Through two complementary NASA-funded projects, the NISE Network will increase the capacity of informal educators to engage Hispanic communities across the United States in learning about NASA science through the use of culturally relevant bilingual Spanish-English materials based on NASA assets.
Project Description
The nationwide initiative will create resources and opportunities for Hispanic families to engage in authentic, culturally relevant Earth and space learning in community settings, creating a foundation for lifelong learning—and in some cases, studies and careers—in STEM. Working with NASA, the projects will co-develop and distribute a targeted suite of media-rich and hands-on learning materials with Hispanic families and subject matter experts that are specifically designed to showcase authentic NASA science, data, and personnel in a way that is culturally sustaining and supported by evidence-based practices in bilingual and bicultural STEM engagement.
Activities include:
- Co-creating with Hispanic community members culturally relevant, bilingual STEM engagement materials to connect Hispanic learners to authentic Earth and space science and NASA assets
- Disseminating and implementing resources to engage Hispanic communities through national networks and local partnerships
- Building capacity among educators and scientists to engage Hispanic communities and use a co-creation process by providing resources and professional development.
Geographic reach
- Regional Strategies
- The Engaging Hispanic Communities project will include intensive engagement at locations in US states that border Mexico to provide deep, sustained engagement with well-established Hispanic communities in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
- The Sparking Interest project leverages existing local partnerships in North Carolina to co-create culturally relevant STEM engagement materials.
- Nationwide Strategy
- The projects will support widespread engagement at hundreds of locations throughout the United States. The National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Network) will provide nationwide educator professional development for informal learning professionals and disseminate high-quality, co-created, bilingual STEM engagement materials that feature NASA missions, and discoveries.
Opportunities for NISE Network Partners
The NISE Network currently has a selection of relevant resources for engaging Hispanic and bilingual audiences
https://www.nisenet.org/spanish
Resources (coming in 2024-2025)
- Professional learning opportunities coming in 2024-2025
- Public engagement materials coming in 2025
A suite of culturally relevant bilingual Spanish-English materials based on NASA assets to engage Hispanic families in learning about NASA science.
Timeline
- 2023: planning and development
- 2024: continued development and evaluation
- 2025: distribution of public engagement materials and professional development
Project Partners
Project Leadership
- Engaging Hispanic Communities in Authentic NASA Science: Broadening Participation in Science Activation through Local Partnerships and National Networks (“Engaging Hispanic Communities”)
- Sparking Interest in STEM Among Hispanic Learners Nationwide Through Meaningful Connections to NASA Explorations and Discoveries (“Sparking Interest”)
Project Core Team & Advisors
- Garibay Group, Chicago, IL
- Museum of Science, Boston, MA (project evaluator)
- Catalyst Consulting Group, Durham NC (project evaluator)
- Durham, NC
- Museum of Life and Science, Durham, NC
- El Futuro, Durham, NC
- El Centro Hispano, Durham, NC
- Duke University, Ignite, Durham, NC
- Swift Creek Media, Raleigh, NC
- Tempe / Mesa / Phoenix Arizona
- Arizona State University, Center for Innovation in Informal STEM Learning, Tempe, AZ
- Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, AZ
- Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
- i.d.e.a. Museum, Mesa, AZ
- Texas
- Children's Museum of Houston, Houston, TX
- Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA), Houston, TX
- Children’s Museum of Brownsville, Brownsville, TX
- NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, AL
- NASA Langley Research Center, VA
- Children's Creativity Museum, San Francisco,CA
- Sciencenter, Ithaca,NY
- Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA
- Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
- Universidad Ana G. Méndez (UAGM), San Juan, PR
- Twin Cities Public TV, Saint Paul, MN
Network
- National Informal STEM Education Network partners across the United States
Funding acknowledgement:
Engaging Hispanic Communities
This material is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0122. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Sparking Interest
This material is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0100. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).