NASA DNL Quarterly Technology Update

No matter how small

your project, the whole world could be watching and learning

live via the Web!

Lights! Camera! Action! Today is the day. You decided to try digital expansion (see the Spring 2016 issue). You picked the right platform to reach your audience (Summer 2016 issue). You also planned every detail of your presentation right down to your outfit (Fall 2016 issue). However, all of that planning now depends on you presenting to a live audience of dozens or hundreds of people. Public speaking makes most people nervous, but you can breathe easier once you know a few basic presenter strategies. Of course, the best thing to do is practice. Whether in front of a mirror or a DLN studio camera, rehearsal can help you avoid common pitfalls such as: • Saying “umm” or “uhh”

• Rushing to finish on time

• Forgetting your next step

In this issue, the DLN shares tips about how to make the best of your digital expansion event. • First, we provide two simple

ice breaker topics.

• Next, we share the secrets for a successful question and answer session.

• Then, we discuss body language.

• Lastly, we explore the process of tailoring your message to fit the needs of your audience.

Lights! Camera! Action! ... 1

Ice Breakers ...................... 1

Tough Questions .............. 2

Body Language ................. 3

Know Your Audience ........ 3

Contact Information .......... 4

Services ............................. 4

Ice Breakers The camera is rolling, and your audience is watching you with anticipation. What should you do or say first? There are many easy ways to warm up the audience. Here are just two simple ice breakers: • Ask an easy question like

“What is the full name for NASA?” or “Have humans been to Mars yet?”

• Tell a story about yourself, such as the moment when you first knew what you wanted to pursue as a career.

DLN Specialists David Alexander and Lisa Illowsky are happy to assist

DLN Specialist Michael Hare can bring the studio to you

Inside this Issue

DLN Specialist Rachel Power can connect you with an audience hundreds of miles away

http://www.nasa.gov/dln

The Digital Learning Network’s

Quarterly Technology

Update Winter 2016 Edition On the Air with the DLN

You will be great!

Winter 2016 – Page 2

Kids Ask Tough Questions

You can ask questions to students too!

Kids often know more about NASA than you might expect or they may realize. You should make sure to set aside time to occasionally ask your audience a few questions. Begin with ice breakers. Once warmed up, try to use open-ended questions rather than those that can be answered with a yes or no. The list below includes a number of good example questions that have been successfully used in a variety of presentations:

“Who might use <this technology you mentioned>

here on Earth?”

“What have you already heard about <topic of your

presentation>?”

“Where on Earth do you see something similar to <what it

is you study>?”

“When would <this scientific principle> apply?”

“Why might astronauts need someone who <does the

thing you do>?”

“How would you explain being a <your job> at NASA to a friend who isn’t here to

talk to me today?”

http://www.nasa.gov/dln

1. How do you go to the bathroom in space?

Short answer: very carefully. Longer answer: On the International Space Station (ISS), there are two restrooms that the astronauts can use. They utilize negative air flow or suction, similar to a vacuum cleaner, to draw solid waste to a compartment. The solid waste is compacted and vacuum sealed to prevent leaking and for odor control. It is then packed into a returning cargo craft and burns up in the atmosphere upon re-entry. The liquid waste is suctioned away in a separate hose that leads to purification machines on the station so that it can be recycled for use in other systems including heating/cooling systems as well as future clean drinking water.

2. Why isn’t Pluto a planet anymore? NASA still loves Pluto! It remains the same body orbiting the Sun, but improving technology has allowed NASA to realize that Pluto (and many other recently discovered objects) do not quite fit within the current classification for the major planets. In 2006, astronomers from all over the world got together at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to debate about how to categorize these new objects, one of which is even bigger than Pluto. After much discussion, the term “dwarf planet” was selected, and Pluto was shifted into this new classification. The IAU decided that planets do three things: 1) they orbit a star directly (which some asteroids do), 2) they are large enough and rotate fast enough to form a spherical shape (different than an asteroid), and “sweep” its orbit clear of other objects. Dwarf planets do not have enough mass to fulfill the sweeping requirement. Your DLN Specialist can play the JPL video “Space Shorts: What is a Dwarf Planet?” to further explain Pluto and the other dwarf planets.

3. Are aliens real? Wouldn't it be exciting to be the first person to discover life on another world? Scientists feel that it's possible that the explorer who will do this is in school right now. Scientists remind future explorers that the first alien life we discover will most likely not be slimy green creatures with giant eyes and antennae. Based on what we know about life on Earth, scientists hope to examine the atmospheres of distant planets for evidence of microbes and possibly other life forms. If asked about Mars, explain how data collected from the Curiosity rover indicates that Mars was possibly a habitable planet in the past with evidence of liquid water which we think is essential for life. However, we don’t yet have any evidence of life on Mars. For more general questions and to follow up the Mars question, discuss Kepler and the search for habitable or “Goldilocks” planets (not too hot, not too cold, just the right distance from their star). Considering the 100 billion stars in our galaxy and 100 billion galaxies, we’ve only just begun searching and have already found over 3000 planets orbiting other stars. It’s hard to imagine with so much to explore that there isn’t at least one other place in this vast universe where life might exist. You may even discuss the concept of life in general and the Drake Equation for estimating the odds of finding intelligent life.

