November 14, 2020
About
Classroom to the Sky: STEMinar 2020 brings passionate educators from around the world to share research-based teaching strategies, undergraduate and graduate research in the areas of STEM and/or aerospace, as well as addressing issues currently affecting the STEM education community for K-12 educators. It is our hope that by transitioning Classroom to the Sky to a virtual one-day STEM learning event, we will have the opportunity to reach a global audience of educators and provide them with the tools and knowledge needed to incorporate STEM learning in their classrooms.
*Polk County Public School Teachers can receive in-service points available through the Science Department.
Classroom to the Sky: STEMinar 2020 Schedule
| 12:00 - 12:10 | Welcome Message |
| 12:10 - 12:40 | Keynote Speaker |
| 12:40 - 1:40 | Panel |
| 1:40 - 2:00 | Networking Break |
| 2:00 - 2:50 | Sessions A - D |
| 2:50 - 3:00 | Networking Break |
| 3:00 - 3:50 | Sessions E - H |
| 3:50 - 4:00 | Networking Break |
| 4:00 - 4:50 | Sessions I - L |
| 4:50 - 5:00 | Networking Break |
| 5:00 - 5:50 | Sessions M - O |
| 5:50 - 6:00 | Networking Break |
| 6:00 - 6:30 | Keynote Speaker |
| 6:30 - 6:40 | Thank you/Wrap-Up |
KeyNote Speaker
Dr. Barbara Gruber
Assistant Director of Education Programs
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Barbara Gruber, PhD CETL, is the Assistant Director of Education, School Programs at the National Air and Space Museum. Her programs focus on student and educator experiences with the Museum.
Before joining the Museum, she served as the Loudoun County Public Schools' Aerospace Educator in residence, a position at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center from 2015 to2017. She worked for Loudoun County Public schools starting in 2000 as the technology resource teacher at Farmwell Station Middle School and had served as a chemistry teacher at Freedom High School, a staff development trainer for Technology Resource Services, the technology resource specialist for Technology Resource Services, and an administrative intern at Moorefield Station Elementary School.
Barb holds a PhD in Education with an emphasis in Instructional Technology and Educational Policy from George Mason University, a Masters in Education in Administration and Leadership from The University of Phoenix, a Masters in Education in Educational Technology from San Diego State University, and a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry Education from California University of Pennsylvania.
She holds a Virginia Postgraduate Professional License in chemistry, administration, and supervision preK-12. She holds a student pilot certificate and flies a 1957 Cessna Skyhawk. She is a Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) from The Consortium of School Networks (CoSN) and was named by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) as a "20 to Watch" Educational Technology Leader in 2014.
KeyNote Speaker
Dr. Samuel Garcia Jr.
Educator Professional Development Specialist, Kennedy Space Center & Assistant Professor of Practice, LBJ Institute for Education and Research at Texas State University
Dr. Samuel García Jr. serves as an Educator Professional Development Specialist at Kennedy Space Center and Assistant Professor of Practice for the LBJ Institute for Education and Research at Texas State University. Prior to his position at Kennedy Space Center, Dr. García worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. As an education specialist, Dr. García works to help develop STEM educational mindsets, tools, and resources for teachers to implement in their classrooms that respond to diverse student needs and increase diversity in STEM fields. He also works with faculty serving in Minority Serving Institutions (MSI’s) in developing STEM educational tools and resources for teachers to implement in their classrooms. Prior to working in higher education, Dr. García served as secondary school educator in Rio Grande Valley in Texas for seven years. Dr. García’s research agenda is geared towards community and educational change by creating healthy, equitable, and culturally responsive STEM learning experiences for traditionally underserved populations. Dr. García earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas Río Grande Valley, formerly University of Texas Pan American and holds a doctorate degree in School Improvement from Texas State University.
Panel
Jayme Jamison
Florida Air Museum Manager
Jayme Jamison is the Museum Manager and has been with the Florida Air Museum for three years. She previously served as the Curator of Education and Programming at the Polk County History Center and served as a classroom teacher for 7 years prior. In 2018 Jayme was recognized as the Outstanding New Professional of the year by the Florida Association of Museums. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science Education from the University of Central Florid and a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies from the University of Oklahoma. While not a pilot herself, Jayme grew up around a great variety of military aircraft and enjoys when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels make it out for the Annual SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, the primary fundraiser for the Florida Air Museum.
