Earth system science and STEM educa-tion. By further developing their backgrounds,educators continue to challenge and motivatetheir students to achieve.

ESE Education Program contribution toNASA strategic objective 6.2: Higher educationcapability.—Ensure the continued training of ahighly qualified and diverse workforce to supportEarth system science research and Earth scienceapplications.

In coordination with the EE, the ESE is strength-ening its involvement with higher educationinstitutions to ensure that NASA can meet futureworkforce needs in Earth system science research,Earth science applications, and related fields, aswell as to improve the scientific education of stu-dents bound for other professions. Participationin ESE programs and research—Earth system sci-ence courses, graduate assistantships in science

Student researchers dis-cuss remote sensingcapabilities with theirmentor on a field trip tothe Virginia Air & SpaceCenter in Hampton, VA.


16

Students visiting CapeCod National Seashore

learn how data fromNASA satellites help

improve our ability tomonitor change in Earth

systems.

and engineering, fellowships, research grants, andother ESE-sponsored activities—influences stu-dents and young professionals to continue theirstudies, earn advanced degrees, and develop indi-vidualized research programs in fields critical toEarth system science, including the core sciencedisciplines, engineering, and computer science.

ESE Education Program contribution toNASA strategic objective 6.3: Underrepresentedand underserved participation.—Inspire andsupport underrepresented and/or underservedcommunities through each sponsored educationprogram.

The nurturing of a highly qualified and diverseworkforce is critical to expanding our scientificunderstanding of the Earth system and to apply-ing research results for socioeconomic benefit. Aswe enter the 21st century, the demographics ofthe K–12 student body are changing to reflect thechanging diversity of our national population. Itis this diverse pool of candidates for future STEMprofessions who are counted upon to bring newperspectives and new talent to Earth system sci-ence research, applications, technology, andeducation. The ESE continues to join efforts withthe EE to reach out to underrepresented andunderserved communities, including individualsfrom diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, racialand ethnic minorities, women, and those who arephysically challenged, and to encourage their par-

Earth Observatory

NASA’s Earth Observatory is an interactive Web-basedmagazine where the science-attentive public can obtainnew satellite imagery and scientific information aboutour home planet. The focus is on Earth’s climate andenvironmental change. The site is also designed to beuseful to public media and educators. Any and all mate-rials published on the Earth Observatory are freelyavailable for re-publication, re-use, or re-broadcast(except in rare cases where copyright is indicated).

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov


17

“Signals of Spring”(http://www.signalsofspring.net) students comparesea surface temperatureand ocean bathymetrymaps to their model ofthe ocean floor andocean current maps.

ticipation in STEM activities relevant to Earthsystem science.

ESE Education Program contribution toNASA strategic objective 6.4: E-education.—Increase student, teacher, and public access toEarth system science education resources via elec-tronic information infrastructures.

ESE resources—including data sets of geophysi-cal parameters, Earth system and subsystem models,and model predictions, along with the educa-tional materials developed from them, are largelydigital. They are observational and geospatial innature and involve the assimilation and analysisof data sets obtained from a suite of differenttypes of instruments and models. The ESE Edu-cation Program works to increase student, teacher,and public access to ESE educational resourcesthrough information infrastructures, includingdigital libraries, cyberinfrastructure, and e-educa-tion. E-education is an umbrella term forhigh-quality, content-rich, just-in-time, technol-ogy-mediated learning experiences that are

customizable and can occur anywhere access isavailable. The ESE Education Program supportsprojects that develop innovative methods fordelivering ESE resources to formal and informaleducation communities in support of lifelonglearning.

ESE Education Program contribution to NASAstrategic goal 7.—Increase public scientific liter-acy in Earth system science and climate changeby engaging the public in shaping and sharing theexperience of exploration and discovery.

The public is increasingly called upon to considerEarth system knowledge when participating inpolicy decisions that impact our quality of life,the national economy, and the overall health ofthe planet. From land use to water managementto establishing policies based on the scientificknowledge of global climate change, informedand reasoned decisionmaking includes considera-tion of the scientific, technological, and societalperspectives of Earth system science. Education,law, science, policy, media, engineering, entertain-


18

ESE Education Program contribution to NASAstrategic objective 7.1: informal education.—

1) Provide engaging Earth system science contentand human resource support to informal learninginstitutions for the benefit of all learners.

Informal learning institutions are sources ofinspiration and learning about Earth for individ-uals, young and old, with a variety of backgroundsand interests. Museums, aquariums, and scienceand technology centers have advanced technolog-ical capabilities for innovative delivery of ESEresults in Earth system science research and Earthscience applications. The ESE Education Programfor informal education supports these types of

ment, and a broad spectrum of other professions havea responsibility and obligation to participate inmaintaining and improving the overall health ofthe planet because it affects the quality of ourlives, our children’s lives, and those of future gen-erations. The Earth Science Enterprise supportsthe continued education of the general public byproviding opportunities for individuals, regardlessof age or career choice, to participate in anddevelop an appreciation for the multiple dimen-sions of Earth system science. Two objectives,described here, guide ESE Education Programefforts in informal education.

Students integrate mathand Earth science con-

cepts as they survey theirschoolyard for habitat

studies.


