 of the National Education Standards and school curriculum were studied along with how existing NASA Web-based material might fit within this structure. The areas of study included school curriculum and existing NASA material.
Within the third phase of the needs assessment, the teaching and learning processes were investigated. The investigators reviewed the ways that instruction could be presented most effectively for the teacher and the student. Processes included best practices using the WWW in the classroom, teacher tutorials, and learning theories and teaching practices.
The purpose of the in-depth investigation of each of these eight areas was to identify which dimensions defined the area and further specify the critical factors for using the Web in the classroom. These dimensions and critical factors provided a structure for reporting the results found for each area.
The results of the needs assessment will be reported by the eight areas of investigation: Administrative Infrastructure, Technical Infrastructure, Teacher Factors, Curriculum, Existing NASA Material, Current Best Practices Using the WWW in the Classroom, Teacher Tutorials about the WWW, and Learning Theories and Teaching Practices.
Each area description includes an overall definition of the area, the investigation procedures, key dimensions, and conclusions. Each dimension was subdivided further by specific defining factors that made up that dimension. References and exemplary schools or Web sites which support the data are also provided.
The paper will conclude with a summary of the key trends identified that impact how, and more importantly, if the WWW would be used to support classroom instruction. Understanding each of these eight areas and their relationship to optimal WWW use in the classroom will ultimately aid in the development of instructional strategies and teacher training.
The need to understand the instructional role of the WWW is related not only to its potential power as a learning tool, but also to the fact that this medium is rapidly becoming an integral part of the global economy in which future generations will have to compete. We are obliged as teachers and developers to increase the scientific and technical literacy of the young to prepare them for the future.
The Pennsylvania State University and NASA Dryden Flight Research Center are working together to analyze, develop, implement, and evaluate instructional materials that enable teachers to use the World Wide Web (WWW) effectively for teaching science, mathematics, and technology. As part of the NASA Dryden Learning Technologies Project, the first phase in accomplishing this goal was to complete a needs assessment to determine how the WWW could be integrated into the classroom. A team of researchers conducted an analysis and needs assessment to identify K-12 teacher needs with regard to using the WWW for instruction and to identify the obstacles those teachers face in utilizing NASA's Learning Technologies products in the classroom.
The needs assessment was conducted in three phases. In the first phase, the school context was analyzed. The second phase consisted of a review of the science, math, and technology content. Phase three consisted of reviewing the processes of teaching and learning, which in combination with the results of the first two phases resulted in the development of strategies that exemplify the most meaningful ways the WWW can be used in the classroom. Eight factors along with their defining dimensions were analyzed by searching on- and offline references and resources, conducting on- and offline interviews with school personnel, attending conferences, and reviewing national statistics on technology use in schools.
The investigation about school context focused on areas that are critical to integrating and using computer technology to deliver instruction in an educational setting. These included administrative infrastructure, technology infrastructure, and teacher factors.
In the second phase of the assessment, school-appropriate science, math, and technolog