October 2005 

NASA/TM-2005-213936 

Results of a Television Station Managers’ 

Telephone Survey of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM 

Scott Endo 

University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California 

Thomas E. Pinelli 

Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 

Randall H. Caton 

Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia 
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October 2005 

NASA/TM-2005-213936

Results of a Television Station Managers’ 

Telephone Survey of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM 

Scott Endo 

University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California 

Thomas E. Pinelli 

Langley research Center, Hampton, Virginia 

Randall H. Caton 

Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia 
Available from: 

NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 

7121 Standard Drive 5285 Port Royal Road 

Hanover, MD 21076-1320 Springfield, VA 22161-2171 

(301) 621-0390 (703) 605-6000 
Abstract 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM http://destination.larc.nasa.gov is an Emmy® awardwinning series of educational programs. These programs (1) are produced by the NASA Center 

for Distance Learning http://dlcenter.larc.nasa.gov and (2) are designed primarily for adult 

(lifelong) learners. Each program in this annual series (1) is 30 minutes long, (2) is produced in a 

magazine style format, and (3) is broken into segments ranging from 3 – 5 minutes to 6 – 8 

minutes in length. Each NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM program is based on (1) educational 

theory, (2) principles, and (3) research as they pertain to how adults learn and apply knowledge. 

More than 800 television stations in the United States are registered users of (meaning that they 

air) NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM, and we randomly selected 405 stations to participate in a 

telephone survey that was conducted between June 20 and July 29, 2005. The survey consisted 

of 37 questions and was pre-tested prior to full-scale implementation. Four hundred and three 

(403) responses were collected by the designated cut off date. The survey goal was to solicit 

feedback from television stations on a range of topics, including the perceived quality of 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM and how NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM compares vis-àvis to other adult (educational) programming aired by the television stations in the sample pool. 

About 98 percent of those surveyed stated that they were familiar with the series, and a nearly 

similar percentage (98 percent) indicated they had watched all or a portion of a program. On a 

10-point scale, survey participants rated the overall technical quality of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM highly ( x = 9.48), and the educational value of the series slightly more highly 

( x = 9.56). Ninety one (91) percent of the participants reported that the technical quality of 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM was higher compared to other educational programming that 

airs on their station. Most stations (81 percent) indicated that NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM 

was well received by their audiences, and 97 percent indicated that they had recommended or 

would recommend the series to a colleague. Lastly, using a 10-point scale, survey participants 

indicated that (1) the series successfully educates people about what NASA does ( x = 9.23), 

(2) the information contained in NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is credible ( x = 9.53), and 

(3) is successful in educating the public about what NASA does ( x = 9.23). 

Introduction 

The NASA Center for Distance Learning (CDL) http://dlcenter.larc.nasa.gov is recognized for 

(1) its leadership in the application of traditional and emerging instructional technology; (2) the 

development of six exciting, innovative, and inspirational instructional and educational programs 

that are an integral part of NASA’s Distance Learning Network; (3) its use of NASA programs, 

projects, facilities, and personnel to motivate and inspire teaching and learning; and (4) its ability 

to identify customer needs and to translate those needs into customer-focused programs. NASA’s 

CDL was established in 1996 as a collaboration with the Christopher Newport University. 

Presently, NASA’s CDL operates as a partnership with the National Institute of Aerospace 

(NIA), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA TECH), and Crewestone 

Technologies. The six programs offered by NASA’s CDL “span the educational horizon” from 

K – 12, through college (grades 13 – 18), to adult (lifelong) learners. 

The six high-energy, Emmy®-award-winning programs produced by the NASA CDL ─ 

• Combine cutting-edge multimedia with technology to meet needs identified by the 

education community. 

• Support the NASA pipeline and the Agency’s workforce development initiatives. 
2

• Use NASA projects, facilities, research, and people to motivate and inspire 

students, young adults, formal and informal educators, parents, and adults. 

• Are research-, inquiry-, and standards-based and are developed with educator 

input for use by the formal and informal education communities. 

• Use 12 partnerships, collaborations, and alliances to strengthen and enrich our 

programs, extend their distribution, and provide nationwide classroom mentor 

programs.

• Epitomize continuous quality improvement through the use of theory-based 

practice, sound instructional models, formal and informal evaluation, and 

longitudinal assessment. 

• Use multichannel, global access, and digital distribution to maximize audience 

participation and minimize distribution costs. 