19

ital information infrastructures for customizedresearch experiences. The ESE EducationProgram works with its partners to provide easyand unlimited access to ESE knowledge, data,and tools so that individuals—including thosewith a passion for learning and members of thescience-attentive public—have the opportunityto further their understanding of Earth systemprocesses through self-designed and self-pacedinvestigations.

The impact of the successful achievement ofthese goals and objectives is the continued growthof a broad, diverse, and cohesive Earth system sci-ence education community. Over the long term,the ESE envisions widespread public literacyabout the Earth system and the environment, aswell as the maturation of a highly competitiveand diverse workforce for Earth system science,engineering, technology, resource management,public policy, and education.

institutions, along with community-based organ-izations and other public education forums in thedevelopment of innovative methods for engaginglearners of all ages in sharing the experience ofEarth exploration and discovery and developingan appreciation for how Earth exploration anddiscovery improve the quality of life on Earth.

2) Cultivate citizens’ abilities to get the data,resources, and information they need to satisfytheir own curiosity about how the Earth systemworks and/or take actions to meet individual orsocietal needs.

The availability of the vast amount of ESEresources opens the doors to a world of possibili-ties for extended and customized investigations ofEarth system change. A second component of theESE Education Program for informal educationis the development of tools delivered through dig-

GLOBE unites students, teachers, and scientists world-wide in Earth system science research and education.Hundreds of thousands of students in over 100 countrieshave worked in partnership with scientists to collect datafor research about Earth’s environment. GLOBE studentstake measurements in the fields of atmosphere, hydrol-ogy, soils, and land cover, among others, and report theirobservations through the Internet. Students access thesedata for classroom studies, research, and worldwideschool-to-school collaborations. GLOBE inspires the nextgeneration of Earth explorers by providing opportunitiesfor students to help develop the scientific, technical, andcultural skills needed to tackle important global environ-mental challenges.

http://www.globe.gov

The Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) isleading the way in teacher professional development.During 2000–03, over 1,000 teachers from 41 States—impacting more than 50,000 students annually—havecompleted at least one online Earth system sciencecourse for elementary, middle, and high school teachersthrough 20 participating colleges and universities. Thesediverse colleges and universities include three HistoricallyBlack Colleges and Universities and one primarilyHispanic-serving university. Many ESSEA universitiesalso serve rural and disadvantaged communities.

http://www.cet.edu/essea

ESSEA

GLOBE

Science must be taught well, if a student is to understand thecoming decades he must live through.

—Isaac Asimov

Approach33


23

The ESE approach for inspiring the next genera-tion of Earth explorers has two essential andcomplementary components. The first is the useof digital information infrastructures as a princi-pal mechanism for the systematic delivery ofunique ESE education resources. The second isthe formation of a network of partners to facili-tate the integration of ESE education resourcesinto existing education programs and activities.Together, these two components support the con-tinued expansion of a robust Earth system scienceeducation community. To ensure alignment withNASA’s strategic approach to education, ESEEducation Program activities are developed,implemented, and evaluated according to theEducation Program Operating Principles describedin section 3.3.

3.1 Information InfrastructuresDigital information infrastructures provide for-mal and informal education communities withready access to ESE resources. The ESE is engagedin the ongoing production of very large geospatialdata sets spanning the full spectrum of spatial andtemporal scales. To be fully utilized by the educa-tion community, these data sets and otherresources must be easily accessible and providedin an easy-to-use format. Figure 3.1 (next page)summarizes the challenge of turning vast quanti-ties of data and information into knowledgeproducts useful for education and policy deci-sionmaking. Toward this end, the ESE participatesin ongoing national efforts focused on the sys-tematic development and application of hardwareand software for research and education.Activities include the following:

Approach33

A student intern at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center(http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov) investigates the topographyand land cover of Southern California.


24

• Evolution of ESE’s data and informa-tion systems, which process, archive, anddistribute scientific information productsfrom satellite data and facilitate their usein research, applications, and education.These include the portals, gateways, and

partnerships that make access to the ESEdata easier for educational uses.

• Participation in Geospatial One Stop(http://www.geodata.gov) and the FederalEnterprise Architecture, which coordi-

Figure 3.1

The NASA ESE Reviewed Collection in DLESE

The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) isthe geoscience “node” of the National Science DigitalLibrary (NSDL), sponsored by the National Science Foundation.Resources in DLESE can include any Web-accessible teach-ing or learning material. Lesson plans, teacher’s guides,books, periodicals, interactive Web sites, virtual field trips,and visualizations are just some of these resources.

Like a traditional library, DLESE is organized into variouscollections or groups of related resources that reflect acoherent, focused theme. The NASA ESE ReviewedCollection is one of these collections that can be searchedwithin DLESE.

To be included in the NASA collection, education resourcesmust first pass the ESE Education Product Review. Thisindependent peer review includes panels of educators and

Earth system scientists who are identified based on thetype, content, and audience of the resources being evalu-ated. The review is based on the resources’ relevance toNASA’s Earth Science Enterprise, scientific accuracy,educational value, effectiveness of presentation, documen-tation, ease of use, and power to engage and/or inspire thetarget audience. After passing the review, resources areadded to the ESE collection within DLESE.

