NASA Science Mission Directorate-Earth Science Education Review
Formal and Informal Education Products and Resources
Winter 2006/07
Notice of Intent Due: November 6, 2006
Products Due: November 27, 2006
Notification of Eligibility: December 8, 2006
Results Released: Late February 2007
Important URLs:
Review Website (includes call for products, review criteria, and other information about the review): http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/ed_product_review.html
Submission Form Website:
http://www.strategies.org/SMD_EarthScienceReview/SubmissionForms.html
The Science Mission Directorate-Earth Science Education Product Review is a critical element of NASA’s Earth science education program. All NASA Centers, grantees, contractors and other NASA-sponsored organizations are invited to submit their outstanding Earth system science education products and resources for formal (elementary through post-secondary) and informal education.
Contents:
A. Eligibility
B. Screening Procedure for the 2006 Review
C. Requirement for Products that Pass the Review
D. Why Participate?
E. How to Participate
Earth science education products developed under NASA sponsorship are eligible to be reviewed.
A second group of products are also eligible, on a case-by-case basis. These are products for which NASA played a significant role in the development (e.g., providing NASA content or expertise). Before being accepted to the review, these non-NASA funded education products will need to demonstrate that they:
To download the 2006 NASA Strategic Plan, go to: http://science.hq.nasa.gov/strategy/index.html.
Contact Theresa Schwerin at EarthReviews@strategies.org regarding submission of non-NASA Earth science education products, before submitting these to the review.
B. Screening Procedure for the Winter 2006 Review
All products that are submitted to the review will need to pass an initial screening to determine whether they are appropriate to proceed through the full review. This screening will focus on the following questions:
Does the product center on and draw on NASA’s unique resources in Earth system science? These include:
- Knowledge of Earth system processes acquired through science and technology programs provide stimulating and challenging content in support of STEM education.
- Facilities and Tools provide hands-on opportunities and include world-class ground-based, airborne and in-orbit laboratories, advanced technologies, observational data sets, and Earth system and sub-system models.
- Earth System Science Professionals, including NASA employees and NASA-sponsored scientists, technical and engineering experts, are role and career models for Earth system science and related fields.
Has the developer conducted an appropriate review for scientific accuracy and educational effectiveness? The developer describes a reasonable review process for the type of product being submitted. An appropriate review would be one where the product is field tested with the target audience (or a number of target audiences if the product is aimed at a broad range of grade levels or audiences). It is essential that this pre-review be conducted. An adequate pre-review is one in which the material is field tested with the target audience(s) in a way that gives the developers input that highlights shortcomings present in the product and allows them to correct them.
Is complete information provided? The developer has provided sufficient information to enable reviewers to assess the product. The developer provides answers to all the required questions on the product submission form.
The initial screening will be conducted by IGES in consultation with NASA Earth science education program managers who will make the final decision regarding eligibility. Developers will be notified by December 8, 2006 whether their product has been accepted to the review.
C. Communications Materials Review
NASA HQ is reviewing and approving communications materials (including education products) on an ongoing basis for conformance to NASA’s publication style guide, as well as consistency of message and distribution. A new style guide for NASA publications is available at: http://communications.nasa.gov. The style guide is also available at: http://www.strategies.org/SMD_CommunicationsReview/NASA_StyleGuide_Nov06.pdf.
The communications review takes approximately 10 days, and it is a requirement that education products must have passed the NASA education product review. Products are entered into the communications review through the Website: http://communications.nasa.gov. If you do not have a NASA email address, your NASA sponsor must enter your product into this system.
Participating in the review has several significant benefits, including:
Science Mission Directorate-Earth Science Education Catalog Listing
(http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/catalog/index.html). Products that pass the review are listed in the Earth Science Education Catalog.Promotion on the NASA Portal (http:www.nasa.gov) - only products that pass the NASA SMD education product review are linked to and promoted on the NASA Website.
DLESE. Products that pass the review are also added to the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) at http://www.dlese.org as part of the NASA-reviewed collection – a select group of education resources that have passed the NASA review.
Distribution by NASA. Products that pass the review will be considered for distribution by NASA at national education workshops and conferences, such as the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC).
Feedback from education and Earth system science experts. While this review does not take the place of field testing and formative evaluation of education products, it will provide independent feedback to product developers.
On behalf of NASA, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) will convene independent peer review panels of formal and informal educators, curriculum and instructional design specialists, teacher trainers, and Earth system scientists to review newly-developed or updated Earth science education products. A summary of the review process is available at http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/ed_product_review.html. Copies of the review criteria, recommended products from previous reviews, and guidelines for product developers can also be viewed at this WWW site.
To include a product in the Fall/Winter 2006 review, please do the following:
a. Read the review criteria and guidelines available at http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/ed_product_review.html.
b. Notify IGES, by November 6, that you intend to submit a product to the review by emailing Theresa Schwerin at EarthReviews@strategies.org . While this is not a requirement to participate, this information will help us to better plan the review panels. Please include the following information in this notice:
--Product title
--URL (if applicable)
--Primary audience and level,
--Format (e.g., printed material, CD-ROM, WWW site, etc.),
--Contact information (name, organization, phone, and email), and
--NASA Sponsoring Organization (e.g., NASA Center/Code)c. Complete a product submission form at http://www.strategies.org/SMD_EarthScienceReview/SubmissionForms.html
and return the form with twelve (12) copies of your product (or the URL where it is available online), no later than Nov. 27, 2006, to:Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
1600 Wilson Blvd.
Suite 901
Arlington, VA 22209
Attention: Education Product Review
We look forward to seeing the outstanding new products that have been developed. If you have any questions about the review, please contact Theresa Schwerin, who will be managing the review, at EarthReviews@strategies.org.
Sincerely,
Ming Ying Wei, Ph.D.
Program Manager Earth Science Education
Science Mission Directorate
Liz Burck
K-12 Earth Science Education Program Specialist
Science Mission Directorate