Student Motivation; *Web Based Instruction IDENTIFIERS National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Problem-based learning (PBL) has great potential for inspiring K-12 learning. KaAMS (Kids as Airborne Mission Scientists), an example of PBL, was designed to help teachers inspire middle school students to learning science, math, technology, and geography. The children participate as scientists investigating environmental problems using NASA (National Aeronautics Space Administration) aeronautics and airborne remote sensing data. The general PBL process, characteristics, and impacts on science education and K-12 students served as the theoretical foundation for designing the Web-based KaAMS PBL lesson plans. The conceptual framework of KaAMS, including KaAMS the PBL model and general characteristics of KaAMS learning process emerged from this literature. Twelve lesson plans were developed and tested in the classroom. Formative evaluation results are presented. The paper concludes that through their high quality materials, NASA can make an impact on science in the classroom, which in combinatio