Steve Cochran
Polk County Public Schools Senior Director for Workforce Education and Multiple Pathways
Steven Cochran graduated from the University of Florida in December 1991 and began work on his master's degree in special education in January 1992. In August 1992 he began teaching for Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) at Crystal Lake Middle School in Lakeland Florida as a teacher for students with disabilities. In 1994, Mr. Cochran provided special education services to students who were incarcerated in Department of Juvenile Justice facilities. In 1996 he was selected to supervise a grant funded program called the Violence Intervention Program or VIP. The purpose of this program was to offer in alternatives for students who were suspended from school for fighting. During the 1997 – 1998 school year Mr. Cochran was deployed to Bosnia, part of the former Yugoslavia for peacekeeping operations. Upon his return he was selected as the lead teacher of the Polk County Sheriff's Boot Camp until July 2001. He continued to work in alternative education/DJJ programs in various leadership positions which cumulated in him being named Senior Coordinator for the department in 2004. In 2005 and 2006, Mr. Cochran was deployed again as an instructor at the military police school in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. When Mr. Cochran returned, he continued to serve in his role as Senior coordinator Intel he was named assistant director at Ridge Technical College in Winter Haven Florida. In 2012, he was asked to transfer to Summerlin Academy to be the Commandant of the military- style school. After completing PCPS principal preparation program he was designated as a principal but retained the title of Commandant because of the military structure of the school. In 2014 Mr. Cochran retired from military after serving 24 years. In 2018 Mr. Cochran was asked to serve as the acting PCPS Senior Dir. for workforce education and multiple pathways. The acting was removed from Mr. Cochran's title in 2019. Mr. Cochran is a board member of Polk County's Career Source, the Florida Career Pathways Network and the National Career Academy Coalition. Mr. Cochran has been married to his wife Melissa for 28 years and has two children, Max and Kelsey.
Ed Young
Executive Director of Aerospace Center for Excellence and Kansas State University and Southeastern University Professor
Ed Young has 30 years of public service experience, including leadership positions in city, county, and state government. Young served as the director of aviation for the State of Kansas. He has been a professor of aviation law, environmental planning, conflict resolution, finance, public administration, and history at various institution including Kansas State Poly and Southeastern University. Mr. Young received a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Administration, and Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas; a Certificate in Risk and Safety Management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a commercial pilot/Flight Instructor – Instruments/Multi-Engine and an Unmanned Aerial System pilot. He has received the following awards and recognitions; Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame, class of 2019; AUVSI National Award (2019); ACEC National Engineering Honors Award (2012, 2019); AASHTO President’s Award for Aviation; NASAO Outstanding State Program Award; Center for Aviation Research and Education Outreach Award; KPWA Efficiency and Effectiveness Award; and multiple NACO county leadership program awards.
Jennifer Sasser
Director of the Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA)
For over 23 years Jennifer Sasser has served as an educator in Polk County. She joins the Central Florida Aerospace Academy as the Director this year after holding a variety of instructional and leadership positions. She is dedicated to promoting career and technical opportunities for current and future students. She is a member of Women in Aviation International and Florida Association of School Based Administrators. She holds a Master’s degree from Southeastern University and resides in Lakeland with her husband. She is a true Florida girl; enjoying outdoor activities like fishing, hunting and spending time on the water.
Eric Crump
Polk State Aerospace Program Director
Eric Crump is the Aerospace Program Director for Polk State College in Lakeland, Florida. He also serves as Business Principal for Red Eye Aviation, an aviation training consultancy. Eric began flight training at 13 as a ploy by his parents to encourage him to buckle down and take school seriously. It worked. Eric is a long-time flight and classroom instructor who is passionate about aviation safety and the importance of preparing and inspiring the next generation to take on the aviation industry.
Presentations
More than Amelia: Incorporating Female Aviators in History Curriculum
Presenter: Jayme Jamison
Museum Manager, Florida Air Museum
Grade Level Alignment: Middle/High School
More than Amelia : Incorporating Female Aviators in History Curriculum
As with any other topic in history, women have paved a pioneering path from the earliest flying exploits to todays far reaching space exploration. From Aeronauts to Astronauts and all the engineers and mathematicians in between. Join along as we look at select stories and explore utilizing primary resources to create lasting learning opportunities in your classroom.
how veggies
are grown on the International Space Station
Presenter: Ed Rosenthal
Space Technology Hall of Fame
Founder and Chairman of Florikan ESA LLC
How veggies
are grown on the International Space Station
How veggies are grown in space on the ISS with Florikan Controlled Release Fertilizer which is a NASA Spinoff Technology.