To access the NASA ESE Reviewed Collection from DLESE(http://www.dlese.org), select “Collections” in the searchmenu and click on “NASA ESE Reviewed Collection.” Thiscollection is also available from the ESE Education homepage: http://earth.nasa.gov/education.

To learn more about the ESE product review, visithttp://earth.nasa.gov/esereview.


25

nate geospatial information principlesand practices (interoperability, standards,metadata, etc.).

• Participation in NSF-led planning anddevelopment activities for cyberinfra-structure (http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/Geoinfo2/cyber_report_new.pdf), a revolu-tionary approach for strengtheningscience, engineering, and education atall levels.

• Collaboration with NSF on the DigitalLibrary for Earth System Education(DLESE, http://www.dlese.org) to enhancethe quality, quantity, and efficiency ofteaching and learning about the Earthsystem. DLESE provides access to high-quality education resources and servicesthrough a community-based, distributeddigital library.

These efforts work to ensure the utility of the vastquantity of ESE data and resources for an Earthsystem science education community with arange of technological needs and capabilities andto facilitate the increased use of e-education as aprincipal learning-support system.

3.2 Network of PartnersPartnerships are vital to the success of the ESEEducation Program. The ESE partners withFederal agencies, education administrations, aca-demic institutions, professional societies,international organizations, and industries ofcommon purpose to ensure that customer needsare met and to leverage NASA’s impact.Partnerships with these organizations promotealignment with national, State, and local STEMpriorities, ensure alignment with national humancapital priorities, and facilitate the widespreaddissemination and effective use of ESE educa-tional resources. The continued growth of anetwork of partners produces a multiplier effectby leveraging knowledge, identifying additionaltarget audiences, sharing program resources, andbuilding capacity among underrepresented andunderserved groups at both national and interna-tional levels. It is imperative that organizationsseeking NASA ESE sponsorship for the develop-

REASoN: Research, Education,Applications Solutions Network

NASA’s Earth Science REASoN, a distributed network ofdata and information providers, addresses communityneeds with respect to timely and ready access to Earthand environmental data. Six education solutions werecompetitively selected for REASoN in July 2003:

Elementary and Secondary Education

• Project 3D-VIEW (Virtual Interactive Environ-mental Worlds) combines NASA Earth data andthree-dimensional learning technologies forstudent explorers using 3-D viewers and theInternet.

• Extending NASA Earth Science Data Use to theK–12 and Citizen Scientist Communitiesmakes Earth science data accessible andinteresting to students by connecting it to theirlocal environment or to a single developmen-tally appropriate concept.

Higher Education

• Satellite Observations in Science Educationprovides students with interactive learningexperiences in remote sensing and exploratorydata analysis through the development of adata analysis and visualization toolbox.

• NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Higher-Education Alliance mobilizes NASA EOS dataand information through Web service andknowledge management technologies forhigher education teaching and research.

Informal Education

• Immersive Earth constructs volumetric imagebases, transforming planetaria into interactiveEarth theaters and enabling the public to exploreand experience Earth in action.

• Measuring Vegetation Health engages studentsin Earth system science through investigationof a single leaf. Using hand-held instrumentsto measure the leaf’s visible and infraredwavelengths, students observe how plantschange over time and learn to distinguishhealthy from stressed vegetation.


26

resources into teacher education programs.Systemic solutions employ systems infrastructureto lead to lasting change in how STEM educationis approached and perceived—systemic solutionsapproach educational reform from multiple per-spectives including curricular development,teacher education, and incentives for the teachingprofession.

This plan builds on the success that the ESEEducation Program has accomplished to date.Exemplary programs, focused on the develop-ment of learning tools and materials, professionaldevelopment, and institutional support, derivetheir content from the scientific knowledge aboutthe Earth system that is enabled by ESE researchand development. ESE observations, models, andtechnologies are infused whenever appropriate.ESE scientists, engineers, and program adminis-trators are role models for careers in Earth systemscience, applications, and related fields. Contin-uous, engaging, and dynamic learning of theEarth system at all levels of formal and informaleducation occurs as NASA’s Earth system scienceeducational resources and programs are deliveredthrough digital information infrastructures andintegrated into existing educational programsthrough a network of partnerships. The resultingimpacts include public literacy about the Earthsystem and the environment and a competitivescience and technology workforce for socioeco-nomic benefits and national security.

3.3 NASA Education ProgramOperating Principles

NASA’s Education Enterprise established Agency-wide Education Program operating principles(see table 3.1) to ensure alignment of all NASAeducation programs with the 2003 NASAStrategic Plan and to promote excellence.

The content for ESE educational resources andprograms is based on the six major focus areas forESE research: climate variability and change;atmospheric composition; carbon cycle, ecosys-tems and biogeochemistry; water and energycycle; weather; and Earth surface and interior.NASA, along with other Federal agencies andaffiliated laboratories, institutions of higher edu-cation, and non-governmental organizations(NGOs), engages in research supporting these sixfocus areas.

ment of educational materials and programsdemonstrate participation in such national,State, and/or local partnerships.

