ASPIRE aspire.cosmic-ray

1. ASPIREhttp://aspire.cosmic-ray.org K-12 Science Education and Public Outreach for The High Resolution Fly’s Eye Cosmic Ray Research Group http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

2. Motivations "... we cannot expect the task of science and math education to be the sole responsibility of K through 12 teachers while scientists and graduate students live only in their universities and laboratories. There is no group of people who should feel more responsible for science and math education in this nation than our scientists and scientists-to-be." Hon. Rita Colwell, Director, NSF D.C. Science Writers Association, September 8, 1998 http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

3. Motivations Heavy Books Light on Learning: Not One Middle Grades Science Text Rated Satisfactory By AAAS's Project 2061 Roseman, J.E., Kesidou, S., Stern, L., & Caldwell, A. (1999, November/December). Heavy Books Light on Learning: AAAS Project 2061 Evaluates Middle Grades Science Textbooks. Science Books & Films, 35 (6), 243-247. http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

4. Motivations How can we best serve the K-12 community? Create an interactive website that contains curriculum & interactive content that is free for teachers and students. http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

5. Team • Scientists • Teacher • 2 Student Programmers • Student Artist • Project Coordinator http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

6. K-12 Outreach: Online Lessons & Labs ASPIRE has created one of the most engaging and interactive science education websites on the Internet today. Interactive content is created with Flash and Java technology. http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

7. K-12 Outreach: Online Lessons & Labs http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

8. K-12 Outreach: Online Lessons & Labs http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

9. K-12 Outreach: Online Lessons & Labs • Create realistic, physically-based models • Condense time • Provide a ‘hands-on’ experience that would be difficult or impossible to create in the classroom • Integrate curriculum and lab into one classroom activity • Support Local and National Education Standards http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

10. K-12 Outreach: Online Lessons & Labs • Lessons created using Inquiry-based methods and techniques (open and guided) • Written to support local Utah State Office of Education Core Curriculum Standards • These standards based on National Standards and Project 2061 • Now creating Spanish-translation versions of our labs; considerable interantional use http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

11. K-12 Outreach: Online Lessons & Labs Macromedia Flash • 99% of web users have the Flash plug-in • Creation of highly immersive experiences • Affordable to program • Considerable production time savings http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

12. K-12 Outreach: Online Lessons & Labs • Java labs created by ASPIRE website http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

13. K-12 Outreach: Direct Outreach Efforts • Group Internship • Individual Internships • Liason between students and scientists for science fair projects • Training inservices for teachers • Provide classroom visits for ASPIRE and HiRes http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

14. K-12 Outreach: Direct Outreach Efforts for Minority Students • Partnership with Roosevelt Junior High School in Vernal, UT • Partnership with Applied Technology Education Program in Salt Lake City School District to provide science opportunities. • Concerted effort by ASPIRE and HiRes to provide outreach to southern Utah teachers and students http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

15. Public Outreach “The Mystery of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays” documentary shown over the past yea: • University of Utah • Salt Lake City Library • Aspen, CO during Snowmass • Multiple classroom visits • Utah State Fair • Millard County Fair • Jersey Films resource material – Carla Shamberg, producer of “Erin Brokovich” http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

16. Highest Honors • Acceptance to SIGGRAPH 2002 Educator’s Panel • 1 of 8 papers presented in forum • 25,000 attendees http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

17. Highest Honors • Accepted by the NSTA SciLinks program • Submitted by publishers and teachers for sites with the highest science education standards • Rigorous review http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

18. Current Production • USOE’s Earth System Core Curriculum standard “Earth within a System” • 9 Complete Units – containing 22 separate activities • Production continues for 3 more Units and around 15 separate activities • Long term production to complete - 3 more units and about 10-15 more activities http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

19. Where we’ve been • Boise, ID AAPT convention • San Antonio 2002 – SIGGRAPH • Philadelphia, PA AAPT convention • Presentation at the University of Utah for visiting scholars from Nayang Technological University • Multiple teacher inservices • Multiple classroom visits http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org

20. Future Objectives • Completion of the dynamic website • Completion of Lessons for USOE Core Curriculum 3600-008 • Providing broader coverage of training to teachers in the Intermountain West • Expanding users for the ASPIRE website. • Providing even more direct opportunities to students, particularly minority students through classroom events and science fair project mentorships http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org