A unique opportunity for teachers to plan and implement high fidelity Moon/Mars analog exploration research

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A unique opportunityfor teachers to plan and
implement high fidelity Moon/Mars analog
exploration research
Spaceward Bound Teacher Component
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Who are we?

• We are scientists, engineers and educators who
  are passionate about our work and fervently
  believe that engaging students in the excitement,
  intrigue and fascination of exploration in the
  field will inspire them to become explorers
  themselves and join our quest to learn more
  about our earth and the universe beyond.

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Spaceward Bound is aNASA program that

• Immerses teachers in authentic NASA exploration
  research by working alongside scientists in
  remote and extreme environments
• Develops cohorts of teachers located throughout
  the country who have significant experience in
  NASA field research
• Supports the strategy of go forth and multiply
  by facilitating the training of peers by program
  graduates and dissemination of NASA exploration
  throughout the country.

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Spaceward Bound is aNASA program that
(Continued)

• Utilizes the infrastructure of established
  partnerships and networks to
• Identify highly qualified program participants
  with established interest, motivation and
  pre-requisite experience with science and
  education
• Infuse Spaceward Bound teacher learning and
  experience throughout the larger education
  community (including research)

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Toward a Pedagogy of Exploration(the theoretical)

• While exploration is often presented as a
  motivational supplement to curriculum, and
  components of exploration are taught, no pedagogy
  of exploration itself exists,
• A true pedagogy of exploration would provide
  unparalleled experience in affective and
  cognitive motivations such as curiosity,
  discovery, bravery, disappointment, tenacity,
  flexibility, etc.
• Unfortunately, it also requires a synthesis of a
  significant number of academic disciplines, i.e.
  hard science, soft science, and non-science.
  Modern schools, curriculum and pedagogy are
  ill-equipped to embrace this synthesis, much less
  develop content, concepts and skills to teach it.
• The contribution of this expedition to the
  education community as a whole (including
  research) and to NASA is the creation of a
  program which enables the amalgamation of the
  expertise and experience of teachers with the
  knowledge, practice and experience of todays
  explorers to begin the conceptualization and
  development of a pedagogy of exploration.

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Program Overview(the pragmatic)

• Spaceward Bound is comprised of national and
  international expeditions
• K-12 teachers work alongside scientists in the
  field so that they can bring that experience back
  to their classrooms and assist in the development
  of pedagogy related to human exploration of
  remote and extreme environments.
• Students at the upper undergraduate and graduate
  level (and teachers) participate as crew members
  in two-week immersive full-scale simulations of
  living and working on the Moon and Mars at the
  Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah.

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Pilot Year 2006

• In June 2006, seven middle school teachers from
  around the U.S. teamed with seven teachers from
  Antofagasta, Chile to work alongside scientists
  exploring the Mars-like soils of the Atacama
  Desert in Northern Chile.

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American and Chilean Teachers
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Yungay Research Station
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Teachers Scientists in the Field
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Teachers Scientists in the Field
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Teachers Scientists in the Field
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Where Weve Been Since

• Flinders Ranges, Australia
• Nunavut, High Arctic
• Mojave (many times!)
• North Dakota
• Pavilion Lake, BC
• And looking forward to
• Namibia
• United Arab Emirates
• Hawaii

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Do you

• Have a passion for exploration, science and
  scientific research?
• Find exploration science fascinating -
  particularly the utilization of places here on
  earth to investigate what it might be like on
  other planets?
• Like the outdoors and exploring new, remote
  places?
• Like working with teacher peers, scientists, and
  informal educators?
• Like discovering and developing new and novel
  ways to bring authentic science and scientific
  research into your classroom?

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Mojave Maps
ZZyzx
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Zzyzx Research Station
http//biology.fullerton.edu/facilities/dsc/zz_abo
ut.html
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Teacher Learning Content

• Processes of exploration in the field
• Logistics and transportation
• Energy and life support
• Human factors
• Exploration and EVA activities
• Science content and processes
• Mojave science
• Concepts and theories of Moon/Mars analog research

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Science Topics in the Mojave

• Lunar
• Fresh volcanic basalt flows
• Cinder cone volcanoes
• Lava Tubes
• Mars Astrobiology
• Precambrian stromatolites
• Desert hypolithic cyanobacteria
• Desert microbiology
• Soil oxidant
• Hypersaline microbial mats

• Mars Geology
• Dry fluvial features
• Sedimentary geology including jarosite deposits
• Other Science
• Fossil trilobites
• World record hot temperatures global warming

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Volcanics
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Providence Mountains
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Soda Lake
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Teachers will

• In conjunction with NASA scientists, engineers
  and educators, conduct a field research
  expedition to the Mojave Desert in Southern
  California.
• Work with NASA scientists and engineers to
  perform ground-breaking science and technology
  research in the field
• Learn and apply current planetary exploration
  concepts, theories and ideas
• Utilize experience, knowledge, and creativity to
  determine how to develop pedagogy and methods for
  bringing field research into the classroom in an
  authentic, relevant and educative manner
• Actively support and provide training on pedagogy
  and methods to peer teachers within their
  schools, districts, communities and beyond
• Mentor subsequent cohorts of Spaceward Bound
  teachers
• Utilize their learning and experience to support
  the evolution of the Spaceward Bound Program