The process by which information infrastruc-tures and partnership networks facilitate thedelivery of the results of ESE activities in educa-tion for socioeconomic benefit is depicted infigure 3.2. This two-dimensional approachfocuses on scalable, sustainable, and systemicsolutions for Earth system science education.Scalable solutions enable benefits to audiencesbeyond the initial recipient—funded groups con-tribute to and strengthen the Earth systemscience education community infrastructure byengaging the broader community. Sustainablesolutions extend capacity beyond the initial fund-ing period—mechanisms for achieving sus-tainable solutions include, but are not limited to,distribution through commercial publishers, dis-tribution through discipline-based professionalsocieties, and integration of programs and

Students in the AccessEarth summer program

retrieve a salt marsh sediment core to help

scientists reconstruct thehistorical record of

sea-level changes and storm events.


27

Figure 3.2

NASA Education Program Operating Principles

Table 3.1

Programs or products have been designed to respond to a need identified by theeducation community, a customer, or a customer group.

Programs or products make direct use of NASA content, people, or facilities toinvolve educators, students, and/or the public in NASA science, technology, engi-neering, and mathematics.

Workforce-related programs or products make a demonstrable contribution toattracting diverse students to NASA careers and lifelong learning in science, tech-nology, engineering, and mathematics.

Programs or projects reach identified targeted groups.

Programs or products implement an evaluation plan to document outcomes anddemonstrate progress toward achieving goals.

Programs or products achieve high leverage and sustainability through intrinsicdesign or the involvement of appropriate local, regional, or national partners intheir design, development, and dissemination.

CustomerFocus

Content

Pipeline

Diversity

Evaluation

Partnerships/Sustainability

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

—Eleanor Roosevelt

44 Program Implementation


31

ESE sponsors educational projects through com-petitive sourcing with specific focus and throughefforts that are embedded in Enterprise pro-grams. Competitive opportunities offered by theESE Education Program are as follows:

• Earth Explorers Program. The EarthExplorers Program offers competitiveannouncements for K–16 and informaleducation every 3 to 4 years.

• GLOBE. A cooperative agreement hasbeen awarded to the University Cor-poration for Atmospheric Research foroperating the GLOBE program for 5years, beginning in October 2003.

• Earth System Science GraduateStudent Fellowship Program. The fel-lowship announcement is issuedannually. Selections address high priori-ties in the six focus areas of ESEresearch, as well as in ESE applications,technology, and data management.

• New Investigator Program (NIP). TheNIP announcement is issued every 18months. Selections address high priori-ties in the six focus areas of ESEresearch, as well as in ESE applications,technology, and data management.

• Embedded Activities. The ESE EducationProgram is responsible for the reviewand recommendation of educationalactivities when they are embedded in

44ProgramImplementation

NASA ESE transfers a world of resources from Earthobserving satellites for use in a range of formal andinformal education settings.


32

programs such as ESE flight missionsand/or research, applications, technol-ogy, and data management initiatives(e.g., REASoN).

The ESE Education Program assists the AssociateAdministrator for Earth Science in ensuring thatall ESE educational activities satisfy NASAEducation Program operating principles.

The ESE approach to education set forth in chap-ter 3 represents a substantial commitment toadvancing the ESE’s contributions to the Nation’sSTEM education in terms of outcomes andimpacts. Realistic and valid benchmarks to gaugeprogram progress are established with ESE part-ners and members of the community. In 2004, aroadmapping initiative will establish a baselinefor ESE Education Program outcomes andimpacts and will develop a 10-year roadmap forprogram activities. The roadmap is anticipated tobe published in late 2005.

4.1 MeasuresESE Education Program success is measured onthree levels: descriptive statistics, evaluation, andperformance measures.

Descriptive StatisticsDescriptive statistics provide general informationabout the ESE Education Program. Data reportedreflect aggregate program activities (e.g., fundinglevels, total number of participants, and demo-graphics of program participants), as well asactivities within specific program components(e.g., duration of program activity, number ofparticipants in program activity, and demograph-ics of participants in each activity). Beginning in2004, descriptive statistics are to be published inthe ESE annual report.

Evaluation Evaluation improves program activities and doc-uments outcomes. All candidate ESE educationactivities undergo a rigorous peer-review process

“Signals of Spring” students(http://www.signalsofspring.net) explain how Earth’stopography, vegetation,and weather affect the

movement of migratingbald eagles tracked by

polar satellites.


33

to assess the quality of the proposed project,including the comprehensiveness of its evaluationplan. Individual projects provide internal evalua-tions to gauge project performance and assessstudent learning. The ESE participates in EEevaluation activities to ensure compliance of indi-vidual projects with NASA Education Programoperating principles.

Performance MeasuresPerformance measures that are routinely collectedand reported are related to the following:

• Accessibility: Increasing access to ESE edu-cation resources is fundamental toprogram success. The ESE EducationProgram Office records and categorizesthe ways in which formal and informaleducation communities obtain access toESE resources.

• Partnerships: Partnerships are critical toleveraging resources and building anational program for Earth system sci-ence education. The ESE EducationProgram Office records and categorizespartnerships with other agencies andorganizations committed to improvingSTEM education to provide a qualita-tive and quantitative assessment of theimpact ESE partnerships have on enhanc-ing STEM education.

