Inspiring the next generation of explorers.

NASA is on a quest. The space agency is attempting to develop a pedagogy of exploration by taking teachers to the ends of the earth. Last June, the space agency took seven middle school teachers to the barren Atacama Desert in Chile to immerse them in scientific exploration.

The mission served two purposes, says Spaceward Bound Co-Principal Investigator Liza Coe. The teachers learned about science and scientists by working with a team of scientists. Planetary experts, technologists and teachers worked together to conduct experiments about extreme environments and used robot rover technology to explore the region, which is similar to the moon and Mars. In addition, the educators provided feedback to help NASA develop a curriculum related to exploration of remote and extreme environments.

Other educators were invited to share the experience via Web casts and virtual field trips. This year, one of the participating teachers is extending the experience with regular distance learning teleconferences with NASA engineers. During the teleconferences engineers are helping middle school students design and build a robot.

Next March, the quest continues. NASA will take another group of middle school teachers to the Mojave Desert for a weeklong interdisciplinary science seminar.

www.quest.nasa.gov