NSF Hands on Optics program launches in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA, July 9, 2004--Nearly 50 science teachers and additional volunteer experts from the Los Angeles area and around the country will gather at the University of Southern California July 9-11 for a training session to launch Hands On Optics (HOO). HOO is a three-year program that will create and sustain a national science education program for underrepresented middle school students.

After the instructor training, middle school students embark on a curriculum that will let them work "hands on" with lasers, kaleidoscopes and infrared beams.

HOO aims to actively engage students, their parents and their support communities by making the science of light relevant. According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. students are performing at or below the levels attained by students in other countries in the developed world. HOO volunteers will work to increase science and technology knowledge for students, especially underrepresented middle school students.

In addition, in international comparisons by NSF, U.S. student performance becomes increasingly weaker at higher grade levels and despite the improved performance overall, achievement gaps between various racial/ethnic subgroups persist and have shown no signs of narrowing since 1990. HOO will work to narrow the gap by providing opportunities for students to succeed in collaborative learning and problem solving through inquiry based, hands-on applications of optical and engineering skills and knowledge.