4. Why is there no gravity in space? This is one of the biggest misconceptions for K-12 students. There is gravity in space. The Sun contains 99.8 percent of the mass of our entire solar system, and its gravitational attraction keeps all of the planets in orbit even though some of them are billions of miles away (Pluto avg. - 3.6 billion miles). Similarly, Earth’s gravity keeps the Moon in orbit. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) experience microgravity, which means they don’t individually feel the effects of gravity even though it influences them. Astronauts in orbit are traveling fast enough to not fall back to the Earth and slow enough not to fly away into deep space. Instead of falling toward Earth, they are essentially falling around our planet. Spacecraft, like the ISS, travel at a speed of about 17,500 miles per hour to maintain orbit around the Earth, so everything onboard is in a continuous state of freefall and floats. Gravity still exists for the spacecraft, or they would fly off into the solar system.

You may have earned an advanced degree or two and worked at NASA for twenty years, but kids will still ask questions that can catch you by surprise. Based upon our experience, below are the most common questions DLN presenters have been asked by students. We have also included brief age-appropriate sample answers to ensure that you are ready for anything.

Winter 2016 – Page 3 http://www.nasa.gov/dln

Body Language

Left: DLN Specialist Lindsey Jones working hard to make your presentation look easy

Right: Lindsey demonstrates how body

language can distract from your message

Nichelle Nichols knows that her audience always requires the Vulcan salute (Shades of Blue @ DLN)

Know Your Audience

Words are not the only tools for communication; body language can convey information too. Here are a few tips regarding what you may be saying with your body position and movements. Remember that the camera is the audience’s eyes, so look at the camera instead of the DLN Specialist. Maintaining eye contact with the camera displays confidence and shows that you are speaking directly to the audience. This is particularly important if you are being interviewed by someone. In the same way, make sure to smile at the camera as if you are having a conversation with a good friend. The students might be just as nervous as you, and a smile can put others at ease. In general, you should try to balance friendliness with professionalism. Do not slouch, but try to avoid being as stiff as a statue. Gestures while speaking are encouraged.

You may have written and memorized your presentation, but is it a good fit for your audience? Elementary students might have fun drawing the sun with crayons, but high school students could be displeased by a similar suggestion. Presenting “basic” information to a highly knowledgeable group of students can be disengaging. Conversely, using complicated terminology and formulas can overwhelm younger students or individuals lacking prior knowledge of the topic. Knowing the skill level of your audience allows you to adjust your speech and vocabulary accordingly to engage the students and keep them interested. Also, remember that students of any level might be confused by the acronyms used every day at NASA.

A good first step is to talk to your local DLN specialist who can provide details about the audience to whom you might be speaking. Is the audience familiar with your topic? What misconceptions might the audience have? If you will be connecting to a classroom, the DLN Specialist might be able to arrange a one-on-one session with the teacher before the main event. The teacher can tell you more about the specific students, the purpose of the event, and what the students will be doing before and after your presentation. At this time, you can also provide the teacher with a list of vocabulary words the students might need to know. Knowing your audience can make or break your presentation.

Winter 2016 – Page 4

Training Learn how to be an all-around better presenter

or practice with a specific technology

Videoconferencing Interact with up to three locations with

high-end dedicated hardware

Webconferencing Interact with up to 200 Internet-connected

locations at once

Webcasting Broadcast live video to the entire world!

NASA TV

Televise your latest breakthrough while letting the DLN handle the connection!

The entire DLN team is here to help you – we are just an email away! Bernice Alston – balston@paragon-tec.com Caryn Long (LaRC) – caryn.long@nasa.gov David Alexander (AFRC) – david.e.alexander@nasa.gov Kristy Brumfield (SSC) – kristy.m.brumfield@nasa.gov Lindsey Jones (GSFC) – lindsey.jones-1@nasa.gov Lisa Illowsky (ARC) – lisa.j.illowsky@nasa.gov Michael Hare (JSC) – michael.w.hare@nasa.gov Rachel Power (KSC) – rachel.b.power@nasa.gov Roger Storm (GRC) – roger.c.storm@nasa.gov Scott Anderson (MSFC) – scott.c.anderson@nasa.gov Sean Argyle – sfargyle@paragon-tec.com

Con

tact

Us

NASA’s Digital Learning Network provides a dependable service that can help you to create online experiences that are:

• Exceptional, • Engaging, and • Educationally Sound.

The DLN Specialist at your Center has the equipment and expertise necessary to make sure that your content will reach your audience with the high quality and professionalism expected of NASA. Our team makes things easy. Visit your local studio to find out how!

http://www.nasa.gov/dln

Types of Service

Right: A DLN studio complete with a green screen

Below: You are not alone. Stand on the shoulders of giants like DLN

Specialist Rachel Power