The participants will be chosen on the basis of their current activities. Thus, one effect of the workshops will be to redirect efforts from more piecemeal, one-shot activities, such as giving talks at schools, to activities that influence an entire school district, such as providing free consulting to a science education supervisor on the scientific content of education materials under consideration in the district. Also, this core of activists will communicate such information to the various elements of the space community through their professional and personal contacts.

We will develop a set of recommendations that will delineate specific steps that the space community as a whole can take to improve science education nationwide. We also recognize that this will only mark the beginning of a process by which we hope to mobilize the resources of our community and bring them to bear in an effective manner on this critical problem. In order to achieve our main goal, the workshop will draw upon the expertise and support of scientists and educators from selected elementary and secondary schools, science educators, and curriculum and material specialists.

Other specific goals of these NASA sponsored Workshops are:

• to increase the effectiveness of the education activities presently underway in the science and engineering communities
  
  
• to allow scientists and engineers who are active in K-12 education an opportunity for networking

In the Workshops, participants will be informed of:

• current trends in science education, such as developmentally appropriate, hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum materials and performance-based assessment
  
  
• the reality of elementary and secondary school systems
  
  
• national efforts in science education reform, such as the National Science Education Standards, the State Systemic Initiative Program, and Project 2061
  
  
• science education in an informal setting
  
  
• the roles they can play within their communities, affecting the way K-12 science is taught.

The Workshop fulfills these goals through discussions and activities led by presenters who are experts on topics such as the current state of pre-college science education, cognitive development in children, elements of an effective science education program, and effective collaboration with schools. Presenters are professionals from the education community, but will also consist of individuals from the scientific research and engineering communities.