• Community recognition: Criteria used inaward mechanisms established in theSTEM community provide a measure ofthe degree to which ESE educationinvestments are recognized and/or anindication of how the ESE EducationProgram is serving the community.Examples include both achievements byindividuals who are active in the ESEEducation Program and recognition ofthe value of program activities. AppendixA highlights community recognitionawards. A sample of the recognitionawards received during 2002–03 is listedin Appendix B.

4.2 ManagementAll elements of NASA work together as a singleteam to achieve Agency goals as described in the2003 NASA Strategic Plan. Through commonprocedures, capabilities, and tools, the ESE workswith other Agency elements to ensure that theoverall functioning of the ESE EducationProgram is as smooth and efficient as possible,thereby reinforcing our shared commitment tocommon goals.

Roles and Responsibilities of the ESE Education Program OfficeThe ESE Education Program Office resides inthe Office of Earth Science at NASAHeadquarters in Washington, DC. The programoffice is primarily responsible for program plan-ning, selection, integration, and performancereporting. These functions are accomplished incoordination with NASA’s Office of Education.

ESSE 21

Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century(ESSE 21) advances community leadership for systemicchange in interdisciplinary Earth system science educa-tion at the undergraduate level. The program offerscolleges and universities small grants to engage a col-laborative community of interdisciplinary educators andscientists as partners to jointly develop and sharecourses and learning resources focused on the funda-mental understanding and application of the Earthsystem. Since 1991, 57 colleges and universities havebeen sponsored, developing over 100 Earth systemcourses and reaching tens of thousands of students withrelevant and compelling STEM content to help foster ascientifically literate and informed citizenry.

http://esse21.usra.edu

“Signals of Spring”(http://www.signalsofspring.

net) oceanography stu-dents create a wall muralto set the stage for their

remote sensing andmarine animal explorations.


34

Roles and Responsibilities of the NASA CentersThe education offices of the NASA Centers par-ticipate in the planning and implementation ofAgency-level education programs and lead thedevelopment of education programs that areunique to their Centers. They are responsible forcommunicating Education Enterprise policiesand strategies and implementing national pro-grams. Those Centers with substantialcompetencies in Earth science participate in theplanning, development, and implementation ofeducation activities embedded in ESE researchprograms and flight missions. Centers alsoengage in educational opportunities made avail-able through competitive sourcing. Earth scienceeducation activities are coordinated with theCenter education offices to ensure compliancewith the high priorities established by the ESEEducation Program Office.

At least 85 percent of the projects sponsored bythe ESE Education Program are competitivelyselected and/or peer reviewed. The ESEEducation Program supports NASA’s Office ofEarth Science and NASA’s Office of Education indeveloping partnerships between NASA andother agencies and education organizations com-mitted to large-scale systemic reform for Earthscience education.

NASA’s Office of Education manages the “+ForKids,” “+For Students,” and “+For Educators”sections of the NASA portal (http://www.nasa.gov), NASA’s electronic point of entry forthe Nation and the world. The ESE EducationProgram serves as a conduit for all Earth scienceeducation content that is made available throughthese three sections of the NASA portal.

The ESE Education Program Lead is a memberof the leadership of the Office of Education andis collocated in the Office of Earth Science,thereby fulfilling Earth Science program respon-sibilities and serving as the bridge between theOffices of Earth Science and Education.

Graduate and Postgraduate Research Opportunities

The ESE sponsors graduate student research assistant-ships, research fellowships, and early-career researchactivities. Each year, hundreds of graduate students aresponsored through research grants awarded by the ESE.Since 1990, over 600 fellows have received their mas-ter’s and/or Ph.D. degrees in Earth system sciencedisciplines. The New Investigator Program in EarthScience sponsors approximately 40 early-career scien-tists and engineers annually in the development ofintegrated research and education programs. NASA’sEarth System Science Fellows and New Investigatorshave begun to form a network to continue to advanceEarth system science and Earth science applications.


35

ReportingThe ESE Education Program is an integral com-ponent of the Office of Earth Science Focus AreaReviews. Each of the six focus areas—climatevariability and change; atmospheric composition;carbon cycling, ecosystems, and biogeochemistry;water and energy cycle; weather; and Earth sur-face and interior—undergoes an intensive revieweach year. The Focus Area Reviews are internal toNASA and serve as self-assessments for the indi-vidual programs, as well as for the ESE as a whole.The linkages between ESE education and research,applications, technology, and data managementmay be reviewed as a component of the FocusArea Reviews or can be reviewed as a separate entity.

Beginning in 2004, the ESE will issue an annualreport and compilation of all Earth science edu-cational activities in elementary, secondary,higher, and informal education. Enterprise out-reach activities will also be published in thereport. The annual report will be deliveredthrough a portal hosted and maintained by theEnterprise’s Chief Information Officer. The por-tal complies with the Presidential ManagementAgenda guidelines on creation and facilitation ofresponsive, citizen-centric government. The ESEpublishes a directory of points of contact for alleducation and outreach activities conducted in

conjunction with ESE missions and programs. Acatalog of peer-reviewed Earth Science educa-tional products is available online at http://earth.nasa.gov/education/catalog.

