Research Experiences for Teachers
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR TEACHERS PROGRAM
MIT HAYSTACK OBSERVATORY
Westford, MA
MIT Haystack Observatory in Westford, MA, will host two local area high school science teachers during the Summer of 2008, under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. These teachers will work with staff scientists on a project using observational instruments and will receive hands-on experience in the field of radio astronomy and atmospheric science. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend weekly seminars focusing on various areas of research conducted at Haystack. The goal of the program is for the teachers to develop a unit of inquiry-based lesson plans for a particular high school level, based on their summer research internship.
Project for 2008: Evaluating the VSRT for use in the High School Classroom
MIT Haystack Observatory is developing a Very Small Radio Telescope (VSRT) system that uses small 18 inch-diameter direct broadcast antennas that have been modified to study the radio emission from nearby astronomical objects and to observe the ozone emission in the mesosphere. This VSRT system was developed as an educational tool to help students satisfy their natural curiosity about the universe and to help them learn about radio waves, the techniques of radio-wave detection, and the basics of interferometry. A major focus of the project is to evaluate the viability of the VSRT as an effective teaching tool in a high school classroom environment. The teachers selected for the 2008 RET program will work together to explore the scientific and technological aspects of these small, portable systems and to develop curriculum units that use the VSRTs in a classroom setting. Each teacher will be given a VSRT system to use in his/her own classroom to further evaluate the effectiveness of this unique scientific tool.
Following an introduction to Haystack Observatory's programs in radio astronomy, geodesy, and atmospheric science, the teachers will work together to learn to use the VSRT and begin to evaluate how it can best be used in a high school classroom. Working with MIT scientists at Haystack Observatory, the teachers will acquire sufficient background information to develop lesson plans at the requisite grade level for students in the classroom. The teachers will evaluate the VSRTs in both single antenna and interferometry modes, and assess the applicability of the antenna in each of these modes for a high school curriculum. The project uses principles of electromagnetic radiation detection, the wave nature of light and some basic antenna theory.
PROGRAM DETAILS
We plan to host two high school science teachers for seven to eight weeks during the summer of 2008 who will work at the research facilities at the MIT Haystack Observatory. The teachers will interact with staff and students, and learn about the research projects underway at each facility. They will attend the special seminar series and activities planned for students and teachers. As they begin their project, scientists will guide them to help them learn more about the subject. The specific details for this year's project have been provided above by the staff mentors.
The goal of the program is for the teachers to develop introductory lesson plans for a particular K-12 level based on their summer research internships. These plans can then be followed by teachers interested in using the VSRT for class activities. The lesson plans will be placed on the Haystack Web site and will be linked to a rich base of other research and educational materials on the Web site. Links will also be provided to other sites associated with Haystack's research disciplines and to educational materials relevant to the effort. This will simplify access to the materials by all teachers and students in the future. Haystack will encourage all interested teachers to take advantage of these materials and to apply them to their class activities prior to visits or interactions with our group.
During the summer, stipends of $1,000.00 per week will be paid to the participating teachers. Scheduling of time is somewhat flexible, but requires a joint starting date. While the project is in progress teachers will have the use of working space equipped with a personal computer connected to our network to allow observations, analysis of data, access to the Web, and development of the lesson plans. Opportunities are also available for the participants to report on their projects at selected professional meetings. Participation in this program requires a commitment from each teacher to integrate some part of this experience into his or her classroom activities.
A meeting will be held at Haystack Observatory on Wednesday, February 13, 2008, at 4:00 PM to provide more information and answer any questions related to this program. Attendance is encouraged but not required for participation in this program. Directions to the Observatory can be found on the Haystack Web site. Questions about the program can be e-mailed to info@haystack.mit.edu or addressed to Madeleine Needles at 781-981-5407.
Application deadline is February 29, 2008. All applications must include the following items:
- Letter of interest with professional background information about the teacher
- Resume
- Letter of reference from the head of the science department or the school principal that includes an expression of support for the inclusion of RET related experiences in the classroom
RET ProgramThe decision on teacher selection is expected to be made by March 15, 2008.
MIT Haystack Observatory
Off Rte. 40
Westford, MA 01886
OUTCOME
The results will be a series of inquiry-based lesson plans to be used as an introduction to the research discipline described above not only by the participating teacher but also by other teachers. These lesson plans will also be made available through the Web to all teachers as part of our expanding education program. Teachers are also encouraged to present the results of their experiences at professional forums such as the AAS or AGU meetings.
ABBREVIATED VITAE
The primary staff mentors and coordinators of the RET program at Haystack Observatory include the following key personnel. Summaries of
Philip Erickson.Ph.D. 1998, Cornell University. Research Scientist in Atmospheric Sciences Group, with emphasis on the study of light ions in the Earth's exosphere and on the design of experiments using incoherent scatter radar at Millstone Hill Observatory. Participant in Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Young Scholars programs.
Madeleine Needles. M.S. 1997, Simmons College; B.A. Education. Coordinator of pre-college outreach and teacher interactions. Information specialist, and materials and media services coordinator at Haystack and Millstone Hill Observatories. Coordinator of the RET program, participant in Young Scholars program and facilitator of REU student projects.
Preethi Pratap.Ph.D. 1990, University of Illinois. Education Officer, MIT Haystack Observatory. Co-PI for Undergraduate Educational Research Program. Research interests: Radio astronomical studies of star-formation processes. Educational interests: development of instructional materials in radio astronomy on the WWW, application of small radio telescopes for college and secondary school use, development of innovative research projects for undergraduates in radio astronomy. Organized and taught radio astronomy applied course at UMass, with emphasis on hands-on training projects using observational programs.
Alan E. E. Rogers.Ph.D. 1967, MIT. Former Asst. Director, MIT Haystack Observatory and Senior Research Scientist, MIT; (Currently retired and working as a MIT Research Affiliate) Member of the team that received the Rumford Prize in 1971 for the development of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI); Measured the abundance of Deuterium in the Galactic anticenter using the radio line at 327 MHz; Developer of the Small Radio Telescope (SRT) and the VSRT; Worked with industry to develop radio location systems for cellular phones; Current research interests include radio arrays and spectrometers specializing in the detection and measurement of weak radio astronomy signals.
781.981.5407 
