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LATEST SUBMISSIONS

Space the classroom of the future

Wednesday, August 15 at 12:00 AM

By Crystal Bloemen and Penny Glackman

Space is the ultimate classroom — a teacher-student paradise for discovery and learning. Barbara Morgan is experiencing this first-hand while spending time aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station as NASA’s “Educator Astronaut.”

For those of us who teach, Morgan’s accomplishment is an inspiration. She carries with her the aspirations of every teacher to open the minds of a new generation to the thrill of learning and discovery.

We believe America’s commitment to space exploration can inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists.

The Apollo program of the 1960s gave a huge boost to technical education and career opportunities, and changed our world dramatically in the process. America’s current space program — to complete assembly of the space station and develop the systems needed to support a return to the moon and future human missions to Mars — will open a new era of inspiration, innovation and discovery to power our nation and the world into the future.

In addition to her “classroom” duties, Morgan will be helping deploy a truss segment to support electrical power systems required to operate the space station’s science research laboratories. These labs will be used to conduct microgravity research for Earth-based applications, as well as science needed to meet America’s long-term space exploration goals.

While we don’t build spaceflight hardware or participate in breathtaking space walks, our labors in the classroom work hand-in- glove with NASA and its mission. Our students want education with relevance and practical meaning. They want to make the world a better place. Their imaginations know no bounds. Unfortunately, their interest in and mastery of math, science and engineering have waned; the implications for our role as a global leader and our competitive position in the world marketplace are perilous.

America’s space program by itself can’t fix this challenge, but it can help. Space exploration involves programs with real-world technical challenges that students and professionals can sink their teeth into. It creates high-tech jobs and career opportunities. It points a direction for the future, motivating our youth and all humanity to dream big and literally reach for the stars.

For our part, we see the benefits in our classrooms each and every day. We know the challenge of space travel excites our students, and gives meaning to the hard work of science and math studies.

Our hope is to see America follow through with this grand vision. It will take decades to achieve, and each step will result in new questions that call to be answered. Barbara Morgan — and all who teach — are opening another door for learning.

Space really is our classroom for the future.

Crystal Bloemen is a teacher at Webber Junior High School in Fort Collins. Penny Glackman is a teacher at Merion Elementary School in Merion, Pa. Both are board members of the Coalition for Space Exploration.

READER COMMENTS

Space is the only "school" that costs hundreds of millions of dollars to attend and where graduation means that you didn't burn to death on the way back home.

Putting teachers on space shuttle missions is like putting kindergartners on bombing runs over Iraq. There is no reason for it, and it unnecessarily puts them in harm's way.

Sure it's exciting and compelling to see astronauts in action. But is it really worth the risk to send teachers into space? What about tourists?

Every time that NASA tries to pretend that space travel is as safe as airline travel, another disaster happens. Remember Challenger and Columbia?

Right now, there is a chunk of ceramic insulation missing from the belly of the space shuttle Endeavour. Let's just hope and pray that we don't learn another sad "lesson" when it's time for the shuttle to come home.

Posted by Republican Guy on August 17, 2007 02:44 PM