Linking Leaders Celebrates 10 Years and Looks to the Future with the 2005 Solicitation

Linking Leaders Book Cover

Linking Leaders National Conference
On February 9-11, Linking Leaders alumni coalitions participated in an exploration of the successful past and promising future of this NASA-sponsored program and celebrated 10 years of progress in systemic improvement efforts. Representatives from almost all of the 23 Linking Leaders states came together in downtown Washington, DC to experience presentations by surgeon and former Astronaut Story Musgrave, cartoonist Larry Gonick, MIT Professor of Mathematics Emeritus Ken Hoffman, National Museum of Natural History Associate Director of Research and Collections Hans-Dieter Sues, and Michael Margolis and Joey Coleman of Thirsty-Fish Storytelling and Marketing. Participants also spent some time at the International Spy Museum, an engaging collection of science, mathematics, engineering and technology in action.

Another part of the meeting was the unveiling of the Linking Leaders retrospective book: Linking Leaders: Community For Change, Celebrating Ten Years. The book celebrates the successes of each Linking Leaders state and highlights lessons learned, results, goals and activities in six categories: content, funding, standards, meetings, training and policy. Linking Leaders for Systemic Improvement promotes coalition-building work in the states with the goals being to [a] provide resources and opportunities for state-level leadership groups to collaborate with NASA and its affiliates to align NASA resources with the state's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education agenda and to build stronger links between NASA and the state's business, education and policy communities; and [b] build the commitment to establish and strengthen a broad-based coalition to address the state's STEM needs over the long-term. Linking Leaders states to date are: Mississippi, Ohio, Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Washington, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Virginia, West Virginia, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wyoming, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Minnesota, Maryland, Illinois and Kentucky.

Linking Leaders Solicitation 2005
To participate in Linking Leaders, state representatives submit an application and, upon acceptance, attend the workshops of states currently in the program. In-state meetings are held during Year Two, culminating with a Linking Leaders conference to develop a preliminary state Action Plan. The Linking Leaders Workshop is a central element of the program and provides the team the opportunity to review the condition of STEM education in its state, propose a long-term strategy to advance the state’s agenda for improving STEM education, and identify specific actions to implement that strategy. In Year Two of the project, participants will have the opportunity to submit a proposal for an Action Plan Implementation Award of up to $7,000. Throughout Year Three of Linking Leaders, NASSMC will continue to offer assistance as state leaders work to meet their implementation goals, paying specific attention to the state's success in developing an independent statewide coalition.

The solicitation period opens March 15, 2005.

Learn more about Linking Leaders by visiting www.nassmc.org/linkingleaders.html.

NASA Explorer Schools Partnerships for Sustainability Deadlines Extended

Proposals are currently being solicited for the NASA Explorer Schools (NES) Partnerships for Sustainability Program, designed to support the formation and operation of partnerships between NASA Explorer Schools and state coalitions comprised of business, education and public policy leadership. The partnership is responsible for developing and executing an action plan to strengthen and sustain the NES beyond their initial three (3)-year NASA funding. These one-time grants are available for a maximum amount of $20,000 per award.

Be advised that the deadlines for this solicitation have been extended. Materials are now due:
Letters of Intent: Thursday, April 21, 2005
Full Proposals: Thursday, May 19, 2005

Coalitions interested in establishing a partnership with NASA Explorer Schools in your state are required to contact NES coordinators at the NASA Field Center serving your state prior to initiating any contact with the schools.

See www.nassmc.org/pfsproject.html for complete program information. Contact: Jessica Venable, jvenable@nassmc.org, 703-516-5974.

