Through two complementary NASA-funded projects, the NISE Network will increase the capacity of informal educators across the United States to work with local communities to co-create opportunities to learn about NASA science in ways that are locally relevant and inclusive of everyone. Working with subject matter experts, community groups, and educational organizations, teams in seven locations across the United states are creating culturally sustaining learning experiences for Hispanic and other groups.
Project Description
The nationwide initiative will create resources and opportunities for families to engage in learning about Earth and space science in community settings, creating a foundation for lifelong learning—and in some cases, studies and careers—in STEM. Hands-on learning materials will showcase authentic NASA science, data, and personnel and reflect and educator resources will share successful practices in informal STEM learning and engagement.
Activities include:
- Co-creating STEM engagement materials with communities in several US states to connect learners with authentic Earth and space science and NASA assets
- Disseminating and implementing resources through national networks and local partnerships
- Building capacity among educators and scientists to engage local communities and use a co-creation process by providing resources and professional development
Opportunities for NISE Network Partners
The NISE Network has an existing selection of relevant resources, with more to come in 2025:
- Inclusive Audiences https://www.nisenet.org/Audiences
- Early Learners https://www.nisenet.org/earlylearners
- Spanish Language Resources https://www.nisenet.org/spanish
- Collaboration Resources https://nisenet.org/collaborations
Timeline
- 2023: planning and development
- 2024: continued development and evaluation
- 2025: dissemination of public engagement materials and professional development
Project Partners
Co-Creating with Communities project
- Leadership
- Arizona State University Center for Innovation in Informal STEM Learning, Tempe, AZ
- Garibay Group, Chicago, IL
- Museum of Science, Boston, MA (project evaluator)
- Arizona
- Arizona State University, Center for Innovation in Informal STEM Learning, Tempe, AZ
- Patchwork Community Inclusion, Mesa, AZ
- RAIL CDC, Mesa, AZ
- Creative Community, Mesa, AZ
- Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
- California
- Fleet Science Center, San Diego, CA
- San Ysidro Education Collaborative (San Diego)
- San Ysidro STEM Committee (San Diego)
- Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA
- Bay Area Community Resources, Fairfield, CA
- New Mexico
- Explora Science Center and Children's Museum, Albuquerque, NM
- Horizons Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM
- Texas
- Children's Museum of Houston, Houston, TX
- Community Family Centers, Houston, TX
- Children’s Museum of Brownsville, Brownsville, TX
- 9th St Company, Brownsville, TX
- Reybotics, Brownsville, TX
- Contractors
- Swift Creek Media
- Futuremundo
- Emily Maletz Design
- Yellow Cow Consulting LLC
- Advisors
- Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
- Funding
Sparking Interest in STEM project
- Leadership
- North Carolina
- Museum of Life and Science, Durham, NC
- El Futuro, Durham, NC
- El Centro Hispano, Durham, NC
- Duke University, Ignite, Durham, NC
- Swift Creek Media, Raleigh, NC
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Raleigh, NC
- Catalyst Consulting Group, Durham NC (project evaluator)
- Advisors
- NASA JPL, CA
- NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, AL
- NASA Langley Research Center, VA
- Children's Creativity Museum, San Francisco, CA
- Sciencenter, Ithaca, NY
- Universidad Ana G. Méndez (UAGM), San Juan, PR
- Contractors
- Swift Creek Media
- Emily Maletz Design
- Funding
Funding acknowledgements:
Co-creating with Communities project
This material is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0122. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Sparking Interest in STEM project
This material is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0100. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).