Relationship with ESE OutreachThere is a natural and inherent link between edu-cation and outreach for the ESE. Although bothof these elements have unique implementationplans, education and outreach are mutually sup-portive toward the achievement of Agency goals,objectives, and outcomes. Education is con-cerned with what is being delivered, how it isbeing delivered, and the specific learning thattakes place. Outreach is concerned with inform-ing targeted audiences of what the Agency isaccomplishing and learning, why it is doing so,and how Agency activities are relevant to thoseaudiences. ESE outreach audiences are groupedinto three broad categories: Public Communication,Stakeholder Communication, and Peer Com-munication. NASA strategic goal 7, “Engage thepublic in shaping and sharing the experience ofexploration and discovery,” has education andoutreach components. Table 4.1(next page) illus-trates Earth Science Education and Earth ScienceOutreach contributions to the Agency’s strategicobjectives for goal 7.

Mississippi’s GlobalEducation Mobile(http://www.msgem.net/missions.htm) is a mobileelectronic classroom forenhancing instruction inremote sensing and geo-graphic information systems.


36

NASA Strategic Goals and ObjectivesEarth Science Education

Earth Science Outreach

Goal 7: Engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery.

Objective 7.1: Improve the capacity of science centers, museums, and other institutions, through the development of partnerships, to translate and deliver engaging NASA content.

Objective 7.2: Improve science literacy by engaging the public in NASA missions and discoveries, and their benefits, through such avenues as public programming, community outreach, mass media, and the Internet.

Objective 7.3: Increase public awareness and understanding of how research and innovations in aerospace technology affect and improve the quality of life.

��

� �

�

Table 4.1

MS PHD’s

Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees ofSuccess (MS PHD’s) in Earth System Science increasesparticipation of underrepresented minorities in Earth sys-tem science. Student participants become engaged withthe Earth system science community through attendanceat scientific conferences, mentoring relationships, and vir-tual community activities. Working with the NationalScience Foundation, the American Geoophysical Union,the American Meteorological Society, the EcologicalSociety of America, and other partners, the ESE shares thecommitment to diversity and provision of academic rolemodels who are the inspiration to the next generationtoday. In 2003, 24 highly motivated minority students par-ticipated in the MS PHD’s pilot program.

http://msphds.usf.edu

Appendices


A2

Appendix A Community Recognition Awards

The American Geophysical Union Excellence in Geophysical Education Award (http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/sci_awards.html) is awarded yearly to recognize and honor an individual, team, or group ofindividuals who have exhibited a sustained commitment to excellence in geophysical education, at anylevel, kindergarten through postgraduate. Such a commitment may be evidenced by, but not restrictedto, such accomplishments as these:

The National Science Board Public Service Award (http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/public/public.htm)recognizes people and organizations that have increased the public understanding of science or engi-neering. Candidates for the individual and group awards should have met one or more of the followingcriteria:

The National Science Teachers Association Distinguished Informal Science Education Award(http://www.nsta.org/awardscomp) honors one individual who has made extraordinary contributions tothe advancement of science education in an informal or nontraditional school setting, such as a scienceand technology center, museum, or community science center. Types of outstanding service consideredby the review committee are as follows:

• a specific program or project that has had a major ongoing influence on geophysical education • outstanding teaching or training of individuals over a number of years • long-lasting professional service related to geophysical education that has had a long-lasting positive impact

• increased the public’s understanding of the processes of science and engineering through scientific discovery, innova-tion, and its communication to the public

• encouraged others to help raise public understanding of science and technology • promoted the engagement of scientists and engineers in public outreach and scientific literacy • contributed to the development of broad science and engineering policy and its support • influenced and encouraged the next generation of scientists and engineers • achieved broad recognition outside of the nominee’s area of specialization • fostered awareness of science and technology among broad segments of the population

• unique or extraordinary accomplishments in informal science education• active leadership in informal science education• noteworthy scholarly contributions to informal science education• focusing of public attention on the need for improvement of informal science education• direct and substantial contributions to the improvement of informal science education• overall excellence of contributions


A3

American Library Association Great Web Sites for Kids (http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ALSC/Great_Web_Sites_for_Kids/Great_Web_Sites_for_Kids.htm). The American Library Associationevaluates Web sites to identify excellent sites for persons up to the age of 14 using criteria in the fol-lowing categories:

SciLinks (http://www.scilinks.org/content_provider/content_add.asp) is a partnership between theNational Science Teachers Association and U.S. textbook publishers. SciLinks are Web addresses thatare published in textbooks and provide supplementary educational materials. The rubrics for selectingcandidate SciLinks include, among others, criteria for the following:

Tech Museum Awards (http://techawards.thetech.org) honor innovators and visionaries from around theworld who are applying technology to improve the human condition profoundly in the categories ofeducation, equality, environment, health, and economic development. Individuals, for-profit compa-nies, and not-for-profit organizations are eligible. The Tech Awards showcase compelling stories andreward brilliant accomplishments. The purpose of the Tech Awards program is to inspire future scien-tists, technologists, and dreamers to harness the incredible power and promise of technology to solvethe challenges that confront us at the dawn of the 21st century. Nominations and applications are eval-uated according to the following criteria:

• Authorship/sponsorship: Who put up the site?• Purpose: Every site has a reason for being there.• Design and stability: A great site has personality and strength of character.• Content: A great site shares meaningful and useful content that educates, informs, or entertains.