• Draw from a multifaceted, national marketing program based on customer needs 

and service, a reliable management information system, market analysis, and ecommerce. 

• Have a user base of over 400,000 registered educators (representing 10.1 million 

students and young adults) that is made possible through extensive marketing, 

registration, and “world class” customer service. 

• Have won countless awards and are recognized throughout the world for their 

educational, technical, and artistic excellence. 

• Are produced by the Agency’s leader in educational programming and are the 

programs most requested through the NASA Educator Resource Centers, NASA 

CORE, and Voice of America (VOA). 

• Collectively constitute the Agency’s single largest contribution of educational 

programming for NASA TV. 

• Are dubbed in Spanish and are used by more than 3,000 registered educators for 

students with limited English proficiency and in language immersion programs. 

• Five NASA CONNECTTM programs are being translated into Japanese and air on 

Japan’s science channel. 

• NASA’s CDL programs air in 94 countries and have been translated into many 

languages, including Spanish, Japanese, and Malay. 

• Are closed- and (audio) descriptive-captioned and 508 compliant. 
3

Collectively, these programs (1) promote creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving 

skills; (2) are designed to integrate easily, in whole or in part, into an existing curriculum; (3) are 

used to introduce or reinforce a curriculum topic, objective, or skill and can be used by formal 

and informal educators; (4) increase interest, engagement, and understanding of science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); (5) motivate and inspire students to pursue 

careers in STEM areas; (6) establish a connection between STEM concepts taught in the 

classroom and those used every day by NASA researchers; (7) are readily accessible to 

homebound and home schooled children; (8) increase (adult) scientific and technological 

literacy; (9) use technology to enhance and enrich the teaching and learning process; 

(10) advance the theory and practice of teaching mathematics, science, and technology; 

(11) support the NASA education plan; (12) contribute to the nation’s science and engineering 

goals; (13) support the Agency’s workforce development initiatives; and (14) communicate the 

results of NASA discovery, exploration, innovation, and research. 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is an Emmy®-award-winning series of 30-minute 

educational programs. An associated web site contains story summaries and links to related 

program material. As a series, NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is designed to (1) create and 

heighten adult interest in mathematics, science, technology, and NASA; (2) increase the 

scientific and technological literacy of adults; (3) improve the scientific and technological 

literacy of adults who do not use English as their primary language; and (4) serve as a 

mechanism for parents and caregivers to become involved in the education of children and young 

adults. Program collaborators – California State Polytechnic University Pomona, South Carolina 

Educational Television (SC ETV), the Apple Learning Interchange (ALI), Ibiblio (University of 

North Carolina, Chapel Hill), MAG Rack, and the Alliance for Community Media (ACM) – 

provide for the widest possible (domestic) program distribution and access. Our collaboration 

with the VOA allows for the widest possible (international) program access. 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM was created to increase the scientific literacy of adults. 

Scientific literacy for children, young adults, and adults alike has emerged as a central goal of 

education. A scientifically literate person (1) is aware that science, mathematics, and technology 

are interdependent human enterprises with (defined) strengths and limitations; (2) understands 

key concepts and principles of science; (3) is familiar with the natural world and recognizes both 

its diversity and unity; and (4) uses scientific knowledge and scientific ways of thinking. The 

goal of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is not to make “non-scientists into scientists.” On the 

contrary, the goal is for adults to become familiar enough with how science works to be able to 

understand claims and, if necessary, to respond to claims made in the name of science, 

mathematics, and technology (Science for all Americans: Project 2061). 

NASA CDL uses formative and summative evaluation (1) to approximate the cost/benefit of 

our programs; (2) as an accountability tool; (3) to help make sound decisions relating to program 

design, personnel, and budget; and (4) to determine if stated program objectives are met. At 

NASA’s CDL, assessment is an ongoing process designed to provide accurate and reliable data 

that is used expressly for program improvement. The first step toward ensuring that the program 

objectives established for the NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM are met begins by making 

certain that the broadcast scripts and videography support the objectives. Thereafter, a variety of 

tools, including focus groups and (self-reported) mail, Internet, and telephone surveys are used to

obtain data from our client base of registered television stations. 
4

Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected and used to determine the extent to which 

the program objectives established for NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM are met. Registered 

stations constitute the “population” and a sample taken from that population is surveyed every 

third year. Data collected from the first and each subsequent evaluation constitutes the baseline. 