NASSMC Annual Coalition Directors' Meeting, April 5-6

Make plans now to attend the NASSMC Coalition Directors' Annual Meeting in Linthicum Heights, Maryland at the Maritime Institute of Technology. This year's theme is "The Climate for Change." Sessions include the following:

• America's Urgent Need for Universal Science and Mathematics Literacy, William Wulf, President, National Academy of Engineering, National Research Council
• NASSMC 2005: Are We There yet? An Overview of Current Alliance Activity
• Panel Discussions: State Summits for Mathematics and Science Education, NASA Explorer Schools Partnerships for Sustainability
• Coalition Forum: Identifying State Coalition Needs
• Kentucky Teacher Survey on Critical Technologies

The agenda and online registration form are available at www.nassmc.org/dirconf_agenda.html. The final registration deadline is March 18.

Florida Summit and NSSIP Update

Florida Summit on Mathematics and Science Education
The Florida Coalition for Improving Mathematics and Science Education (CIMS) hosted a Summit on Mathematics and Science Education in February. Legislators, the Governor’s office, Florida Department of Education officials, business and industry representatives, and science and mathematics educators at all levels participated in a day-and-a-half meeting to establish a common understanding of the need for science and mathematics literacy in our workforce; the challenges of today’s schools; effective methods of science and mathematics instruction; the nature and dimensions of creating change in mathematics and science instruction; and action plans necessary to achieve them. The Summit goal was to Enhance Florida’s Economic Development by Preparing Its Workforce in Science and Mathematics. Visit www.flsummit.usf.edu/index.htm for more information. Dr. Gerry Meisels will discuss the successful Florida Summit at the NASSMC Annual Coalition Directors' Meeting in April.

Triangle Coalition's Annual Policy Conference: March 17-18

The fourth annual Triangle Coalition's Annual Policy Conference will be held March 17-18, 2005 in Washington, DC. The goal of the conference is to increase participants' understanding of federal legislation and the legislative process and to improve their ability to inform policy makers of issues key to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Triangle Coalition will aid in scheduling requested meetings with members of Congress. Participants are encouraged to meet with their Senators and Representatives to discuss issues key to STEM education in their home states.

For a registration form, agenda and more information about the conference, visit www.trianglecoalition.org/conf.htm.

Technological Literacy in America

Technological literacy is becoming an increasingly important part of every American's education and life. If you don't believe us, then believe - among others - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the US Department of Education, the International Technology Education Association, the National Academy of Engineering, the Information Technology Association of America, and Education Week's 2005 Technology Counts special issue....

In 2004, the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) commissioned the Gallup Organization to conduct a poll on technological literacy in the United States: What Americans Think About Technology. The 2004 results shed light on Americans' conceptual and practical understanding of technology, as well as on American attitudes and opinions about technology. The first ITEA/Gallup Poll, in what has become a two-part series, was commissioned by ITEA in the spring of 2001 with the intent of finding out how Americans viewed technological literacy. Funding for the second survey in 2004 was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Information available includes the 2001 and 2004 Gallup Poll report, data tables, survey and powerpoint presentations. ITEA is the largest professional educational association, principle voice, and information clearinghouse devoted to enhancing technology education through technology, innovation, design and engineering experiences at the K-12 school levels. Its membership encompasses individuals and institutions throughout the world in over 45 countries.

Education Week's 2005 Technology Counts special issue takes an in-depth look at technology financing and spending at the federal, state and local levels in K-12 education. The report examines how much money is being spent in major technology categories as well as the effects of No Child Left Behind, E-rate, grant funding and district programs on technology spending. Technology Counts will also rank the states based on technological factors such as student to computer ratio and Internet connectivity. This special report will be issues May 5. Education Week is published by Editorial Projects in Education (EPE), a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization based in Washington, D.C. Its primary mission is to help raise the level of awareness and understanding among professionals and the public about important issues in American education. EPE publications cover local, state and national news and issues from preschool through the 12th grade. EPE also publishes Teacher Magazine, edweek.org, Agent K-12 and special reports on issues ranging from technology to textbooks, as well as books of special interest to educators.

