Web-Based Activity
Field Test Report
September 1999

 


The NASA Glenn Research Center Learning Technologies Project (Glenn LTP) is dedicated to supporting educational excellence in mathematics, science, and technology in grades K-12. A primary goal of the project is to research and assist in the development of supplementary educational materials. The Glenn LTP involves teachers in the development of the educational materials; teachers and students are involved in field tests. Evaluation forms provide feedback on the usefulness, quality, and appeal of the materials, along with recommendations for improvement.

During the months of June, July, and August 1998, the Glenn LTP co-sponsored three teacher professional development workshops to foster increased proficiency and use of computer technology within K-12 schools. Workshop participants created Web-based activities for K-12 classrooms using computer applications taught in the workshops. The 20 teachers created 70 Web-based activities for use with Glenn LTP educational products (FoilSim and the Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics) or to align with the history or missions of NASA Glenn Research Center. The activities can be accessed from the Glenn LTP home page at http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12.

During the 1998-99 school year, teachers who used the activities in their classrooms were asked to provide feedback via an online evaluation form or a printed form. In addition, students provided feedback via a printed form. The following report summarizes the feedback from 14 teacher and 49 student evaluations from the state of Ohio. It is separated into teacher feedback (overall average* of 4.5 on the activities evaluated) and student feedback (overall average* of 3.8 on the activities evaluated). The feedback is being incorporated into revisions of the activities.

A list of the teachers/schools participating in the field test is shown below. Several evaluations were submitted anonymously.


 

 Participating Teachers and Schools

Richard Shea

Rogers High School, Toledo, Ohio

James P. Rinella

Big Walnut High School, Sunbury, Ohio

Monroe Kennedy

Shaker Heights High School, Shaker Heights, Ohio

Sheri Zakarowsky

Richmond Heights High School, Richmond Heights, Ohio


After using the activities in your classes, please provide feedback by completing the evaluation form found at http://ehb2.gsfc.nasa.gov/edcats/centers/lltp_web.html. It is vital that teachers continue to offer suggestions for the improvement of the Web-based activities and other Glenn LTP educational materials.

This report was created and edited by Susan Martin-Vorndran, RSIS, and Ruth Petersen, Integral Systems.


Teacher Evaluations (14 responses)

Grade levels of students:

9-12

Number of students participating:

184

Total number of participants:

198


Average Rating*

Educational quality of activity:

4.9

Students' enjoyment of activity:

4.0

Correlation with standards:

4.9

Value of activity:

4.4

Type of instruction used:

Choice
Number of Responses

Individual at computer

3

Small group at computer

6

Other

2

Nothing selected

3


How you used the activity:

 

Choice
Number of Responses
  • Background Information
  • 2
  • Demonstrate NASA Materials
  • 3
  • Group Discussions
  • 0
  • Integration into Existing Curricula
  • 9
  • Lecture
  • 2
  • Team Activities
  • 8
  • Critical Thinking Activities
  • 6
  • Demonstration
  • 2
  • Hands-On Activities
  • 4
  • Interdisciplinary Activity
  • 0
  • Science and Mathematics Standards Integration
  • 6
  • Required Activity
  • 8
  • Voluntary Activity
  • 1
  • Other
  • 3

    How you learned about the activity:

    Choice
    Number of Responses
  • NASA Educator Resource Center
  • 0
  • NASA Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE)
  • 0
  • Institution/School System or Fellow Educator
  • 0
  • Workshop/Conference
  • 8
  • Other
  • 4


    Features of the activity you found particularly helpful:


    How to make the activity more effective:


    Additional comments:


    Student Evaluations (49 Responses)

    Grade Levels: 9th Grade Physical Science and12th Grade Physics


    Total Number of Responses
    Average Rating*

    Student enjoyment of activity:

    49
    3.6

    Educational quality of activity:

    49
    4.0

    How activity appealed to students:

    45
    3.7

    How the class used the activity:

    Choice
    No. of Responses
    • Demonstrate NASA Materials
    8
    • Group Discussion
    14
    • Lecture
    5
    • Demonstration
    6
    • Required Activity
    19
    • Hands-On Activities
    19
    • Team Activities
    11
    • Voluntary Activity
    6
    • Other
    6

    Type of instruction used:

    Choice
    No. of Responses
    • Individual at computer
    17
    • Small group at computer
    30
    • Whole class/one computer
    • No Response
    0

    2


    What students liked most about the activity:

    • Interesting and challenging topic
    • Change from usual class activity
    • Applying science and math to real life situations, such as the study of Aerodynamics and Motion.
    • Everything
    • Using computer simulation
    • Served as a review tool
    • Learning different approaches to a problem
    • Being involved with a hands-on activity
    • Working in groups
    • Graphics and sound
    • Learning about the different types of aircraft
    • It was fun
    • Working on the Internet
    • Students could work at own pace
    • Program provided assistance when needed
    • Designing a wing of an airplane
    • User friendly software
    • Presentation was easy to understand
    • Learning about how a large plane can create a vortex

     

    What students liked least about the activity:

    • Difficult problems
    • Length of activity
    • Nothing
    • The research
    • Working in groups
    • Working individually
    • Explanations of certain topics were not very clear
    • The math equations
    • Limited wing shapes
    • Weak visual aids regarding explanation of a vortex
    • Some of the diagrams could have been better

    Suggested changes to activities:

    • Make the information brief and more interesting for teenagers (colorful)
    • Prefer not to work in a group
    • Work in bigger groups
    • Would not change activity
    • Offer other experiments
    • Suggest museums to visit regarding material
    • Have fewer questions and more interaction
    • Make questions harder
    • Make questions easier
    • Add more "shape"options to airfoil view panel in FoilSim

    Comments:

    • Good learning experience
    • It was fun
    • Good activity

     


    *Average Rating is based on the following score:

    5=Excellent

    4=Good

    3=Average

    2=Poor

    1=Very Poor


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    Please send any comments to:
    Web Related: David.Mazza@grc.nasa.gov

    Responsible NASA Official: Kathleen.A.Zona@grc.nasa.gov