Tom Devlin (Jackson & Tull) in conjunction with several offices at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, has created interactive, kid-friendly space science software modules that are being distributed free of charge to students and teachers.
Conceived as a NASA community outreach project for Bowie State University Space Camp for Kids in Bowie, MD., Hubble Space Telescope mission simulation software was developed by Devlin to encourage student interest in the exciting world of space exploration. Since then, Devlin has sought the expertise of NASA scientists and engineers to review expansions to the software, and has now distributed six different modules, collectively called PCs In Space, to approximately 8,000 schools. More than 400,000 students around the country have explored this interactive software.
Elementary and middle school teachers face a scarcity of science curriculum aids. PCs In Space is a simple educational tool that helps fill that gap by combining the core science curriculum in a multi-disciplinary approach to reinforce other educational areas, such as math, history, geography, and vocabulary. For example, Exploring the Solar System lets kids use their math skills to see how much they weigh, how old they are, and how high they can jump on different planets. All of the modules are designed to teach children about computers while learning about the benefits of space exploration.
Using NASA graphical images, conversion programs, teacher and student surveys, and several test beds, Devlin developed educational software that would be easy for elementary school students to use. He selected Lab VIEW, a commercial, off-the-shelf platform that operates in the IBM and Macintosh environments, allowing him to spend more time on curriculum development as opposed to source code development. The multiplatform capabilities of the software also allowed Devlin to reach schools with wide ranges of computer platforms.
Devlin developed the software to show how NASA's technology benefits the public. Using data from NASA Projects such as Hubble Space Telescope and Landsat, Devlin's computer modules tie into existing curricula to teach children about space science. "Hopefully, it will inspire kids to think about careers in science or engineering," says Devlin.
In April, Devlin and another Jackson & Tull engineer, Ulysses Manley, were presented a Community Service Award by Joseph Rothenberg, the Director of Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. They were recognized for their efforts to educate the public on the benefits of the space program and for inspiring children to pursue science and technology careers.
To date, universities from 27 states and the District of Columbia have signed distribution agreements for the free software. Under these agreements, the schools can distribute the software for educational purposes, but are not allowed to sell it. They receive upgrades with the latest images and discoveries. Universities from the remaining 23 states are reviewing the software.
To reduce distrubution costs, Devlin has established a Web site to provide on-line capabilities: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov. Click on Education Programs and then click on PCs In Space.