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Technological Literacy Program seeks to address issues such as what Americans ought to know about technology, what role do we wish people to play in helping decide what technology is developed and for what purposes, and what sorts of changes in formal and informal education are needed to equip citizens to participate usefully in this process. Through this program, the NAE leverages the expertise and influence of its members to raise the visibility of technological literacy as an issue on the national agenda and to encourage specific improvements in the U.S. education system. In April 2004, the NAE and National Research Council Center for Education held a one-day State Educators' Symposium on Technological Literacy in Washington, D.C. The symposium brought together state education leaders in mathematics, science, assessment, and curriculum to learn about and discuss the issue of technological literacy. The event challenged participants to think more broadly about technology - as more than just the use of computers in classrooms - and to consider how the teaching of technology and engineering and design concepts in K-12 classrooms can inspire greater student interest and achievement. Symposium Presentations and Audio and the Technically Speaking Website are available at the Symposium link above. NAE's mission is to promote the technological welfare of the nation by marshaling the knowledge and insights of eminent members of the engineering profession. In particular the NAE is tasked with identifying and illuminating issues at the intersections of engineering, technology, and society that impact our quality of life. Major program and project areas include Education, Engineering Practice, and the Engineering Workforce; Engineering and the Environment; Engineering, the Economy, and Society; Information Technology and Society; National Security and Crime Prevention; and Public Policy and Program Reviews.

The 2005 Strategies for Engineering Education K-16 (SEEK-16) Summit was held on February 21-22 at the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and focused on the following three Challenge Questions: [1] How can programs be established that use design, engineering, and technology concepts to ensure STEM literacy for all students across different learning and workforce communities; [2] How can applying design, engineering and technology in science and mathematics teaching and learning ensure career success, workforce readiness, and lifelong learning; and [3] How do we link educational curricula and pedagogies employed in STEM education to meet these objectives? The mission of SEEK-16 is to engage and empower key leaders from business, government, higher education, national associations, and K-12 classrooms - teachers, parent advocates, and students - to implement strategies that apply design, engineering and technology concepts to improve the interdisciplinary understandings of K-16 science and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning. A key deliverable of the Summit will be the organization of workgroups to spearhead the development of concrete programs focused on improving STEM literacy through design, engineering and technology.

The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) has a vested interest in addressing the technology skills gap, particularly as it applies to Information Technology (IT). One of the major issues ITAA focuses on is Workforce Development. US companies are experiencing a severe shortage of IT workers and according to a recent ITAA study, the number of unfilled IT positions at US companies is projected to be approximately 425,000 over the next 12 months. Effects of this challenge may include slowed growth in IT-dependent industries, increased outsourcing overseas and a decreased supply of technology goods and services that our citizens enjoy. ITAA is the only trade association representing the broad spectrum of the world-leading U.S. Information Technology (IT) industry and provides information about the IT industry, its issues, association programs, publications, meetings, seminars and more.

SECME, Inc.

SECME, Inc. is a strategic alliance to renew and strengthen the professional capacity of K-12 educators, motivate and mentor students, and empower parents so that all students can learn and achieve at higher levels. SECME’s goal is to increase the pool of historically under-represented, geographically under-served, and differently abled students who will be prepared to enter and complete post-secondary studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), thus creating a diverse and globally competitive workforce.

SECME was established in 1975 by the Engineering Deans at seven Southeastern universities: Alabama, Florida, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tennessee State, and Tuskegee. Today that alliance extends to schools, universities, science- and technology-based business and industry, and public and private agencies in 17 states (from New York to Arizona), the District of Columbia, and Grand Bahamas. In creating SECME, the founding Deans acted to address two urgent - and enduring - national challenges: [1] declining engineering enrollments on campuses across the U.S., and [2] growing evidence of shortfalls in technical talent to sustain an economy - and global leadership position - increasingly dependent on technology and innovation as primary engines of growth. Their solution to these urgent and enduring national challenges is to tap new talent in two groups then grossly under-represented (at less than 1 percent each) in the engineering profession - namely, minorities and women.