• accuracy• interactivity• multimedia• scientific inquiry

• The technology application significantly improves the human condition in one of the five award areas: economic devel-opment, education, environment, equality, or health.

• A serious problem or challenge with global significance is addressed by this use of technology.• The technology application makes a noteworthy contribution that surpasses previous or current solutions.• The technology application has the potential to serve as an inspiration or model for further innovation.


A4

Appendix BRecognition Awards Received in Earth Science Education, 2002–03

Raj Chaudhury of Norfolk State University, a participant in NASA’s ESE Education Program andNASA’s Minority University Education and Research Program, received the Carnegie Scholar from theCarnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (2003–04) for his proposal “LearningScience Through Visualization.”

Arlene Levine of the Atmospheric Science Division at NASA Langley Research Center received theDorothy Barber Lifetime Achievement Award in March 2003 for her efforts in providing workshopsfor Girl Scouts and their leaders on Earth system science and global change at Langley facilities. Thisaward is the highest adult honor granted by the Girl Scout Council of the Colonial Coast.

Earth & Sky (http://www.earthsky.com) was awarded the National Science Board’s Public Service Awardfor people and organizations who have increased the public understanding of science. Earth & Sky isonly the third media organization and the first radio program ever to receive this award.

Exploring the Environment (http://www.cotf.edu/ete), created at NASA’s Classroom of the Future, washonored in August 2002 by Science NetLinks, a part of the MarcoPolo Education Foundation, for pro-viding a wealth of resources for K–12 science educators. MarcoPolo partners with the AmericanAssociation for the Advancement of Science, the National Endowment for the Humanities, theCouncil of the Great City Schools, the National Council on Economic Education, the NationalGeographic Society, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the John F. KennedyCenter for the Performing Arts.

NASA Earth Observatory (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov) received the 2003 Webby Award forEducation and People’s Voice Award for Education, along with the 2002 Scientific AmericanSCITECH Web Award.

NASA SCIence Files (http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/treehouse.html) has been awarded the 2002–03 MidAtlantic Emmy for Best Production Design in a Series.

The Space Place (http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov), part of NASA’s New Millennium Program, has beenrecognized by the American Library Association’s Great Web Sites for Kids, SciLinks, and theEisenhower National Clearinghouse Digital Dozen Award.


A5

image caption to beplaced in this area here.

CEOS Committee for Earth Observation Satellites

DLESE Digital Library for Earth System Education

DMSP Defense Meteorological Satellite Program

DUE Division of Undergraduate Education

ED Department of Education

EE Education Enterprise

EOS Earth Observing System

ESE Earth Science Enterprise

ESSFP Earth System Science Fellowship Program

ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions

IGBP International Geosphere-Biosphere Program

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NGO non-governmental organization

NIP New Investigator Program

NSF National Science Foundation

NSTA National Science Teachers Association

OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy

REASoN Research, Education,Applications Solutions Network

SEEDS Strategic Evolution of ESE Data Systems

SMMR Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer

SSM/I Special Sensor Microwave Imager

STEM science, technology,engineering, andmathematics

TOMS Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer

TOPEX/ TOPographic Poseidon EXperiment/Poseidon

TRMM Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission

WCRP World Climate Research Program

WMO World Meteorological Organization

WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development

Appendix CAcronyms


A6

Appendix DGlossary

diversity: A management philosophy and core value for maximizing potential, at both the individualand organizational levels, by fostering awareness, understanding, and respect for individual differencesand by capitalizing on the knowledge, expertise, and unique background and life experiences offeredby each individual, including, but not limited to, ethnic, gender, racial, religious, and cultural diver-sity.

e-education: An umbrella term for high-quality, content-rich, just-in-time, technology-mediatedlearning experiences that are customizable and can occur anywhere access is available.

Earth system science: A view of Earth as a synergistic physical system of interrelated phenomena, gov-erned by complex processes involving the geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. TheEarth system science approach emphasizes the interactions of chemical, physical, biological, anddynamic processes that extend over spatial scales from microns to the size of planetary orbits and overtime scales from milliseconds to billions of years.

evaluation: The systematic investigation of the merit or worth of an object.

formal education: The hierarchically structured, chronologically graded “education system,” runningfrom primary school through the university level and including, in addition to general academic stud-ies, a variety of specialized programs and institutions for full-time technical and professional training.

informal education: The process of acquiring new knowledge and skills without the benefit of struc-tured teaching; an educational setting that encourages and facilitates self-directed learning.

minority: Individuals whose race/ethnicity is classified as American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian,Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

President’s Management Agenda: A strategy for improving the management and performance of theGovernment, making it more citizen-centered and results-oriented through five Governmentwide ini-tiatives: Strategic Management of Human Capital, Competitive Sourcing, Improved FinancialPerformance, Expanded Electronic Government, and Budget and Performance Integration.(http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2002/mgmt.pdf)

scientific literacy: The knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required forpersonal decisionmaking, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity. Peoplewho are scientifically literate can ask questions or determine answers to questions about everyday expe-riences. They are able to describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena. Scientific literacy hasdifferent degrees and forms; it expands and deepens over a lifetime, not just during the years in school.The National Science Education Standards outline a broad base of knowledge and skills for a lifetimeof continued development in scientific literacy for every citizen; they also provide a foundation forthose aspiring to scientific careers. (http://bob.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/)

STEM pipeline: Education programs that provide talented and diverse students and educational path-ways into targeted opportunities and experiences leading to careers in science, technology, engineering,mathematics, or teaching.


