STEM-Related K-12 Outreach Using High-Altitude Balloon Program Collaborations Claude Kansaku, Oregon...

STEM-Related K-12 Outreach Using High-Altitude Balloon

Program Collaborations

Claude Kansaku, Oregon Institute of TechnologyLinda Kehr, Ferguson Elementary SchoolCatherine Lanier, Oregon NASA Space Grant Consortium

Introduction

• “To the Edge of Space”

• Collaboration between higher education and K-12 schools

• Supports and promotes the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in K-12 schools

Agenda

• What is “high-altitude ballooning”?

• Collaboration partners

• Brief history of the collaboration

• Outreach extended into education

• Summary of results to date

• Future plans

• Questions

What is “high-altitude ballooning”?

The “Balloon Satellite”

• “BalloonSat” vehicle is a latex weather balloon

• Filled with helium or hydrogen

• Capable of carrying lightweight payloads up to 80,000-130,000 feet

• FAA allows for payloads of up to 12 pounds without special waivers

What is “high-altitude” ballooning?

The Typical Mission

• BalloonSat ascends into “near space” until it bursts– Parachute system returns payload to earth

• A chase team tracks and follows the BalloonSat flight in real-time

• The chase team recovers the downed payload


LaunchOIT balloons have traveled between 30-90 miles downrange

OIT / K-12 Roles

• OIT’s LaunchOIT Program– Provides launch and recovery services– Provides K-12 teacher development– Participates in related activities

• K-12 classrooms– Design science experiment payloads– All students encouraged to observe and

participate in the launch– Representatives participate in the chase


The Balloon Satellite “Stack”


OIT provides “vehicle” and

position reporting module

K-12 classes design and attach science payloads

Collaboration partners

K-12/University Collaboration

• “To the Edge of Space”

• Three entities form the collaboration

LaunchOITBalloonProgram

Oregon NASASpace GrantConsortium

FergusonElementary

School

K-12 Outreach Mission Element

Funding in supportof NASA educational mission objectives

Collaboration

Collaboration Partners

How does NASA fit in?

• National Space Grant Program

• Present in all 50 states

• Umbrellaed under the National Space Grant Student Satellite Program


• Activities fit within NASA’s recently deployed Education Framework

NASA Educational Mission


The NASA Education Strategic Coordination Framework(Taken from < http://education.nasa.gov/pdf/151156main_NASA_Booklet_final_3.pdf >)

““To the Edge of Space”To the Edge of Space” CollaborationCollaboration


• Program Extension is sustained through a two-year pipeline cycle


LaunchPayloadReceiveTraining

Extension Model

• Program Extension

• Training for K-12 teachers through OIT’s “Journey to the Edge of Space” balloon class



Extension Model




Brief history of the collaboration

The Beginning

• OIT began its balloon program in 2002• First successful launch and recovery in

summer 2004– Public outreach at the Oregon State Fair

• Serendipitous start in the fall of 2004 with Linda Kehr– “Seat-of-the-pants” science payload activity


ReceiveTraining

ReceiveTraining

Extension Model



LaunchPayload

LaunchPayload

Extension Model


FergusonElementary

School

Year 1

Spring 2005 Launch


ReceiveTraining

ReceiveTraining

LaunchPayload

LaunchPayload

FergusonElementary

SchoolFergusonElementary

School

FergusonElementary

School



2ndFerguson

Classroom

Year 2

ShastaElementary

School

ReceiveTraining

LaunchPayload

Spring 2006 Launch


LaunchOIT High-Altitude Balloon Program Outreach



FergusonElementary

School

ShastaElementary

School

AltamontElementary

SchoolHenleyElementary

School

DefenseSTAR BASE

Outreach

Year 3

2ndFerguson

Classroom

DistrictElementary

TAG

DistrictElementary

TAG

DistrictElementary

TAG

2ndShasta

Classroom

ReceiveTraining

LaunchPayload

Spring 2007 Launch


LaunchOIT High-Altitude Balloon Program Outreach



FergusonElementary

School

ShastaElementary

School

AltamontElementary

SchoolHenleyElementary

School

DefenseSTAR BASE

Outreach

2ndFerguson

Classroom

DistrictElementary

TAG

DistrictElementary

TAG

DistrictElementary

TAG

2ndShasta

Classroom

Year 4?


Outreach into education

K-12 Classroom Experience

Outreach extended into education

In the Elementary Classroom

• Not a fire-and-forget outreach– Former 5th graders return as 6th graders


More Than Outreach

• Not a fire-and-forget outreach

• Outreach feeds education!– 21 Oregon educational standards

addressed• Science• Mathematics• English/Language Arts• Technology• Social Sciences


Collaborative Experience


• Outreach feeds education!

• “Authentic science” that is valued


Collaborative Experience



• “Authentic science” that is valued– A rich learning environment that connects

• K-12 and university students• K-12 teachers and university faculty• Parents and the general public


Supporting the Classroom



• “Authentic science” that is valued

• Professional development for teachers– ENGT 507 “Journey to the Edge of Space”– Experiential, hands-on learning– Peer mentoring in a learning community


Summary of results to date

What has been the impact?

• Seven K-12 educators have been trained

• Over ___ elementary school students have been involved– __ Girls and __ Boys– Atmospheric science– GPS technology and applications– Designed science experiment payloads


Student/Parent Activities

• Six student-designed science payloads have ascended to 80,000-90,000 feet

• __ students have participated in the balloon chase and payload recovery

• Over __ parents and students have participated in a preparatory “Breakfast with a Scientist” outreach

• __ students have participated in a follow-on year


University Involvement

• Six OIT faculty intimately involved in “Journey to the Edge of Space”

• Truly multidisciplinary– Mechanical Engineering– Electrical Engineering– Computer Engineering Technology– Natural Science (Biology)– Mathematics– History


Future plans

Follow-on Projects

• Intention of developing a “how-to” curriculum for elementary teachers that can be taken statewide

• This spring, initiated a long-term study on the perceptions and attitudes relating to engineering study/career– 6th graders (1 year after)– 8th graders (3 years after)– Post-high school decisions (no planned

mechanism, yet)

Future plans

Thank you!

Contact Information

Claude Kansaku ([email protected])

Linda Kehr ([email protected])

Catherine Lanier ([email protected])

Questions

Questions

Snapshot of OIT

• Engineering

• Engineering Technology

• Allied Health Professions

• Recently added degree programs– Embedded Systems– Electrical Engineering– Applied Mathematics

Snapshot of OIT

• Engineering

• Engineering Technology

• Allied Health Professions

• Recently added degree programs– Embedded Systems– Electrical Engineering– Applied Mathematics

Oregon’s Center for Health Professions is scheduled to open fall term 2007.

K-12 Outreach at OIT

• Pre-college and Sponsored Programs– Advanced Credit Program (ACP)

– TWIST and GRAD Summer residential programs

– ISEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair

– MATHCOUNTS Competition

• Oregon’s affiliate university for Project Lead the Way – national pre-engineering curriculum

K-12 Outreach at OIT

• Pre-college and Sponsored Programs– Advanced Credit Program (ACP)

– TWIST and GRAD Summer residential programs

– ISEF Regional Science and Engineering Fair

– MATHCOUNTS Competition

• Oregon’s affiliate university for Project Lead the Way – national pre-engineering curriculum

4.5 day LaunchOIT high-altitude

balloon workshop in 2006




FergusonElementary

School

Year 1

ReceiveTraining

LaunchPayload

Spring 2005 Launch

STEM-Related K-12 Outreach Using High-Altitude Balloon Program Collaborations Claude Kansaku, Oregon...

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