The NASA RERC offers hands-on, professional development workshops for in-service teachers and pre-service students as well as university, informal and homeschool educators. The workshops demonstrate NASA instructional products related to STEM disciplines so that educators can easily infuse the support materials into classroom curricula. Workshop demonstrations also include educational technologies such as the NASA Portal and web sites, NASA Social Media, NASA Apps and the NASA Digital Learning Network. An additional focus for the workshops has been incorporating Literacy and Cultural Diversity into all topics. Also, emphasis has been placed on the concept of teaching via STEM and the collaborative efforts that are necessary to achieve a true STEM method of teaching. Moreover, the workshop demonstrations and activities show the application of subjects learned â as well as the correlation of the science and the math â and how the NASA resources support Georgia standards. The RERC has a close association with NASA specialists, scientists and engineers who often serve as resources for workshops and special events. The NASA RERC STEM Educator Workshop Series will be led by education specialists from NASA education training programs including the Georgia Space Grant Consortium, Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers (NEAT), Solar System Ambassadors, Solar System Exploration Project, Astrophysics Educator Ambassadors, and the NASA Digital Learning Network program and ORBIT Education Incorporated. Throughout the 2016-2017 Educator Workshop Series, teachers provided input on what other STEM related workshops they would like to see in the future. Based on the responses, workshops offered through the NASA RERC for 2017-2018 will include topics on the International Space Station, Space Launch Systems, Mathematics, Robotics, Earth Science, Social Studies, and Life Science, Biology, & Chemistry, Mars, Systems Engineering Design and Weather (to include global warming) all to be interrelated â and to continue incorporating Literacy and Cultural Diversity. Programs will be advertised state-wide. A proposal has been submitted to CASIS to purchase the International Space Station Virtual Tour (Mobile Display). If approved and installed by August, this will provide an innovative and cultural workshop as an interactive experience for the teachers.

The educator workshops and courses are offered to benefit a variety of grade levels and will offer stipends to teachers for participation and attendance. In addition to the stipend, take home materials and resources will also be given which can be immediately implemented in the educators classrooms benefiting a large number of students. Teachers are encouraged to share these resources with their colleagues. Educators earn a Certificate of Completion to help maintain Georgia teaching certification.