NASA’s Universe of Learning is guided by NASA’s big questions for astrophysics and the needs of our audiences in the development of every product and program.  The project stems from a unique partnership between leading scientific organizations that are home to missions and subject matter experts spanning the full range of NASA Astrophysics scientific research. Through this partnership, the NASA’s Universe of Learning team is able to uniquely engage youth, families, and lifelong learners in the science, the story, and the adventure of NASA’s scientific explorations of the universe.

NASA’s Universe of Learning draws from discoveries, scientific data, and subject matter experts from across NASA’s Physics of the Cosmos, Cosmic Origins, and Exoplanet Exploration themes to create and disseminate STEM learning products, programs and professional development experiences that empower audiences to discover the universe for themselves.  Our initiatives have all been developed with the goal of advancing the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s STEM Activation objectives on a national scale:

• Enable STEM education
• Improve U.S. scientific literacy
• Advance national education goals
• Leverage efforts through partnerships

Our team carries out a wide range of activities. Over the lifetime of the program, we will:

1. Develop tools and participatory experiences that enable learners to explore NASA Astrophysics mission data
2. Create multimedia and immersive experiences from the data collected by NASA Astrophysics observatories
3. Design and implement exhibits and community programs to bring NASA Astrophysics to diverse audiences
4. Provide professional development using NASA Astrophysics for pre-service educators, undergraduate instructors, and informal educators
5. Produce resources for all learners including diverse audiences and special needs
6. Rigorously evaluate our work to ensure we are creating inspiring, high-quality programming for our audiences.

Scope

NASA Astrophysics is defined by fundamental questions about our universe and ourselves, organized under three themes:

Utilizing Scientist–Educator Partnerships

Scientists and educators work side-by-side to identify the aspects of astrophysics discoveries most relevant to STEM education and public understanding of science. Together they translate the content into resources and opportunities that respond to the needs of educators, youth, and life-long learners.

Exploring Emerging Technologies

We continually apply the most innovative technology to meet the needs of diverse learners in 21st century learning environments.

Employing Rigorous Evaluation

Utilizing external evaluators, the Universe of Learning evaluation includes:

1. Needs assessments
2. Educational field-testing and observation
3. Feedback via surveys and interviews
4. Monitoring usage trends
5. Impact studies

As a member of the NASA STEM Activation Team, the NASA’s Universe of Learning project is funded by and contributes to the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s broader goal of enabling NASA science experts and content into informal learning environments more effectively and efficiently, with learners of all ages. This includes collaborating with NASA subject matter experts to integrate compelling content from across NASA Astrophysics in innovative learning experiences. Providing direct access to this expertise enhances NASA’s ability to support national and local goals to improve learning and literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. 

The Science Mission Directorate is focused on the scientific exploration of the Earth, Sun, Solar System, and universe beyond that is enabled by access to space.  The SMD gathers input from the scientific community to chart the best route for discovery, and it reaps the benefits of Earth and space exploration for society.