What is PSTI?
The Pre-Service Teacher Institute is a summer residential session for Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Middle School Education (K-8) majors preparing to teach in an elementary or middle school classroom. College students from diverse backgrounds will spend an exciting time at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, where they are exposed to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) enrichment activities for their classroom. Pre-service teachers are able to meet NASA personnel, and tour Johnson Space Center facilities while learning to incorporate NASA's cutting-edge research into STEM lesson plans for elementary and middle school students.
Important Dates
Program Dates:
- June 10-14, 2013 or
- June 24-28, 2013
Applications Must Be Postmarked By:
April 1, 2013
Program Objectives
- To model and promote the use of scientific inquiry
- To enhance pre-service elementary and intermediate school teachers' knowledge, skills, and strategies for teaching mathematics and science
- To promote enthusiasm and self-confidence for teaching science and mathematics for pre-service teachers of young children
- To provide pre-service teachers with a variety of alternative instructional strategies
- To provide pre-service teachers with an opportunity to use computers and other communication & education technologies
The PSTI institute is designed to increase your skills in the STEM areas. Pre-Service Teachers will practice teaching mathematics and science while incorporating technology into their STEM classroom curriculum. During the PSTI Institute, Pre-service Teachers will develop an e-portfolio (online collection of work) containing the resources shared during the program, daily journals, create lesson plans to use in your classroom at your grade level, develop a final power point and podcast presentation, and participate in online collaboration before, during and after the institute. Participants will present their e-portfolio, final power point and podcast presentation to the PSTI staff and guests at the close of the program.
Participant Benefits
If you are selected to attend the NASA JSC PSTI and complete the all work for PSTI, you will be given a PSTI participant support package.
The Institute provides a generous support package to include the following:
- $250 Stipend (for those who completely fulfill all requirements of the PSTI at JSC).
- Upon acceptance into the program, travel to Houston, TX is provided by the PSTI program. Participants who reside within a 300 mile radius of NASA Johnson Space Center (Houston, TX) are required to drive to the worksop and will receive mileage reimbursement. Air travel will be provided for participants who reside outside of the 300 mile radius.
- Hotel stay is covered by PSTI.
- Transportation to and from NASA and field trip sites is covered by PSTI.
- Complimentary breakfast and complimentary light dinner meal will be provided at hotel. The hotel is located near many restaurants. Participants will receive lunch during the Institute. Participants are responsible for their own meals on the weekends and any additional snacks during the PSTI Institute.
- Resource materials including binders, educator guides, and curriculum will be provided to participants at the workshop.
- Participants should have access to a personal wireless laptop computer and a digital camera for the institute.
General Contact Information:
Suzanne Foxworth
PSTI Coordinator
Phone: 281-483-7185
Email: jsc-psti@mail.nasa.gov
PSTI Academic Program
PSTI participants will learn about K-8 STEM resources aligned with the national education standards. The K-8 classroom activities are designed around NASA's projects, missions, research and discoveries. PSTI participants are responsible for adapting the STEM curriculum to fit individual grade levels and state requirements. PSTI participants will be divided groups to develop lesson plans to co-teach. Each PSTI participant group will be responsible for developing, presenting, and co-teaching a NASA STEM lesson to our group. In addition to creating a power point of the PSTI experience, participating in the online collaboration both before, during, and after the institute, participants will create and share their online portfolio, final power point presentation, and podcast presentation at the conclusion of the institute.
This will be an intensely exciting experience that should have a significant and long-lasting impact on your professional K-8 career in education.
For more information or questions, please contact Suzanne Foxworth at (281) 483-7185 or jsc-psti@mail.nasa.gov.