SECME works with a variety of programs including Early College High Schools - Small Schools with Accelerated Paths and Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) Aerospace Education Laboratory (AEL). In addition, SECME hosts an annual Summer Institute designed to provide an opportunity for K-12 educators and counselors to receive innovative STEM professional development. The theme of the July 10-21, 2005 Institute - hosted by North Carolina A&T University College of Engineering and School of Education - is "SECME: 21st Century Pioneers - Dreaming Today to Discover Tomorrow." Participants should come away from the Institute with resources, strategies and a renewed commitment to motivate and prepare students for studies and careers in STEM. The 2006 Summer Institute will be hosted by Florida State University.

2005 ESTEME Week: April 11–16

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are partnering with other U.S. Government agencies and scientific societies to sponsor activities for 2005’s "Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (ESTEME) Week." The activities during ESTEME Week are an opportunity for the nation’s schools to focus on improving STEM education.

This year's ESTEME week will be April 11–16, 2005. You can participate by attending or helping to produce a public event, or by supporting a hands-on science experience in your home, school, and community. Information is available for students, teachers and families.

Visit the ESTEME Week 2005 website at www.esteme.org/.

National Governors Association 2005 National Education Summit on High Schools

The National Governors Association is calling for states to raise graduation standards to a level that meets the expectations of colleges and employers because graduation standards are so low that it's possible to earn a diploma anywhere in the country without gaining the basic skills required by colleges and employers. They also propose regular testing of high school students, and sanctions for schools that fail to show improvement.

Information about this Summit - including resources, challenges, the action agenda and presentation and press releases - can be found at www.2005summit.org/. Of particular interest are a report commissioned by Achieve, Inc. called Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? A Study of Recent High School Graduates, College Instructors, and Employers and the NGA's Ready for Tomorrow: Helping All Students Achieve Secondary and Postsecondary Success, A Guide for Governors.

Learn more about the National Governor's Association at www.nga.org/ and about the Summit from NBS #2971: Governors Seek Rise in High School Standards on the NASSMC Briefing Service page.

Organizations You Should Know About

National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE)
The National Council for Geographic Education works to enhance the status and quality of geography teaching and learning. To meet its mission, the NCGE promotes the importance and value of geographic education; enhances the preparation of geographic educators with respect to their knowledge of content, techniques, and learning processes; facilitates communication among teachers of geography; encourages and supports research on geographic education; develops, publishes, and promotes the use of curriculum, resource, and learning materials; and cooperates with other organizations that have similar goals. A partner in the creation of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Literacy Maps, NCGE believes that geography education is crucial to the development of an informed and skilled citizenry. For more information about geography education, see The Importance of Geography Education in Science from the December 2004 NASSMC News Bulletin.

Center for Workforce Preparation and Center for Corporate Citizenship
Considering the importance of education to the economy, it should come as no surprise that the United States Chamber of Commerce has a vested interest. The Chamber of Commerce Center for Workforce Preparation works to define the unique role of local chambers in workforce development and education. Key goals are to [a] promote and support effective education and training initiatives concerning workforce excellence; [b] Conduct and support research that will develop more effective worker training programs; and [c] Initiate and document promising education and workforce preparation programs that can be replicated by chambers of commerce and their small business members at the local level. A variety of resources are available at www.uschamber.com/cwp/default including information about trends in education, publications, events, strategies and initiatives and tools and resources. The Chamber of Commerce Center for Corporate Citizenship (CCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the environment in which businesses operate. Through recognition, communications, research, issue analysis, and coalition development activities, CCC supports businesses in their initiatives to achieve social goals. A variety of resources are available online at www.uschamber.com/ccc/default including a calendar of events and CCC newsletter. NASSMC attended a CCC event in 2004: CCC Partnership Conference: Business and K–12 Education Partnerships.

