| [The first of two articles discussing the | | | | standardized lessons that don't allow for |
| availability of math and science materials on | | | | much deviation, and so limit innovation; |
| the Internet.]I heard it a lot in the 1980s | | | | |
| and 1990s. It is now 20 years later and I | | | | unable or unwilling to spend the extra time |
| still hear it:Recent studies indicate the | | | | and money converting the "raw material" of |
| American educational system is failing to | | | | the new and the innovative into |
| provide a sufficient level of math and | | | | classroom-ready presentations. |
| science instruction for our children. | | | | |
| Therefore, we are falling behind in the | | | | One solution to some of these fall-backs |
| global race to prepare the next generation of | | | | [in spite of all the "other stuff" that is |
| engineers and scientists. | | | | out there on the Web just waiting to snare |
| | | | and entrap the innocent children from grade |
| I'm not sure if it was true then; I'm not | | | | school and junior high] is to simply TURN |
| sure if it is true now. But, at the bottom | | | | THEM LOOSE! A risky proposition? Yes. So put |
| line, it doesn't matter what the studies | | | | in all the filters and site regulators that |
| indicate. What matters is that we DO | | | | you feel are needed. But, for Pete's sake, |
| something to address math and science | | | | turn the students loose. Just point them in |
| education, whether we're lacking in it or | | | | the right direction. There are some excellent |
| not. We need to provide the resources. I'd be | | | | sites that can keep them busy for weeks on |
| saying the same thing even if all the studies | | | | end.Another solution is to totally drop the |
| ever conducted indicated that we were far and | | | | expectation that high technology learning |
| away providing the best math and science | | | | will ever be fully integrated into classroom |
| instruction on the planet. It's pretty hard | | | | curriculum and simply move forward. That's |
| to get too much of a good thing. And keeping | | | | where "content providers" come in. They are |
| up with the latest technology is more than a | | | | the ones capable of either developing |
| full time job.I have two suggestions: | | | | materials that are a finished product for |
| | | | in-classroom use or for taking on the role of |
| | | | both developer and presenter. But without |
| | | | access to the classroom, the venue for this |
| Don't look at education as a competition; | | | | material presentation will be the Web itself. |
| look at it as an opportunity never to be | | | | An Introduction |
| squandered. | | | | |
| | | | Let me introduce you to one site that I'm |
| Don't lay the entire burden for education | | | | personally familiar with.... because I've put |
| solely on the American educational system; | | | | it together myself for a specific purpose: to |
| take the responsibility back into the home | | | | be an entry point for nearly countless |
| and other non-school activities. | | | | educational web sites targeting aerospace and |
| | | | astronomy. It's the website for The Aerospace |
| Resources Abound | | | | Educational Development Program (AEDP) at Is |
| | | | it complete? Not by a long shot. It's a |
| The Internet, by way of the World Wide Web, | | | | work-in-progress. But already it has several |
| is now the ideal resource for locating | | | | areas that offer some premium math and |
| materials to directly advance this goal. It's | | | | science resources.More details of this |
| a double win: the act of learning the | | | | resource will be discussed in Part 2 of this |
| computer technology required to search the | | | | two-part article.Mr. Rossie's background |
| Web for more technology is a success all on | | | | includes work since 1978 with communication |
| its own. The resources are out there. They're | | | | satellites and other elements of |
| not all that difficult to find. Once | | | | terrestrial-based telecommunication systems, |
| identified, the key is using them | | | | as well as the marketing of launch vehicles |
| correctly.The Hurdle of Preparing Lesson | | | | and payload assembly. He has been involved |
| Plans | | | | with efforts in the privatization of the |
| | | | space industry since the mid-1980s.He has run |
| Despite an overwhelming and ever increasing | | | | programs for elementary and middle school |
| number of resources, there is a fundamental | | | | science instruction and has instructed |
| flaw in expecting teachers within the | | | | courses in undergraduate- and graduate-level |
| structured educational system to fold the new | | | | programs in a variety of fields including the |
| and innovative elements of math and science | | | | graduate course for Management of Space-Based |
| into their classroom activities. The plain | | | | Communication Systems. He holds Master's |
| fact is, teachers are: | | | | Degrees in Philosophy (MA), |
| | | | Telecommunications (MS) and Business |
| | | | Administration (MBA), and has been Director |
| | | | of the Aerospace Educational Development |
| generally overworked with their current | | | | Program since its inception in 1988. He is |
| assignments; | | | | author of HANDBOOK TWO FOR AEROSPACE |
| | | | EDUCATION. |
| expected to follow a strict set of | | | | |