Terri Sindelar
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone:  202/453-8400)                            April 20, 
1992


RELEASE:  92-50

NASA AWARDS EDUCATION RESEARCH GRANTS


     NASA today awarded research grants to three universities 
to develop teacher training courses that will enable middle 
school teachers to incorporate aerospace topics and concepts 
into their classrooms and to create new and imaginative 
practices in learning.

     The Teacher Training Pre-Service Program is a 2-year 
program. The following schools were selected from responses to 
a solicitation of proposals:  Fayetteville State University, 
Fayetteville, N.C.; Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti; 
and the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.  Each will receive 
a $83,000 grant and are expected to provide matching, 
non-Federal funds. 

     The institutions will create teacher training programs 
that integrate aerospace concepts into middle school subjects, 
including math, science, arts, language, history and social 
studies.  By better preparing graduating teachers with these 
skills, tools and knowledge, it is hoped that the program will 
help stimulate student interest and learning, foster science 
literacy and encourage better performance in math and science. 

     All proposers agreed to an innovative requirement for the 
pilot program, a "proof of concept" approach that the product 
1) be offered as a catalog-listed course for undergraduate 
teacher education credit, 2) be adapted and used in an 
accredited summer workshop for experienced teachers, and 3) be 
offered, with guidance, for national replication.

     Fayetteville State University has developed a project to 
create a pre-service, hands-on integrated science and math 
program.  The program will provide middle school teachers with 
direct experiences of scientific investigators.

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     Eastern Michigan University's project will focus on 
technology and space education to integrate existing middle 
school curriculum to promote learning and to develop 
problem-solving and creative and critical thinking skills.  
All project activities will build upon existing NASA projects, 
especially those for upper-elementary school.  The 
Environmental Research Institute of Michigan is cooperating on 
this project.

     The University of Alabama will develop two 
interdisciplinary aerospace science courses for both the 
non-science education major and non-science teacher.  

     In 1990, NASA awarded two research grants to develop 
aerospace-related training courses for elementary-level 
student teachers and incorporate aerospace topics into new or 
existing credit courses.

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