Business-Higher Education Forum
The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) is a non-profit membership organization of leaders from American businesses, colleges and universities, museums, and foundations joined together to examine issues of national importance and, when appropriate, issue reports, white papers, and policy positions, and sponsor roundtable discussions with elected public officials, representatives from both the corporate and the academic communities, and with the general public. BHEF recently issued a report entitled A Commitment to America's Future: Responding to the Crisis in Mathematics & Science Education, which proposes that state-level business, education, and policy leaders engage in a systemic, long-term effort to improve the mathematics and science education of all students.  The BHEF plan calls for a new element of state education infrastructure, a P-16 education council; simultaneous attention to five key components of a P-16 education system (content standards, curricula, assessments, teacher preparation, and system accountability); new and collaborative roles for business, higher education, and policy leaders; P-16 accountability for P-12 outcomes; and coordinated national and state-specific public information programs that promote
the importance of a strong preparation in mathematics and science for all students.

Innovation in Action

How NASA Helps You and Inventions from Space
NASA has successfully commerecialized and facilitated the transfer of NASA technology to the private sectors for many years. The resulting commercialization has contributed to the development of commercial products and services in the fields of health and medicine, industry, consumer goods, computer technology, and environment. These two webpages provide information on some of those spinoffs. For more information, visit the Scientific and Technical Information page.

Why are these sand dunes special?

NOVA scienceNow
NOVA turns its lens on the timeliest developments and most intriguing personalities in science and technology in this new magazine series airing five times a year. Do you wonder why you get SO incredibly upset when your football team loses? Why is it so difficult to predict a hurricane's intensity? Are you intrigued by the ancient mystery of booming sand? Who hasn't wanted to hear a swarm of simple robots work together to "sing" the theme to Star Wars? NOVA scienceNOW will air five times a year in the NOVA time slot, Tuesdays at 8 PM ET.

Virginia Tech Math Emporium
Studies have shown that students using technology in mathematics courses typically outperform their peers in traditional classroom settings. In response to this data, Virginia Tech opened the Math Emporium, a new and experimental approach to teaching mathematics to college students. Using space leased from a local shopping center in Blacksburg, VA, the university has created a place for students to improve or learn new mathematics skills at their own pace. Open 24/7, the Math Emporium has more than 500 computers arranged in stations. Students work at their own pace and help is available from faculty and graduate students in addition to one-on-one tutoring. According to the website, the Math Emporium is being evaluated and monitored to ensure efficiency and learning and teaching effectiveness.

For Real...

Still images from Arthur Ganson kinetic sculptures.

Gestural Engineering: The Sculpture of Arthur Ganson
Featured on NOVA Science Now's premiere episode, Arthur Ganson has been making kinetic sculpture for 27 years. He has exhibited his machines in galleries and museums in the United States and Europe. A former artist-in-residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he maintains an ongoing exhibition of sculpture at the MIT Museum in Cambridge. Ganson is the inventor of the award-winning children's toy Toobers and Zots. He lives and works near Boston. For more information, go to NOVA Science Now Dispatches: Speaking With Objects and Arthur Ganson Machines.

Space Audio: Cassini Encounters Saturn's Bow Shock
Thanks to the University of Iowa, we can all now listen to the sound of, among other things, the Cassini spacecraft crossing the bow shock of Saturn in June 2004. A bow shock is "a discontinuity that forms in the solar wind when the supersonic solar wind encounters the magnetic field of a planet, very similar to the shock wave that forms upstream of an aircraft moving at a supersonic speed." To learn more about the Cassini-Huygens mission, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html.

Sitemap for www.nassmc.org

We know that it is sometimes hard to find things on a website. In an attempt to alleviate some of that frustration, we've installed a sitemap as an index of this website if you will. Wherever you see the graphic to the left, there's a link to the sitemap page. As you find things that need to be updated or modified, please let us know by sending an email with the URL and edit/correction/comment to info@nassmc.org.