Report from Headquarters
Space Foundation Expands CSU-Pueblo Partnership
Written by: developer
Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU-Pueblo) and the Space Foundation have signed an agreement that will provide significant benefits to the community and the University’s teacher education program, including distance education, internships, pre-service and in-service instruction as well as collaborative research and service opportunities.
Through the cooperative agreement, the two organizations plan to explore new and innovative approaches that will increase space awareness, enhance the quality of teaching at PreK-12 education levels, and increase effectiveness of education in Colorado and beyond.
“This agreement with CSU-Pueblo is another important step in our ongoing mission to train future generations of space professionals,” said Space Foundation Vice President — Education Iain Probert. “We must focus now on educating the people who will take leadership roles in our country’s future.”
An internationally recognized advocate for space and education, the Space Foundation offers a wide variety of programs focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Its flagship program is a series of graduate-level Space Across the Curriculum courses that provide PreK-12 educators nationwide with standards-based concepts, teaching tools and hands-on lessons ready for the classroom.
Through the CSU-Pueblo agreement, Space Foundation will deliver Space Across the Curriculum courses to pre-service and in-service teachers, as part of a program of continuous and extended exposure to field experiences that will help increase their effectiveness as they enter the field of teaching. The agreement also includes the establishment of short and long-term Space Foundation intern experiences for students enrolled at CSU-Pueblo.
The offerings will primarily focus on PreK-12 teachers who wish to improve their science teaching skills, become leaders in the field of science and space education, or learn more about applying contemporary science teaching strategies in their schools. As a result, CSU-Pueblo will create an emphasis on Space Studies both through the School of Education’s Master of Education and the Continuing Education programs.
The Space Foundation and CSU-Pueblo will establish cooperative research agendas, including short-term (within one year) and long-term (one to five years) research objectives that will result in submission of a variety of external funding requests. They also will develop collaborative service projects that may include, but are not limited to, teacher workshops and public outreach programs.
Pictured: CSU-Pueblo Interim President Dr. Julio Leon and Space Foundation CEO Elliot Pulham at Aug. 26 signing
This article is part of Space Watch: September 2011 (Volume: 10, Issue: 9).