WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and WGBH, the Boston-based public broadcaster, today announced a new initiative designed to help support educators' classroom adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The initiative – Teaching NGSS Engineering Design Through Media – aims to provide teachers with the resources they need to bring engineering to life for K-12 students.

The Next Generation Science Standards raise engineering design to the same level as science in the classroom, fully integrating technology, engineering and mathematics into science education across all grades.

"Implementation of NGSS will challenge educators to introduce new concepts and practices into their teaching," said Mary Haggerty, director of Media Engagement at WGBH. "At the classroom level, educators have indicated they need guidance on how to integrate these standards into their teaching. We are thrilled to partner with Raytheon to provide teachers with the resources and support they need to cultivate an understanding of engineering in their students."

Teaching NGSS Engineering Design Through Media will help fuel transition to the new standards and inform administrators and teachers as they develop new frameworks for teaching science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) over the coming school year.

Through the use of proven WGBH programming – like Design Squad, FETCH! With Ruff Ruffman and NOVA scienceNOW  – teachers will have the resources needed to engage students and show them that engineers are professionals who develop creative and practical solutions – that they invent, design and create things that matter. The resources will be available through PBS LearningMedia, a free, on-demand digital media service for educators and students. To date, 1.2 million educators have registered access to the service.

As part of the initiative, three webinars – for elementary, middle school and high school teachers – will be offered in January 2014 to provide an overview of the Next Generation Science Standards as they relate to engineering. The Museum of Science, Boston will join WGBH for the elementary grades webinar, sharing resources from two of their programs: Engineering is Elementary^® and Engineering Adventures. These resources will also be featured as part of the collection available on PBS LearningMedia later this year.

"Raytheon is committed to cultivating the next generation of engineers," said Pamela Erickson, Raytheon's vice president of Corporate Affairs. "We look forward to working with WGBH to bring these important professional development resources to teachers nationwide through the highly respected PBS LearningMedia brand." 

WGBH is regarded as an important leader in educational content production. In 2002, WGBH launched Teachers' Domain, which served as a foundation for PBS LearningMedia. WGBH also serves as Massachusetts' digital media partner on two ambitious federally supported Race to the Top initiatives aimed at reshaping learning for the 21st century.

About WGBH
WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Arthur, Curious George and more than a dozen other prime-time, lifestyle, and children's series, reaching nearly 75 million people each month. WGBH also is a major supplier of programming for public radio, and oversees Public Radio International (PRI). As a leader in educational multimedia for the classroom, WGBH partnered with PBS to create PBS LearningMedia, an on-demand media service for educators and students. WGBH also is a pioneer in technologies and services that make media accessible to those with hearing or visual impairments. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at www.wgbh.org.

About MathMovesU
Raytheon's MathMovesU^® program is an initiative committed to increasing middle and elementary school students' interest in math and science education by engaging them in hands-on, interactive activities. The innovative programs of MathMovesU include the traveling interactive experience MathAlive!^®; Raytheon's Sum of all Thrills™ experience at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot^®, which showcases math in action as students design and experience their own thrill ride using math fundamentals; the "In the Numbers" game, a partnership with the New England Patriots on display at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon; the company's ongoing sponsorship of the MATHCOUNTS^® National Competition; and the MathMovesU scholarship and grant program. Follow MathMovesU and other Raytheon community outreach programs on Facebook and on Twitter @MathMovesU.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2012 sales of $24 billion and 68,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 91 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems; as well as a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

Raytheon Company
Global Headquarters
Waltham, Mass.

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SOURCE Raytheon Company