We will have successfully met NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM program objectives if (1) we 

obtain an overall average survey score of 4.30 (using a 5-point Likert scale), (2) registered 

stations continue to use this product, (3) the number of registered stations continues to grow; 

(4) registered stations recommend the NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM to other stations, and 

(5) NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM fares well in the highly competitive, multimedia education 

awards competition. 

Methodology 

More than 800 television stations throughout the United States are registered with NASA’s 

CDL to air NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. From the database of registered stations, we 

randomly selected 405 television stations to serve as the survey sample. Each station point of 

contact (POC) was contacted by telephone and asked to participate in a (telephone) survey that 

took about 15 minutes to complete. The survey instrument (appendix A) was composed of 37 

questions, divided into four sections, and was pretested prior to full-scale implementation. These 

sections included five questions about the station, seven questions about how the stations select 

programming, sixteen questions pertaining specifically to NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM, 

and eight demographic questions. (Upon completion, survey participants were given the 

opportunity to offer comments about the series.) The telephone survey was conducted between 

June 20 and July 29, 2005. In all, 403 surveys were completed by the cut-off date. We used SPSS 

(Statistical package for the Social Sciences) to analyze the data. 

Organization of the Report 

The report opens with an abstract and is followed by an introduction; overview; methodology; 

demographics; presentation of the qualitative and quantitative data; comparison and analysis of 

the 2002 and 2005 qualitative and quantitative data, recommendations, conclusions, and 

references. There are two appendices: appendix A, the survey instrument and appendix B, the 

general comments. 

Demographics 

We asked participants a series of demographic questions, the answers to which enabled us to 

establish the following respondent profile for NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM 2005. 

• About 39 percent of the respondents were female; about 61 percent were male. 

• About 51 percent of the television stations were located in the Eastern Time Zone, 26 

percent were located in the Central Time Zone, 8 percent were located in the Mountain 

Time Zone, and 15 percent were located in the Pacific Time Zone. 

• About 57 percent of those surveyed held the title of Program Manager, 11 percent held 

the title of Video Technician, 14 percent held the title of General Manager, and 18 

percent held the title of Executive Producer. 

• The mean and median number of years worked at the station is 8.0 and 6.0, respectively. 
5

• The mean and median number of years respondents worked in television is 13.7 and 12.0, 

respectively 

Presentation of Quantitative Data 

The data in this survey are presented primarily in graphical form. The survey also contains 

questions that use a 10-point Likert (response) scale. These questions are reported in terms of the 

mean (average). The responses of 403 participants were used in the calculation of the statistical 

data reported for the 10-point Likert scale questions. Responses to the multiple choice questions 

are represented by bar graphs. 

Survey Questions 

Section 1 – Questions about the television stations. 

The first five survey questions were asked to attain more information about the station. The 

first question inquired about the type of station (by license) that was participating in the survey. 

(See fig. 1.) Most of the stations surveyed were Community Access - Educational (156, 38.7%). 

The next most popular type of station was Community Access – Government (84, 20.8%). As a 

whole, Community Access made up about 60 percent of the total survey. The least frequent 

station type was Commercial (15, 3.4%). 

 

Figure 1. Television stations by type. 

The second question inquired about the station’s audience size. The mean (average) for this 

question was 89,965, the median was 29,000, and the mode was 10,000. 

Question Mean Median Mode

2. What is the size of your audience? 89,965 29,000 10,000

The third question pertained to the television station’s ability to downlink satellite programming. 

(See fig. 2.) The majority of the stations that participated in this survey do not have satellite 

capability (223, 55.3%). 

1. Which of the following best describes 

your television station ?

31 48 37 32 84

156

15

0

40

80

120

160

200

Commercial

Community

Access -

Education

Community

Access -

Government

ITV

PBS

College/University

Other

Station Type

Response, n
6

3. Does your station have satellite (downlink) capability?

180

223

0 50 100 150 200 250

Yes

No

Response, n

 Figure 2. Television station satellite (downlink) capability.

Question four included only the participants who had satellite capability. Of the 180 stations that 

have satellite capability, the mean percentage of programming downlinked was 31.78%. The 

most frequent response (mode) was 10%, which leads to the conclusion that few stations are 

using their satellites exclusively to attain programming. 

Question Mean Median Mode

4. What percentage of your programming is down linked via 

satellite? 31.78 20 10

The last station question determined participants preferred media format. (See fig. 3.) The first 

four bars going from left to right are digital format and the remaining bars are analog formats. 

