19. Goal 1 To increase student interest in STEM-related subjects Goal 2 To encourage students with an existing interest in STEM to pursue aerospace careers Goal 3 To increase public support for programs and exploration
54. Thank you for your time! Team Members Allison Lubarsky Bobby Abrams Clair Wenzel Deborah Fraser Dustin Harding Katie Cook Samantha Watson-Eisberg
Notas del editor
Allison Hi everyone, my name is Allison Lubarsky and we are the AstroMarketing team. We are very excited to present our campaign to you all and are going to start with a quick introduction video. We’ll continue with our plan directly after. Enjoy!*click*
Play Intro Movie*click*
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Katie*Click with start* The situation of the space program is not what it used to be in the old glory days of the space race. NASA is facing budgets cuts in these tough economic times, the Constellation program was cancelled and the retirement of the shuttle fleet at the end of the year. Along with this baby boomers are retiring and not enough students are majoring in STEM to take their places. *Click* - Speaker Pauses - This could be due to the fact that American students are also struggling in STEM education, with test scores below those of other developed countries. NASA is also competing with companies like Microsoft and Google for the best and brightest engineers. Even though the situation may seem bleak, we have a strategic plan to help restore faith in the space program as well as get American students back on track in STEM education. *Click*
BobbyIn addition to secondary research, members of the Astromarketing Team also conducted an online survey, a focus group and informal interviews at the KU engineering expo. *Click*
Bobby (cont.)The recurring themes from our primary and secondary research included the important influence parents have over their children's educational interests, *click*the need to engage children in fun hands-on learning activities, *click*the need for math and science education reforms, *click*and the public's failure to understand its self-interest in space exploration.*click**click*
DeborahAs part of our research, our team conducted a SWOT analysis of the current state of NASA. A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used to create a situation forecast as well as to monitor the internal and external factors that influence and inform decisions.*click*
Deborah (cont.)A SWOT analysis is comprised of four components: strengths, *click* weaknesses, *click* opportunities *click* and threats. *click**click*
Deborah (cont.) *click with start* Strengths are positive factors in the present that could aid the Coalition in achieving its mission. The strength of NASA’s history and success in technology advancements has created a solid reputation. The strength of U.S. STEM-related education programs has provided high-quality degrees for engineers, mathematicians, physicists and astronomers. *click*
Deborah (cont.)*click with start*Weaknesses are negative factors in the present that could inhibit the Coalitions ability to achieve its mission. Economic problems in the form of budget cuts and fewer resources create a challenge for NASA programs and public support. STEM inclined individuals are choosing not to pursue aerospace careers because of perceived difficulty. STEM educated foreign individuals return home after gaining a U.S. education in a STEM-related field.*click*
Deborah (cont.)*click with start*Opportunities are positive factors in the future that have the potential to aid the Coalition’s mission. “Green movement” advances could raise public awareness of NASA efforts and its support of NASA programs. The shift of resources to private sector companies increases potential for more resources, as these private companies have the ability to market. President Obama’s new Educate to Innovate campaign could increase the effectiveness of STEM education programs in schools.*click*
Deborah (cont.)*click with start* Threats are negative factors in the future that could potentially inhibit the Coalition from achieving its mission. The shift of resources to the private sector plays a dual role in this analysis, also posing a threat to NASA’s leadership in the space industry. The space shuttle’s retirement could jeopardize the U.S.’s leading position in international competition and forces the U.S. to partner with other countries for return visits to space stations. NASA’s lack of ability to recruit new engineers to replace retiring work force could worsen the state of the aerospace industry. *click*
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AllisonSo, after compiling all of our research, we recommend3 goals to help you achieve your mission.Those three goals are:To increase student interest in STEM related subjects *click*To encourage students with an existing interest in STEM to pursue aerospace careers *click*and, to increase public support for programs and exploration. *click**click*
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KatieThe plan revolves around the idea of making science fun again and includes messages such as STEMulate Your Mind – Celebrate science *click*…and the idea of what space has done for you. Meaning, getting people to think about the everyday items that touch their lives that came from space such as GPS systems and polarized sunglasses. *click* There is a certain stigma that science and math are hard *click*….and some students think it is impossible to succeed in STEM. The plan aims to increase awareness as well giving students different outlets to explore STEM. *click**click*
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BobbyGiven the target budget of one hundred thousand dollars, our plan calls for the frugal amount of 97 thousand and 417 dollars. *click* But, should the Coalition and friends see fit, we’ve also included several costly executions in a secondary budget totaling half a million dollars. *click**click*
