Officials of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration vowed last week to move forward with the educational activities associated with its teacher in space project, including a possible nationwide telecast to schools.
Robert W. Brown, the director of NASA鈥檚 educational-affairs division, said a broadcast to schools would occur 鈥渋n the reasonably near future.鈥�
He added, however, that the details of such a program 鈥渉ave not yet been worked out.鈥�
The Public Broadcasting Service reported two weeks ago that NASA was planning a telecast to encourage use of the teacher guidebooks that it had prepared for the Challenger flight. The 16-page guides include short descriptions of the lessons that Sharon Christa McAuliffe was prepared to teach from space, as well as lessons designed to stimulate students鈥� higher order thinking skills.
Mr. Brown said that the agency may expand and modify the guidebooks鈥攎ore than a million of which have already been distributed to schools鈥攕o that they can be used 鈥渋n the absence of a flight.鈥� He also said the existing guidebooks may be used in conjunction with future shuttle missions.
NASA reported that it had received 鈥渨idespread support for the continuation of the program from teachers, students, the private sector and the general public.鈥� It also reported that the 103 teacher-in-space semifinalists, the so-called 鈥渟pace ambassadors,鈥� and the eight finalists have 鈥渞ededicated鈥� themselves to the role of motivating young people and promoting the educational goals of the program.
The agency also said it plans to 鈥渇urther develop partnerships in education鈥� that it had initiated with major education associations.