Figure 3. Television station media preferences. 

5. What type of media do you prefer?

50

68

44

14 0 23 25

179

0

50

100

150

200

DVD

DVCam

DVC Pro

Mini DV

Beta-SP

SVHS

VHS

3/4"

Media Type

Response, n
7

Section 2 – Questions about how television stations select programming. 

Most prefer digital format (241, 59.8%). The type of media that was overwhelmingly preferred 

was DVD (179, 44.4%). The second most popular media type was S-VHS (68, 16.9%). The least 

popular media type was 3⁄4 in. (0, 0%) and the second least popular type of media was Mini DV 

(14, 3.5%). 

The next seven survey questions pertain to how the television station selects programming. 

Responses to questions 6 – 11 were measured using a 10-point Likert scale. The importance of 

viewer recommendations registered the lowest mean at x = 7.54. The highest mean of the six 

questions was x = 9.09. This result came from the question about the importance of program 

cost, which is consistent with the fact that most stations that participated were Community 

Access. Because this type of station operates on a small budget, it is a logical conclusion that 

cost would have a strong influence on the programs aired. 

Question Mean Median

Standard 

Deviation Minimum Maximum Response, n 

6. How important is program cost? 9.09 10 2.06 1 10 403

7. How important is the program’s technical quality? 8.36 9 1.72 1 10 403

8. How important is easy program acquisition? 8.33 9 1.62 1 10 403

9. How important is the program’s educational value? 8.91 10 1.49 1 10 403

10. How important is having few restrictions on 

program use? 8.12 8 1.90 1 10 403

11. How important are viewer recommendations? 7.54 8 2.26 1 10 403

Educational value was rated the overall single most important factor when selecting a program to 

air (172, 43%). (See fig. 4.) The second most important factor was cost (140, 35%). The least 

important factor was having few restrictions on program use (15, 4%). 

12. Which of the following considerations is the single most 

important attribute that affects your decision to air a program?

15

172

26 25 25

140

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Cost Technical Quality

Ease of

AcquisitionEducational Value

Restrictions

Few Program

Viewer

Recommendations

Attribute

Response, 

Figure 4. Attributes and program selection by television stations. 
8

Section 3 – Questions about NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM 

The following sixteen questions pertain to NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. As shown in 

figure 5, about 98 percent of those surveyed were familiar with NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM. As shown in figure 6, about 97 percent of those familiar with the series had 

watched at least a part of a NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM program. Survey participants were 

asked to identify the “time slot” in which they air NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM (see 

fig. 7). About 75 percent of the stations surveyed air NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM a 

combination of times. 

13. Are you familiar with NASA's Destination TomorrowTM?

395

6 2

0

100

200

300

400

500

Yes No Not sure

Response, 

Figure 5. Participants’ familiarity with NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. 

14. Have you watched at least part of a 

NASA's Destination TomorrowTM program?

19

1

383

0

100

200

300

400

500

Yes No Not sure

Response, n

 Figure 6. Participants having watched NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. 

15. On your station, is NASA's Destination TomorrowTM 

generally aired in the morning, afternoon, evening, night, or 

some combination of times?

25 47

300

23 8

0

100

200

300

400

Morning Afternoon Evening Night Combination

Time of Day

Response, 

Figure 7. Time slots occupied by NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. 
9

Respondents were questioned about the technical quality and educational value of the series. 

Many respondents thought very highly of the series technical quality ( x = 9.48). Respondents 

rated the educational value of the series even higher ( x = 9.56). As shown in figure 8, the most 

appealing attribute of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is its educational value (251, 62.3%). 

The least appealing attribute of the series is its lack of restrictions concerning program use 

(12, 3%). Compared to other (similar) educational programming the stations air, 91 percent 

(368) of survey participants reported that the technical quality of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM is better than average (see fig. 9). About 9 percent (35) indicated that the quality 

was equal to other programming, while 0 percent indicated that the technical quality was worse. 

Question Mean Median

Standard 

Deviation Min. Max. Response, n

16. How would you rate the overall technical quality of 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM on a scale of 1 to 10, 

with 10 being the highest? 

9.48 10 0.86 5 10 403

17. How would you rate the overall educational value of 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM? 

9.56 10 0.78 5 10 403

Min. denotes minimum. 

Max. denotes maximum. 

