Stanford's Haas Center for Public
Service and the Solar Observatories Group
are collaborating to develop a program
to train and involve interested undergraduate students in
communicating science to K-14 students and the general public.
Development of the program and evaluation
are being undertaken in collaboration with Stanford's School of Education
and with Dr. Cherilynn Morrow of the Space Science Institute.
University undergraduate students from all fields are selected
to participate in the program, which has 2 aspects:
- Formal classroom training, for
undergraduate credit, in science education and communicating science,
service learning issues and techniques,
and current solar science understanding.
Science Fellows are taught the importance of science education
reform and to understand and work with the National Science Standards.
- Weekly ongoing
outreach to community-based education programs such as the Boys and Girls
Clubs, local and non-local underserved school districts, and tribal
colleges.
Our hope is to develop a successful
model science-outreach, community service student program, which can be
adapted to a variety of environments and other universities.
By combining in-depth training with outreach, we hope to instill
in our Science Fellows a lifelong interest in science education and public
outreach, no matter what their careers. These students will go on to
become leaders in their fields, not only serving as effective role models
but also motivating their own professions to engage in E/PO activities.
Member's of NASA's
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
Mission
are involved with developing the program and
assuring appropriate science content. Astrophysicist, NASA Facilitator,
and Education Professional
Dr. Cherilynn Morrow
has helped design and deliver the training program. Activities and learning
materials were chosen from pre-existing NASA and other resources.
Most have already been evaluated and aligned with the National Science
Standards.
Our Science Fellows serve as role models to disadvantaged
young people. They are explicitly taught about the need to attract
diverse populations into the science, engineering, technology, and math
fields and encourage children to continue
in science related courses, to go to college, and consider these careers.
Our students are able to work with diverse
communities, speaking native languages to the students and their parents,
and acting as role models to encourage careers in science and technology.
For information about our Stanford Student Science Fellow program,
see
Science in Service Community Placements.