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Bobby*click*Goal 1 consisted of figuring out how to create interest among students who are not interested in STEM subjects and our solution to this was to figure out how to get them interested and how to reach them. *click*
Bobby (cont.)*click* Our research indicated that American schools need to reform the way math and science is taught to students. *click*It also showed that parents played an influential role in shaping their children's educational interests.*click* Participants in our focus groups tended to share the belief that primary and secondary schools left them poorly prepared for their college curriculum. Despite comparatively high spending, the United States was falling behind its international competition in STEM education. *click* In 2006, students from the United States ranked in the bottom third of developed countries in science and math literacy.Luckily, the proper authorities have recognized this problem and are taking steps to address it, such as the upcoming Educate to Innovate the problem. And hopefully, we’ll be back on track shortly.*click* The respondents of our online survey showed that 79 percent agreed or strongly agreed that their parents influenced their interests in school. The survey data also indicated that parents have much more influence over student's educational decisions than their peers do. *click*
KatieThe Web site created, STEMulateYourMind.com, has a section for parents, students and teachers. *click* Many of the ideas in this plan are based around the use of the Web site. In the parent portion of the Web site there are tips and tricks for getting your kid involved in STEM activities. In the student section there are experiment videos and experiment how to’s . *click*In the section for teachers there will be lesson plan suggestions, experiment kids to order and information about STEMulate Your Mind Day, *click* an execution we’ll introduce momentarily. Our target audience for the parent section is parents of precollege age students; our hopes are that parents will influence their kids to pursue a STEM major. The Web site address will put on different advertisements and used in social media to direct parents, teachers and students to the Web site. *click*
AllisonWe spoke with the Parent Teacher Association, and we would like to suggest that the Coalition forms a strategic alliance with the PTA. *click*The Coalition’s focus on STEM topics in education would be featured in the PTA national newsletter, you would be able to have Coalition spokespeople interviewed on PTA podcasts, and additionally post links supporting your causes on the PTA website. As one of your goals for us was to increase interest in STEM among pre-college youth, the PTA is a reputable organization with a huge following that can help you distribute information better.*click*
DeborahLike Bobby mentioned, our research revealed that Internet use is extremely high among middle and high school age students, and that most regularly use Facebook. *click*We wanted to utilize this inexpensive outlet that allows for narrow targeting to create a greater awareness about STEM education and outlets. We suggest placing an advertisementon the social network site to promote resources for students interested in STEM. This is an example of such an ad.*click**click*
Deborah (cont.)We also came up with an idea to create a Flash-based game to be distributed via Facebook, *click*…which would engage students in a virtual game that incorporates STEM-related aspects and challenges students to use their learning. *click
AllisonThe idea behind this tactic came from our research which supported that hands-on-activities help to influence kids in STEM areas. *click*Teachers will have the option to order the kits for free from the STEMulateYourMind.com Web site. There will be enough materials for the teacher to perform the experiment one time in their middle school class rooms. There are also directions included so they can repeat the experiment if desired.- EXPERIMENT PERFORMANCE - *click*
KatieAnother suggestion we have is to use a spokesperson to make STEM subjects cool and relevant for middle school students. We know that you are currently negotiating with a secret celebrity, but if that person doesn’t market well to the middle school crowd, we have a few suggestions. Miranda Cosgrove from Disney’s iCarly is one, *click*…or Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman *click*…from Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters is the other. According to our research, both shows are popular with our target audience of middle schoolers. The spokesperson could be used in a variety of ways, such as in a Public Service Announcement, print advertisements, podcasts or interviews.*click*
Bobby*click*The second goal of our campaign was to encourage students who are already interested in STEM subjects to pursue aerospace industry careers. *click*
Bobby (cont.)We looked into fun activities that would develop useful skill sets for the future and keep students actively engaged.Our research showed that individuals who are going to be useful in space exploration have an inclination for hands-on, scientific problem solving and that they like to be the first ones to figure things out. *click*All members of the focus group had hands-on experience in a STEM related activity between 6th or 7th grade. *click*Hands-on programs are more likely to inspire the target audience to pursue a STEM career than television or any other medium. *click*Events such as the FIRST Lego League and school programs, as well as parental influence, are several ways to get the target audience involved. *click**click*
