14 DAY TRIAL // NASA has released a new educational app for iPhone and iPad using an air traffic control theme to challenge students to use basic math and problem-solving skills.
Sector 33 is based on Smart Skies Line Up With Math, an educational app developed under the direction of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
Players jump into the shoes of the lead air traffic controller for Sector 33. They must merge the arriving planes into a single traffic stream as they pass over Modesto, CA on the western edge of their sector.
Players must safely reach certain spots in the sky in the fastest time possible while keeping the planes a specific distance from each other. To do so, they are required to adjust the planes' path and speed constantly.
The app arrives as an add-on to NASA Office of Education's mission to engage students in science-related activities, which involve engineering and mathematics.
"Our hope is that Sector 33 will give students a sense of the importance of math in managing our nation's air traffic and, at the same time, interest them in pursuing a career in aeronautics," said Jaiwon Shin, NASA's associate administrator for aeronautics research in Washington.
Leland Melvin, NASA's associate administrator for education, added:"Today's students respond positively to experiential learning. Using an interactive game to spark their interest, while at the same time teaching them fundamental math concepts, is a win-win scenario. It is a perfect way to help cultivate the next generation of engineers and technologists."
Features highlighted by NASA include 35 problems; 2 to 5 airplanes; thunderstorm obstacles; 4 levels of controller certification; locked levels; scoring for each problem and each certification level; in-game hints; videos; links to related websites; and social ties.
Sector 33 is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 4.1 or later.