When I tell people I work in outreach, their response is generally, “What do you call outreach?” This is a sticky question with a lot of grey areas; one whose answer changes depending on our outreach audience and climate. It is much better to define the work my colleagues and I do in Cyberchase Outreach by the goals we set:

• Develop new and nurture existing partnerships
• Present interactive training sessions for formal and informal educators
• Support the STEM education goals of organizations and individuals that work with children
• Develop, organize and facilitate hands-on activities at children’s events
• Overall, extend the impact of Cyberchase educational resources and lessons nationally.

That last one sounds a lot like the last line on any job description – “and other duties as assigned” – a dubious statement that I prefer to shine in a more positive light as an open door to innovation.

2008 has been a pioneering year for Cyberchase Outreach as we found and acted upon new ways to meet our goals and expand the scope of our outreach. Some year-end highlights include:

• The launch of a new Outreach page online. We created this page in order to support our partners and place resources particular to their operations in an easily accessible space. This page will allow us to post specific information related to outreach news, events, resources and trainings.
• Designing new web based trainings through a partnership with the Educational Enterprise Zone at New York Institute of Technology. Through online trainings we intend to extend our reach without expanding our budgets. By using the open source software, Moodle, we will manage our trainings while creating a collaborative resource for partners and Cyberchase teacher consumers.
• Extending our collaborative efforts to new children’s and science museums and events including World Science Festival in NYC; Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ; and Minnetrista in Munice, ID.
• An increased acceptance to educational conferences nationwide including New Jersey Educational Association Conference, International Technology Education Association Conference and the National Conference on Science and Technology in Out of School Time.

The New Year brings more exciting opportunities to redefine Cyberchase Outreach from broadening our relationship with PBS through PBS Teacher Connect, to launching our web based trainings nationally to facilitating an informational summit with professors of pre-service and in-service teachers. Only a few days in and 2009 is already on its way to exceeding 2008!