The education element of the KidSat/Youth Enhancing Space Project

Affording a greater accessibility to technology is recognized as imperative to the education of tomorrow´s students. KidSat/Youth Enhancing Space Project uses a progressive approach to entice students´ curiosity. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to the implementation of KidSat/Youth Enhancing Space Project curriculum, students are involved in transferring their new knowledge to other disciplines, which facilitates their learning process. Defining features of KidSat/Youth Enhancing Space are its innovative method of promoting teacher and student ownership and collaborative relationships in development of a curriculum that is salient to the child; one that is diligently monitored by teachers for content and high standards. Students´ understanding of science, mathematics and technology concepts is enhanced by student involvement in project design and implementation and with teachers, scientists, and engineers serving as content advisors. This process not only enriches student learning, but also fosters teacher involvement in their own professional growth and development. The educational objectives for KidSat/Youth Enhancing Space are (1) to advance the learning of middle school students through the use of science, math, space technology, geography and other subject areas, (2) to develop an in infrastructure that will foster student intellectual exploration and discovery, and (3) to develop and implement teacher training institutes geared to achieving mastery of technology, subject knowledge, and the reasoning skills imparted to students