NASA Teacher Workshop 2025

At this time all workshop spots are filled. No further registrants are being accepted. If you have already registered, we look forward to seeing you in June!

Join other Middle School STEM educators at Wichita State University for a three day workshop about light spectroscopy and AI Integration in lesson planning.

Where: Woolsey Hall Room 135, Wichita State University

When: June 3-5, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Parking

The parking space has been reserved for the NASA workshop. There will be 25 spots available in the Woolsey (Lot 41) parking lot from 8 am – 5pm each day of the workshop. A welcome sign will be placed near the parking area to help guide participants. No physical parking pass is needed.

Workshop Resources

You can find access to resources associated with the workshop here.

You can find instructions for the 3 minute teacher implementation presentation here.

Goals

This workshop is intended for middle school STEM teachers in the greater Wichita area. It aims to equip educators with the knowledge and resources to advance students' understanding of the light spectrum and light spectroscopy. Workshop sessions will achieve this aim through three primary focuses: 

1. Content knowledge: Teachers will learn about light spectroscopy and its applications using NASA educational resources with the help of faculty from the College of Engineering. These sessions will focus both on content and instructional methods, providing educators with the resources they need to provide classroom instruction.
2. Hands on activities: Workshop sessions will introduce educators to lessons plans and activities where students build a simple spectrograph, allowing hands on application of learning.
3. Lesson Planning: Faculty from the School of Education will explore the application of artificial intelligence to lesson planning, giving teachers a partner in curriculum development that cuts planning time and offers new ideas.

The anticipated outcomes of this workshop are as follows: 

• Outcome 1: Teachers will be able to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the fundamental concepts of stellar spectra and spectroscopy in space exploration. This will be measured by a knowledge assessment before and after the workshop.
• Outcome 2: Teachers should be able to adapt and use the new lesson plans, activities, and resources to enhance their instruction of stellar spectra and related concepts. This will be verified by observation of classroom activities.
• Outcome 3: Students will be able to show improved engagement and enthusiasm in learning about stellar spectra and spectroscopy. And students will be able to demonstrate improved knowledge and skills in astronomy and spectroscopy through assessments and projects. This will be measured by the pre- and post-tests in the classroom and classroom observation.
• Outcome 4: We will collect and analyze feedback from teachers and students to assess the effectiveness of the new content and identify areas for improvement. This feedback helps organizers refine future workshops and support materials.

Schedule*

*Exact session topics and names are subject to change.