Florikan Controlled Release Fertilizer is a Space Technology certified product, which is used by Space Plant Biology on the ISS to grow veggies and in the Advanced Plant Habitat.
NOAA Weather - Science for Safety; Aviation Edition
Presenters: Amanda Martin, Senior Aviation Meteorologist at NOAA Aviation Weather Center and Richard Henning, Flight Director at NOAA Aircraft Operations Center
NOAA Weather - Science for Safety: Aviation Edition
How's the weather up there? This is a key question for any pilot or passenger in an aircraft. Learn about the science meteorologists at NOAA's Aviation Weather Center use to make forecasts and communicate conditions to keep commercial flights and general aviators safe. What about those on the ground? Find out how meteorologists aboard NOAA Hurricane Hunters help our aircraft safely fly through hurricanes and winter storms to collect the data forecasters need to help those in harm's way protect lives and property. Links to NOAA education resources on weather, aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, as well as information on student opportunities and NOAA career paths will be provided.
Strategies to Improve Retention of Minority Women in Aviation Higher Education
Presenter: Dr. Jorge Albelo
Assistant Professor of Aeronautical Science
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Grade-Level Alignment: Post-Secondary and Administration
Strategies to Improve Retention of Minority Women in Aviation Higher Education
This training session is a two-part presentation. Two qualitative research findings will be discussed, followed by a practical application discussion on possible strategies to improve minority women's retention in aviation degrees. The objectives are: (1) to raise awareness for equality of race and gender in aviation higher education institutions; (2) explore the needs and wants that could lead to academic success for minority women; (3) reaffirm the importance of faculty's academic support to first-year female students. |
High Altitude Weather Balloons
Presenter: Richele Floyd
Aerospace Center for Excellence
Scholarship Director
Grade Level Alignment: Middle School
High Altitude Weather Balloons
You and your students can do it! Learn the proper procedures and suggested design tips to collect data from a “near-space” environment. This is a fun and
unique way to teach your students about the layers of the atmosphere, weather, air pressure, velocity, and so much more.
Creating a Postitive Learning Environment in STEM Courses
Presenter: Amy Rutledge
Professor of Aerospace Studies
Polk State College
Grade Level Alignment: 3rd - Post-Secondary
Creating a Positive Learning Enviornment in STEM Courses
Neuroscientific research demonstrates that a positive learning environment is essential for long-term retention among students. Unfortunately, research also indicates that students tend to experience higher stress and anxiety levels while taking STEM courses. This session will provide practical researched-backed methods for creating positive learning environments for both in-person and online STEM classrooms.
From the Ground Up: A How to Guide to Starting an Aerospace Program at Your School
Presenter: Brian Hughes
Winter Haven High School
Aerospace Teacher
Grade Level Alignment: High School / Aviation Clubs
From the Ground Up: A How to Guide to Starting an Aerospace Program at Your School
Interested in Starting an Aerospace Program at Your School? Don’t know where to start? This breakout session will give you ideas on how to approach your administration with the idea, where to locate a curriculum, how to start a flying club, how to connect with industry partners, and much more! Join me for a step by step guide to navigating the process of creating amazing aerospace opportunities at your school.
Bringing NASA into the Classroom: NASA NEXT GEN STEM
Presenter: Dr. Samuel Garcia Jr.
Educator Professional Development Specialist
Kennedy Space Center
Assistant Professor of Practice for the LBJ Institute for Education and Research at Texas State University
Grade-Level Alignment: KG - 12th Grade
Bringing NASA into the Classroom: NASA NEXT GEN STEM
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement executed a series of efforts to develop STEM products and opportunities that provide a platform for students to contribute to NASA’s endeavors in exploration and discovery. In this session, participants will explore NASA mission-driven activities and opportunities to engage students in authentic STEM experiences that serve to enhance STEM literacy and help build a vibrant and diverse next generation STEM workforce.