18. From a programming standpoint, which of the following attributes of 

NASA's Destination TomorrowTM appeal most to you? 

24 28 12 15

73

251

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Cost Technical Quality Ease of Acquisition Educational Value Few Program

Restrictions

Viewer

Recommendations

Attribute

Response, 

Figure 8. Rating of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM by selected attributes. 

19. Compared to other educational programming your station airs, is the technical quality

of NASA's Destination TomorrowTM series better whan average, about average, or worse 

than average?

0

35

368

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

 Better than Average About Average Worse than Average

Response, n Figure 9. Comparison of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM to other programs.
10

About 81 percent (325) of the respondents reported that NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is 

very well received by their audience (see fig. 10). About 19 percent (78) reported that the series 

is somewhat well received, while no one reported that the series was not well received. As shown 

in figure 11, about 97 percent (403) of the survey participants stated that they have or would 

recommend NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM to a colleague. 

20. From an audience perspective, would you say that 

NASA's Destination TomorrowTM has been very well 

received, somewhat well received, or not well 

received?

325

78

0

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Very well received Somewhat well

received

Not well received

Response, 

Figure 10. Audience perception of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. 

.

21. Would or have you recommended 

NASA's Destination TomorrowTM to a colleague?

11

392

0 100 200 300 400 500

Yes

No

Response, n

 Figure 11. Recommendation of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM.

Question Mean Median

Standard 

Deviation Min. Max. Response, n 

22. One goal of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM is to educate people about what 

NASA does. How successful has NASA’s 

Destination TomorrowTM been in that regard? 

9.23 10 1.19 5 10 403

23. In your opinion, how credible is the 

information contained in NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM? 

9.53 10 0.93 3 10 403
11

Respondents were asked if they thought that NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM was successful 

in educating the public about what NASA does. The mean value for this question is ( x = 9.23). 

Respondents were then asked if the information NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM contained 

was credible. The mean value for this question is ( x = 9.53). Finally, survey participants were 

asked an “open-ended” question: “Q. 24: Can you recommend anything that would make 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM more useful to you and to your audience?” Responses appear 

as part of appendix B. The response most often recorded was “make more programs.” 

Section 4 – Questions about NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM Web Site 

The following four questions pertain to NASA’s Destination Tomorrow web site. More than 

80 percent of respondents were aware of the web site. (See fig. 12.) Almost 75 percent of those 

who were aware of the web site had actually visited it (see fig. 13), and 97 percent of the 

individuals who visited the web site said it was okay as is. (See figure 14.) 

25. Are you aware that NASA's Destination 

TomorrowTM has a web site?

336

67

0 100 200 300 400

Yes

No

Response, n

Figure 12. Awareness of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM web site.

26. If yes, have you visited the web site?

252

84

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Yes

No

Response, n

 Figure 13. Respondents having visited the 

 NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM web site.
12

27. If yes, would you say the web site is okay as it is, or does it need 

improvement?

7

245

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Okay as it is

Needs improvement

Response, n

Figure 14. Respondents’ assessment of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM web site.

Finally, survey participants were asked an “open-ended” question: “Q. 28: Can you recommend 

anything that would improve NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM web site?” Responses appear as 

part of appendix B. 

Section 5 – Demographic questions 

The last eight questions pertain to the demographics of the individuals who participated in the 

survey. As shown in figure 15, almost 95 percent of individuals surveyed personally decided 

what to include in their station’s programming lineup. The mean value for years worked at the 

station was ( x = 8.0) and the mean value for years worked in television was ( x = 13.7). 

29. Do you personally decide which programs to 

include in your station's programming lineup?

374

29

0 100 200 300 400

Yes

No

Response, n

 Figure 15. Respondents selection of station programming. 

Question Mean Median Mode

30. How many years have you worked at this TV station? 8.0 6.0 5.0 

31. How many years have you worked in television? 13.7 12.0 10.0 
13

The most common job title held by the survey participants was that of Program Manager, 

which roughly 58 percent of participants held. (See Figure 16.) The least common job title was 

Video Technician, which about 11 percent of participants held. 

32. What is your job title?

233

44 59 67

0

50

100

150

200

250

Program

Manager

Video

Technician

General

Manager

Executive

Producer

Title

Response, 

n

 

 Figure 16. Respondents’ job titles. 

Respondents were asked how they would rate the quality of service the NASA Center for 

Distance Learning provides. The mean rating for this question was 9.46, which indicates a high 

rate of satisfaction among those who participated in this survey. 

