Northrop Grumman will use the powers of Facebook and Twitter for its new middle school science and technology teacher program called Weightless Flights of Discovery. The use of Twitter and Facebook will aide teachers and students alike through continuous news updates and information sharing from the program, while creating an engaging forum that promotes science and technology in US schools.Posted content will include information such as application deadlines and details on upcoming flights and press releases. The social media sites also provide a space for intersting science, space and techology facts and statistics. Feedback and comments are encouraged, as well as the posting of photos and videos of teacher workshops, discussions of field-realated topics and the actual microgravity flights.
Northrop Grumman Foundation has partnered with Zero-G Corporation for the fourth year in a row to boost student interest in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiatives, the Weightless Flight of Discovery program is one of several. Selected teachers will work with their students on experiments that could be conducted in-flight through lunar gravity, martian gravity and weightless stimulants. Each teacher will have a full-day orientation program several weeks before their flights. After taking flight, teachers will share and post their thoughts and expereinces through Facebook and Twitter with photos and videos to share with other teachers and students.
