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EDUCATION - Professional Development
Teacher training is an essential element in the success of Cassini formal
education. To that end, Cassini Outreach supports and participates in
numerous training opportunities that will enhance community involvement, up-to-date teaching materials, participation, and scientific discovery. These opportunities include the Educator Resource Center (ERC) and other NASA sponsored workshops, as well as
workshops given at national and regional conferences such as the National Science Teacher Conference, (NSTA), or the NCTM, NASA's Office of Space Science networks. In addition, there are trainings at teacher in-service days as well as on-line sessions.
Another program is the Solar System Educators Program.
This program is highly effective in bringing scientific discovery to the classroom, at all grade levels. The main goal of the Solar System Educators Program (SSEP) is to inspire America's students, create learning opportunities, and enlighten inquisitive minds by engaging them in the Solar System exploration efforts conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). SSEP is a collaborative effort between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Space Explorers Inc. (SEI), and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC). However, the heart of the program is a large nationwide network of highly motivated educators. These Solar System Educators lead workshops around the country that show teachers how to successfully incorporate JPL materials into their classes.
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