Question Mean Median Mode

33. How would you rate the quality of service the NASA 

Center for Distance Learning provides? 9.46 10 10 

About 2/3 (61 percent) of the survey participants were male. (See fig. 17.) Slightly more than 

1/3 (39 percent) of the participants were female. A map of the United States identifies the 

location of the 403 television stations, by state, that are represented in this study (fig. 18). 

34. What is your gender?

248

155

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Female

Male

Gende

Response, n

 

Figure 17. Gender. 
14

35. State in which your station is located? 

Figure 18. Geographic Distribution of Survey Participants. 

About 51 percent of the television stations were located in the Eastern Time Zone, while 

26 percent were located in the Central Time Zone. (See fig. 19.) Almost 8 percent were located 

in the Mountain Time Zone, and 15 percent were located in the Pacific Time Zone. 

36. In what time zone is your station located?

206

104

61

32

0

50

100

150

200

250

Eastern Central Mountain Pacific

Time Zone

Response, 

Figure 19. Distribution of Survey Participants by Time Zone.
15

Presentation of the Quantitative Data 

When asked to recommend anything that would make NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM more 

“useful” to their audience, most respondents (294) offered none, stating instead that the series is 

“ok” the way it is currently produced. On the other hand, 76 respondents did request that more 

programs, beyond the five that are produced annually, be produced. Otherwise, the remaining 

comments were very specific and sometimes contradictory. For example: One respondent stated 

that the series is too technical while another indicated that the series needed to be more technical. 

Four respondents offered comments regarding the educational value of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM. Viewed as a whole, these respondents recommended that educational (curriculum) 

materials be added to the series. A total of 28 respondents offered comments about the web site. 

A simple majority (15) indicated that the web site is great. Six indicated that the web site was 

visually appealing and easy to navigate. Five respondents requested “better” (we assume more) 

links from the NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM web site to NASA web sites that would provide 

specific (and more) information about a particular segment. One respondent wanted the ability to 

download entire programs from the web site. 

Comparing Selective (Quantitative) Data from the 2002 and 2005 Surveys 

In 2002, a telephone survey of 400 (out of 537) television stations was undertaken by 

Continental Research Associates, Inc., a Norfolk-based marketing research firm (Pinelli and 

Perry, 2002). Telephone surveys were conducted between January 16 and February 21, 2002. 

The protocol and survey used in the 2005 study are derivatives of the protocol and survey used in 

the 2002 survey. Responses from the 2002 and 2005 surveys are presented for selected questions. 

2002 2005

• The most important factor affecting o Educational value Educational value 

the decision to air a program o Audience interest Cost 

on your station o Technical quality Technical quality 

• The most appealing factor about NASA’s o Production quality Educational value 

Destination TomorrowTM from a o Educational value Cost 

programming standpoint o Interesting content Technical quality 

• Compared to other educational o 74 percent 91 percent 

programming you air, the technical quality 

of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is 

better than average 

• Would you say that NASA’s Destination o 65 percent 81 percent 

TomorrowTM is well received by your 

audience? 

• Is NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM o x = 9.1 x = 9.2 

successful in educating people about 

what NASA does? 

• How credible is the information contained o x = 8.0 x = 9.5 

in NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM? 
16

2003 2005

• Have you visited NASA’s Destination o 38 percent 75 percent 

TomorrowTM web site? 

• Would you say the web site is ok as is o 90 percent 97 percent 

or does it need improvement? 

• Gender? Female/Male o 36/64 percent 39/61 percent 

• Station type 

Public access o 95 percent 60 percent 

PBS o 5 percent 9 percent 

*In 2005 the station mix had grown to include commercial, college, ITV, and other 

station types. 

