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Fun is not enough –Encouraging grade 6 - 16 students to consider technical careers.

TOPPS. T RAINING & O UTREACH P ROGRAMS IN P LANETARY S CIENCE INSTITUTE OF METEORITICS, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO. Fun is not enough –Encouraging grade 6 - 16 students to consider technical careers. Dr. Horton Newsom Institute of Meteoritics University of New Mexico.

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Fun is not enough –Encouraging grade 6 - 16 students to consider technical careers.

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  1. TOPPS TRAINING & OUTREACH PROGRAMS IN PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE OF METEORITICS, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO Fun is not enough –Encouraging grade 6 - 16 students to consider technical careers. Dr. Horton Newsom Institute of Meteoritics University of New Mexico

  2. Evaluation - understanding what the students think. • Gender Attitudes – Middle School Students • 84% in pre-tests and 86% in post-tests, agreed with the statement that “scientists can be either men or women.” • Most students also think minorities can be scientists or engineers. This surprising result is a tribute to efforts to portray women and minority scientists and engineers by many agencies, including NASA. However, students do not think they themselves can do it!

  3. Misconceptions about Science and Scientists • “Scientists are weird, wear strange clothes, are geniuses at math, and are certainly not like people I know.” Dexter

  4. How to interest students in science and technology careers? • Address science and math misconceptions • It is normal to struggle at times, and help is available. • Being brilliant at math is helpful, but is not required. • “Scientists” are normal people with families and hobbies.

  5. School visits establish rapport

  6. Meeting graduate students 3

  7. Activities and teamwork build confidence

  8. Learning how scientists think

  9. Yes I can run an electron microscope!

  10. “I can do it!”

  11. Providing role models • Involve peer group personnel and brief them on what to address. • Slides and pictures that portray women and minorities can be effective. • Tell stories that make people real – for example the Shoemakers.

  12. Training Teachers to reinforce the message

  13. Conclusions • Essential components for encouraging students to consider a technical career, and to overcome common misconceptions: • Understand the message: All students can earn scholarships and pay for college, math can be learned, working in science is fun and well paid, scientists and engineers are people like you! • School based programs(deliver and repeat the message, make it fun, immediate rewards) • University and Laboratory based programs(validate the message and share the excitement) • Teacher training(Learn how to teach the message).

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