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Space Education Initiatives is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation dedicated
to engaging students in science, math, and technology by using the excitement
of space exploration. Space Education Initiatives is actively involved
in providing educational programs, professional development opportunities,
and technical and content support to K-12 teachers throughout the country.Our
mission is to improve science, math, and technology education by using
space exploration to inspire teachers, students, and the general public.
Pedagogical
Philosophy
The National Science Education Standards promote active learning as the
best way to teach science. Active learning is more than just “hands-on” activities,
it requires both physical and mental activity involving inquiry driven
investigations that allow students to build connections between their experiences
and scientific knowledge. This is consistent with the need for students
to identify, test and revise their individual conceptions as stated by
Constructivist theory. Furthermore, research conducted into powerful teaching
and learning strategies and authentic instruction show that it is important
that curriculum is created that allows students to construct knowledge,
engage in activities that provide deep discipline-based content and process
knowledge and substantive conversation, and has value beyond the classroom
setting. Additionally, good instructional materials and strategies must
be grounded in current research in how the brain learns. Diverse learning
styles and hemisphericity must be addressed.
Space Education Initiatives’ pedagogical framework synthesizes this
research in to the following core beliefs:
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All
students can learn science,
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Students
have preconceived notions that must be
acknowledged,
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Students
must build a personal connection to concepts
and see the usefulness of the new knowledge
beyond the classroom,
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Learning
is a process that requires both physical
and mental activity,
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Students
should be exposed to the processes and
discipline content in a similar manner
as “real scientists,” and
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Students
should work collaboratively to use new
knowledge in authentic situations.
Although
the manifestation of these core beliefs
will vary from project to project, our
products generally move through a framework
that first engages the students and activates
prior knowledge, then exposes them to the “expert” content
and process skills, and culminates in applying
the content and process skills in a novel
situation.
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