Interplanetary Initiative empowers teachers with microgravity science workshops
The Arizona cohort of middle school teachers pose for a photo with ASU faculty members Cheryl Nickerson and Dr. Jennifer Barrila, Interplanetary Initiative staff members Brooke Owen and Katherine McConachie, and Orion's Quest members Tom Drummond and Angela Krause. Courtesy photo
In a series of workshops launched by Arizona State University's Interplanetary Initiative, middle school teachers visited one of three universities — ASU, the University of Colorado Boulder and Stanford University — this summer to learn about microgravity-enabled science and return to their classrooms with new tools and inspiration.
In collaboration with Orion’s Quest, CU Boulder and Stanford University, ASU developed the interactive format to prepare teachers to implement curricular activities that translate complex space-based research into the classroom and ignite student interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
The initiative, made possible by a grant from the ISS U.S. National Lab, brought together educators from diverse backgrounds, including a significant representation from Title I schools, ensuring the programming will reach students in a wide range of communities.
Michaela Rolls, a seventh grade science teacher from Arizona teaching physics and biology, was drawn to the workshop in search of fresh ways to make microgravity and free fall more interesting for her students.
“I’m hoping the hands-on approach will be more engaging than the current, math-heavy curriculum,” Rolls said.
The workshop’s interactive approach focused on the practical applications of microgravity research. The workshop also highlighted the Orion’s Quest portfolio of learning activities designed to engage middle school students. Teachers explored International Space Station data and learned to incorporate it into their lesson plans.
Katherine McConachie, senior director of learning at the Interplanetary Initiative and principal investigator of the project, views the workshop series as an important contribution to STEM education.
“We aim to make microgravity-enabled science an approachable topic for any middle school teacher to cover in their classroom,” she said. “The project team has worked hard to develop a workshop design that demystifies this often intimidating topic, ensuring that teachers leave with both the practical skills and the confidence needed to bring this content to their students.”
Participants on the Tempe campus met with ASU faculty members Cheryl Nickerson and Jennifer Barrila, both distinguished researchers with multiple experiments that have flown aboard the International Space Station.
Nickerson collaborated with Orion's Quest to develop a learning activity around one of these microgravity experiments. A tour of her lab at ASU’s Biodesign Institute also showcased the cutting-edge research being conducted on the Tempe campus, where they review how biomechanical forces influence the interactions between microbes and their human hosts, focusing on how these interactions contribute to health or disease.
Similar lab tours were given at BioServe Space Technologies at CU Boulder and the EXtreme Environment Microsystems Laboratory (XLab) at Stanford.
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ASU researcher Jennifer Barrila (left) interacts with one of the middle school teacher participants.
Courtesy photo
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A station in ASU researcher Cheryl Nickerson's lab is ready for particpants to tour. Nickerson's microgravity experiments have flown aboard the International Space Station.
Courtesy photo
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Angela Krause, from Orion's Quest, presents on microgravity research to the Arizona cohort of middle school teachers.
Courtesy photo
Teachers at the workshops were introduced to Tara Ruttley, Blue Origin's chief scientist for Orbital Reef, a planned commercial space station. Ruttley shared insights on the growing opportunities in the space industry, including the future of commercial space stations and the potential of microgravity research. She emphasized the real-world applications of this research and painted a picture of a thriving space economy with the hopes of inspiring teachers to share this vision with their students.
To ensure the workshop’s impact extends beyond the participating educators, the ASU Interplanetary Initiative team is developing a workshop facilitator’s guide to enable other universities to replicate the program. The resource aims to address the decline in student interest in science during middle school by demonstrating the real-world relevance of STEM, inspiring a new generation of innovators and problem-solvers.
In addition to professional development, teacher participants received stipends to support their classroom implementation of microgravity learning activities. Travel stipends were provided to assist rural teachers in attending the workshop.
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