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Home
Page for NASA/UNCF Project at Northeastern Illinois
University
In January
2001 a curriculum improvement project, funded by NASA and the United Negro
College Fund Special Programs Corporation, brought together a group of faculty
from Northeastern Illinois University committed to improve student
learning and outcomes through improved
teaching. Under this three-year grant, the group representing
the disciplines of chemistry, earth science, mathematics and physics has
coalesced as a team to support each other's efforts to reform their courses. Now
in a six month extension, the team continues to refine initiatives that
have been developed during the grant. |
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| Goals
and Objectives |
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The overall goal
of this project is to increase the number of students majoring in
the physical sciences and mathematics, particularly among underrepresented
groups. To achieve this goal, and to increase the retention rates in
these fields, the team has concentrated their efforts on faculty
development to improve the teaching and learning in their courses.
The emphasis has been to incorporate those techniques and strategies that
educational research has shown to be effective. |
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"The
most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true
science." |
Photo of the Andromeda Galaxy Courtesy of Robert
Gendler
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| Albert
Einstein, 1931, in The
World As I See It |
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Modules |
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Additionally, the program aims to revise the science
core courses to strengthen connections between disciplines. Space science topics
are incorporated through a series of modules,
as one way to provide relevant, high interest vehicles for illustrating science
concepts. These lessons are incorporated into the classroom
lesson or can be used for outside enhancement. Activities are included that engage students in
hands-on learning experiences through collaboration with their
peers. Newly purchased equipment and software programs have been
incorporated for use in science and mathematics courses. In the
physics lab, computer stations include interfaces and sensors that allow
for the collection and analysis of data. |
| Program
Connections |
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Within the university community, the project
interacts with other established programs
designed to support students' efforts and achievements. Recognizing
the need for preparing greater numbers of well-trained scientists,
mathematicians and educators, this project embraces NASA's education
mission to "inspire the next generation of explorers."
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Space Science News and
Noteworthy Events !!!!
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Two Rovers Explore Mars
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Discover the latest
news in the Mars Mission
Updates !
Photo courtesy of NASA |
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Opportunity finds evidence that
indicates Mars has a watery past. |
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Read archives of Week
in Review for Spirit and Opportunity. |
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Making Other Space Science News |
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Cassini-Huygens
reaches Saturn on July 1, 2004 after 2.2 billion-mile,
seven-year journey. View pictures of Saturn's
Rings! Follow mission discoveries to learn more about Saturn's rings,
moons and magnetosphere! |
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Transit
of Venus on June 8, 2004 |
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NASA
Launches Gravity Probe B on
April 20, 2004
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This mission
sends four gyroscopes into orbit around the earth to test the prediction of
Einstein's General Theory of Relativity of a phenomenon known as
"Frame Dragging". |
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Infusing
Space Science Into a Science Core Curriculum Through a Community of Scholars
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Text of
this page © 2002 The NASA/UNCF Project, Northeastern Illinois University.
Last updated July 2, 2004. |
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