Making Field Trips Virtual – Collaborative School Program Development at the National Air & Space Museum
Presenters: Nichole Thomas & Laura Blanton
Aerospace Educator & HOLT Scholar Program Coordinator with the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum and Loudon County Public Schools
Grade Level Alignment: 3rd – 12th
Making Field Trips Virtual – Collaborative School Program Development at the National Air & Space Museum
What do field trips look like when students can’t physically visit museums during the COVID-19 global pandemic? How can museums foster and support learning during virtual and hybrid learning this fall? Guided by these driving questions, the school programs team at the National Air & Space Museum is pivoting from our hands-on approach to learning on site at our museums at the National Mall and the Steven F. Udvar- Hazy Center to consider how to leverage our platform to support school learning within a digital environment. |
Flight Simulation in the Classroom
Presenter: Paul Duty
Gleim Aviation
Chief Instructor and Aviation Product Manager
Grade Level Alignment: 9th – Secondary and Administration
Flight Simulation in the Classroom
This presentation explains how to successfully integrate flight simulation into STEM education programs. The case for aviation education will be made with a discussion of the abundant aviation opportunities and an industry outlook. We will explain how simulators are used to reduce costs, increase safety, and make flight training more productive. You will learn how flight simulation benefits education, how to integrate simulation into your curriculum, and how to build an economical and highly effective flight simulator. |
Space Communications and Navigation: Without Us, It's all Just Space Junk
Presenter: Dawn Brooks
HEOMD/Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN)
NASA Headquarters
Program Planning Specialist
Space Communications and Navigation: Without Us, It's all Just Space Junk
Science of the Suit
Presenter: Jessica Strauss
Hillsborough County Math and Science Teacher
Space Educator Expedition Crew (SEEC Crew)
straussjessica.wixsite.com/teachingspace
Grade-Level Alignment: 3rd - 8th grade
Science of the Suit
A spacesuit is much more than just clothing an astronaut wears to do spacewalks. It is a life-sustaining spacecraft! Deemed an Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU, spacesuits protect against the harsh environment of space. NASA crew support are tasked with designing a suit that ensures astronauts are protected from the extremes of microgravity, solar radiation, space debris, fluctuating temperatures, and the vacuum of space all while enabling astronauts to still have the freedom to move and do repairs on the ISS.
In this session, participants will learn about hands-on investigations to do with students to understand the science behind this extreme environment, the effects it has on the body, and how this shapes the design of life-sustaining space suits.
Exploring the impact of early exposure to research on dual enrollment students post-secondary
Presenter: Samantha Bowyer-Harrison
Assistant Professor of Aeronautical Science
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach Campus
Grade Level Alignment: Post-Secondary
Exploring the impact of early exposure to research on dual enrollment students post-secondary
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) provides a concurrent enrollment model to high schools across the United States. The concurrent enrollment opportunity offers science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) college-credit coursework taught by college-credentialed instructors on the student’s high school campus. This presentation explores the affect this opportunity had on individual members of this tight-knit cohort as they progressed through their concurrent enrollment and undergraduate studies, the role of a long-standing mentoring relationship, and their post-graduation decision-making. The research showcases project-based learning as a scaffolding technique for meaningful undergraduate research and how it may illuminate a pathway for students who do not initially see STEM as a viable option.
Demystifying Dual Enrollment in Aviation Programs
Presenter: Eric Crump
Aerospace Program Director
Polk State College
Demystifying Dual Enrollment in Aviation Programs
Dual enrollment is an awesome opportunity for high schools and students. It provides a great head start for students who are college bound after graduation while also offering free or low-cost tuition as well. Many administrators, teachers, and students are interested in dual enrollment opportunities but may not know where to start, especially with a niche industry like aviation/aerospace. This presentation seeks to demystify process of establishing and managing a dual enrollment program.
Genders Role in the Use of Coping Mechanisms in STEM Courses
Presenter: Dr. Anne Lucietto
Assistant Professor
Purdue University/School of Engineering Technology
Grade-Level Alignment: 10th – Post Secondary and Administration
Genders Role in the Use of Coping Mechanisms in STEM Courses
STEM education is defined differently by nearly everyone. This may be attributed to the examination of the topic through a multitude of lenses. While a great deal of my examination of the topic is focused on engineering and engineering technology students, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the role gender plays in STEM education. We have investigated how math anxiety impacts female students and how they compensate for any inhibitions using intuition or other coping mechanisms. Students were queried regarding how they feel in STEM courses, but in general, they were not in the majority. Those responses lead to student understanding and perception of their world and problems presented to them at work, home, and recreational activities. These issues will be discussed and shared for the student majority with a specific look at how gender plays a role in the use of intuition as a coping strategy for these feelings and general lower self-confidence. |
For the past six years, we have looked forward to inviting educators across the country to the Aerospace Center for Excellence for Classroom to the Sky. However, with an abundance of caution due to COVID-19, we have made the difficult decision to transition our beloved Classroom to the Sky to a virtual platform. We look forward to welcoming everyone back next year for Classroom to the Sky taking place in our 22,000 square foot expansion of the Florida Air Museum consisting of five large convertible classrooms including a holographic room, 3D printers, planetarium, and more.