KatieThis tree poster represents the endless career possibilities that STEM can bring to students. *click*This poster is designed to hang in high school classrooms around the country. The goal of the poster is to show students of the importance of their STEM classes with a visual that is appealing to their age group. *click*
AllisonIn order to increase awareness of STEM related careers, we came up with an event for the Coalition to implement. Similar to the national “Read Across America Day”, we wanted to create a day where students could celebrate science annually and get them informed and interested about careers. *click*We created an information packet to send to school districts. *click*The packet includes information on how to get started on the event, sample activities for the event, posters to advertise and links to STEMulateYourMind.com for more information. *click*
DeborahOur team also suggests conducting videoconferences once or twice a semester between schools and an expert on space topics, such as one of your own board members. *click*A videoconference with an expert on space topics will provide an outlet for students interested in STEM to ask questions and receive information from a knowledgeable source and role model figure. This video chat could be live or prerecorded and later aired in schools.*click*
AllisonBecause our research showed the large influence parents have on their children’s interest in school, we suggest that you run a national Public Service Announcement. *click*This PSA would resemble the TV ads encouraging parents to talk to their kids about drugs. The call to action would be to encourage parents to talk to their children about science, technology, engineering and math, and how it is important to their futures. Clair and Dustin will now perform a read-through of the script we prepared.- PSA PERFORMANCE -*click*
Katie To encourage students to purse STEM majors there will be a competition to put back together a broken gadget such as a cell phone. *click*The first 50 students to send in their reassembled gadget will receive a $500 scholarship. The only catch is the students must use it on a STEM related major. This competition will be advised on the Web site, the space Coalition’s blog, in schools and also on Facebook. *click*
Bobby*click*The third and final goal of campaign was to increase public support for space programs and exploration. *click*
Bobby (cont.)Learning about how some of our everyday technology originated and learning about some of the technology currently being developed was found to be especially influential.The American public is generally supportive of space exploration, but they often fail to realize how it benefits them because the American people sometimes take technology for granted and our society.*click*According to research done by the Gallup Company, NASA's overall job performance rating is directly linked to the successes of its missions. *click*In 2007, a Gallup poll found that more than half of Americans had positive evaluations of NASA's overall performance. *click**click*
KatieWe would like to use the Coalition’s recently renovated website as a source of information for adults to go to for their space exploration news. In order to drive traffic to the website, we suggest that the Coalition considers sponsoring NPR’s All Things Considered. *click*It’s fairly inexpensive to do so, and you would have a 15 second spot multiple times a day to promote space exploration and your website. A sample spot would read something like…*click* ”This edition of All Things Considered is brought to you by The Coalition for Space Exploration. Information about the Coalition’s support of NASA and space-related programs can be found on their website, www.spacecoalition.com”. This will increase space awareness to NPR listeners around the country and especially in Washington D.C. where the Coalition needs legislative support. *click*
AllisonAnother idea we have is to run a print advertisement in a national publication. *click*Although to run a full page ad in a national magazine like Time is expensive, they quoted us at $300,000, we think the benefits of reaching such a large audience makes it something worth considering. Our sample print ad features commonly used products that are a result of space exploration and will encourage the reader to visit your Web site for more information.*click*
DeborahThe Coalition has already created Facebook groups and blogs designed to promote awareness of space happenings. We believe these tools are executed well and provide a strong foundation to further build from. *click*We suggest using the Coalition’s existing social media outlets to bring more resources to its audience by promoting the STEMulate.com website. This crossover between space and STEM will mean a larger crossover between those two topics in the minds of students, parents, teachers, and professionals who are currently interested in one side or the other.*click*
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Allison (cont.)In short, we’re doing this project to increase awareness of space exploration and get kids interested and involved in math and science. By using some of our tactics, *click* such as the teacher experiment kits, the public service announcement, underwriting of All Things Considered, and STEMulateYourMind.com, we hope we have given you some solid suggestions for achieving your mission. Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to work on this project. We’re proud of the end outcome and believe the result contains useful tools for the Coalition’s use, based on valuable student insight. We hope that you will be able to adopt some of our ideas so we can help a new generation of Americans *click* STEMulate their minds!
Allison Thank you everyone for listening to our presentation. At this time we would love to take any questions that you all have for us about our plan.