Professors Ryan McCulloch (Mathematics), Nancy DeJarnette (Education) and Jani Pallis (Engineering) from the University of Bridgeport developed and facilitated a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) K-12 Engineering Design and Earth and Space Science Workshop that was held at the University of Hartford and the Discovery Museum and Planetarium in August. The workshop was funded by the NASA CTSGC and was offered to K-12 teachers throughout the state, with a primary focus on teachers who work in the cities of Bridgeport and Hartford. Teachers were provided professional development on the newly adopted NGSS as well as ways to incorporate engineering design into their science curriculum. Some topics/activities included: Navigating and Implementing the NGSS, Differences Between Science and Engineering, How to Craft Engineering Design Lessons, Building and Testing a Dust Sensor, Parachuting Onto Mars, Keeping our Astronauts Healthy: The Science and Math of Dose Response Curves, among others. The workshop curriculum will also be offered online through University of Bridgeport’s Global Learning Initiatives.