A7

systemic reform (for STEM): Fundamental, comprehensive, and coordinated changes in science,mathematics, and technology education through attendant changes in policy, financing, governance,management, content, and conduct. Systemic reform occurs when all essential features of schools andschool systems are engaged and operating together, when policy is aligned with a clear set of goals andstandards, when the forthcoming improvements and innovations become intrinsic parts of the ongo-ing education system for all children, and when the changes become part of the school system’soperating budget.

underrepresented minority: Racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the STEMprofessions relative to the size of the population at large. This term may encompass Blacks or AfricanAmericans, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, andHispanics or Latinos. The broader term “underrepresented” as opposed to “underrepresented minority”in the STEM arena not only refers to racial and ethnic populations, but also includes women and per-sons with disabilities because of the relative size of these groups to the total population at large.


A8

Appendix EReferences

Blueprint for Change: Report from the National Conference on the Revolution in Earth and Space ScienceEducation, Snowmass, CO, June 21–24, 2001. (http://www.earthscienceedrevolution.org)

Bush, President George W., The President’s Management Agenda, FY 2002, Executive Office of thePresident, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC, 2002.

CEOS Five Year Plan (2002–2007), Committee on Earth Observation Satellites. (http://www.ceos.org/pages/pub.html)

Cyberinfrastructure for Environmental Research and Education, National Science Foundation, Arlington,VA, September 2003. (http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/Geoinfo2/cyber_report_new.pdf )

Earth Science Enterprise Applications Strategy for 2002–2012, National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration, Washington, DC, 2002.

Earth Science Enterprise Outreach and Communications Plan, National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration, Washington, DC, 2003.

Earth Science Enterprise Strategy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC,2003. (http://www.earth.nasa.gov/visions/index.html)

Education Enterprise Strategy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC, 2003.(http://www.education.nasa.gov/about/team)

Final Report of the Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry, Arlington, VA,November 2002. (http://www.aerospacecommission.gov/)

Fiscal Year 2005 Interagency Research and Development Priorities, Executive Office of the President,Office of Management and Budget, Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments andAgencies. (http://www.ncseonline.org/ewebeditpro/items/O62F2913.pdf )

Geoscience Education: A Recommended Strategy, Directorate for Geosciences, National ScienceFoundation, Arlington, VA, 1997. (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/adgeo/geoedu/97_171.htm)

Implementing the Office of Space Science (OSS) Education/Public Outreach Strategy, National Aeronauticsand Space Administration, Washington, DC, October, 1996.

Implementation Plan for the Education and Training Component of the WMO Space Programme, WorldMeteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2003.

“Joint Society Conference on Increasing Diversity in the Earth and Space Sciences,” American Centerfor Physics in College Park, MD, June 10–12, 2003. (http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/education/jsc/)

Mission to Planet Earth Education Strategy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,Washington, DC, March 1996.


A9

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2003 Strategic Plan, National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration, Washington, DC, 2003 (NP-2003-01-298-HQ). (http://www.plans.nasa.gov)

National Council on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Education and WorkforceDevelopment. (http://www.ostp.gov/NSTC/html/NSTC_Home.html; www.ostp.gov/html/02_11_21.html)

National Science Education Standards, National Research Council, National Academy Press,Washington, DC, 1996. (http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html)

Revolutionizing Science and Engineering Through Cyberinfrastructure, National Science Foundation Blue-Ribbon Advisory Panel on Cyberinfrastructure. (http://www.cise.nsf.gov/evnt/reports/atkins_annc_020303.htm)

Road Map for National Security: Imperative for Change, Phase III Report, U.S. Commission on NationalSecurity for the 21st Century, February 15, 2001. (http://www.nssg.gov/PhaseIIIFR.pdf )

Science and Engineering Indicators–2002. National Science Board 2002. (NSB-02-01) (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind02/start.htm)

Shaping the Future of Undergraduate Earth Science Education: Innovation and Change Using an EarthSystem Approach, National Science Foundation, Washington, DC, 1996.

Strategic Plan for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program: A Report by the Climate Change ScienceProgram and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, Washington, DC, July 2003.

UCAR Education and Outreach Strategic Plan 2001–2006, University Corporation for AtmosphericResearch, June 2001. (http://www.ucar.edu/educ_outreach/stratplan.html)

Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2000, National ScienceFoundation, Arlington, VA, 2000 (NSF: 00-327). (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf00327/start.htm)

World Summit on Sustainable Development. (http://www.johannesburgsummit.org)

earth science education plan

Documents