• Job title – management o 36 percent 57 percent 

• Years employed at that station? o x = 6.9 x = 8.0 

Comparing Selective (Qualitative) Data from the 2002 and 2005 Surveys 

When asked to recommend anything that would make NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM more 

“useful” to their audience, 47 percent (187) of respondents offered none, stating instead that the 

series is “ok” the way it is currently produced. On the other hand, 22 percent (86) respondents 

did request that more programs be produced annually. While 83 percent of those surveyed 

reported that NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM was very educational, 5 percent (19) respondents 

recommended that educational (curriculum) materials be added to the series. Otherwise, the 

remaining comments were specific with the number of respondents offering comments on a topic 

ranging between 1, 3, and 5. Examples of specific topics include (1) media format selection, 

(2) language preference (e.g., Spanish), (3) a desire for supporting educational materials, and 

(4) customer service issues/problems such as receipt of tapes through the United States Postal 

Service. A total of 151 respondents offered comments about the web site. About 90 percent (136) 

indicated that the web site is “fine as is.” Otherwise, the remaining comments were specific with 

the number of respondents offering comments on a topic ranging between 1, 3, and 5. Examples 

of specific topics include (1) the ability to download the programs, (2) the need for greater 

connectivity (e.g., ability to obtain more information about a specific topic/segment), (3) the 

desire to obtain a transcript of the programs, and (4) a request to add supporting (educational) 

materials to the series. 

A comparison of the 2002 and 2005 qualitative survey produces several noteworthy 

considerations. First, the stations airing NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM want the number of 

programs produced annually increased. Most television stations require a guarantee of 13 

programs (per season) before a series will be afforded a “scheduled” date and time in the 

programming lineup. (From a production standpoint, a regularly scheduled date and broadcast 

time slot is the “gold standard” in television programming.) Currently, five NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM programs are produced annually. Combining four programs from the previous 

season with five newly produced programs constitutes a broadcast season for NASA’s 

Destination TomorrowTM. While the number of television stations airing the series has nearly 
17

doubled since 2002, the number of programs produced is problematic. Although community 

access, ITV, and college television stations are less bothered with this current production 

arrangement, PBS and commercial television stations prefer to abide by the “industry standard” 

of 13 programs (per season) before a series will be accepted for broadcast and afforded a 

“scheduled” date and time in the programming lineup. Second, most of the “customer service” 

problems have been eliminated by (1) adding (hiring) a customer service representative and 

(2) obtaining an external source to handle tape duplication and mailing. In fact, on a 1 – 10 

point scale, with 10 being exceptionally good service, 2005 survey participants rated the overall 

quality of service offered by the NASA Center for Distance Learning as exceptional ( x = 9.5). 

Third, issues associated with “streaming” and downloading programs in the NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM series have diminished as the programs are now available from servers at the 

following sites: the California State Polytechnic University Pomona, South Carolina Educational 

Television (SC ETV), the Apple Learning Interchange (ALI), and Ibiblio (University of North 

Carolina, Chapel Hill). Fourth, as part of an overall effort to involve all Americans in NASA 

discovery, exploration, innovation, and research, programs in the series are (1) now 508 

compliant, and (2) are being translated into Spanish. Fifth and last, is the issue of adding 

educational (curriculum) resources as a program component to NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM. While the addition of educational resources would increase the utility of the series 

and possibly make it more likely to be used by those involved in the education of adults and 

possibly high school and community college, the addition brings with it significant cost, and 

while that cost could be significant, the addition might provide a more direct measure of 

determining if NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is accomplishing its goal – “Increased 

scientific literacy among adults.” 

Recommendations 

1. Should more programs be produced? 

Assuming that content is available and the desire on the part of the Agency to involve all 

Americans in NASA discovery, exploration, innovation, and research, programs remains an 

important goal, a cost/benefit analysis should be conducted to determine if the cost associated 

with increasing the number of programs each season would be offset by the increased number of 

commercial and PBS television stations that would now air the programs and the corresponding 

increase in the potential audience. 

2. Should an instructional component be added? 

Would the utility of the series be increased by adding an instructional component? At this point 

a survey of the (potential) user community should take the place of anecdotal evidence. User 

input aside, its unlikely that the addition of an instructional component would diminish the 

appeal of the series as a televised product. That said, NASA would need to determine (1) if the 

addition of an instructional component strengthens the Agency’s overall educational mission and 

objectives, and (2) if a cost/benefit analysis should be undertaken (conducted) to determine if the 

cost associated with adding an instructional component would be offset by the potential 

increased use of the series by educators. 
18

3. Should the programs be translated into Spanish? 

A strong case can be made for linguistically and culturally appropriate Spanish-language 

educational programming. Latinos constitute the largest and fastest growing minority in the 

United States. Despite their increasing numbers, Latinos constitute the smallest minority group in 

the nation’s (overall) scientific and technical workforce. As long as the Agency continues to seek 

ways to involve all Americans in NASA discovery, exploration, innovation, and research, 

linguistically and culturally appropriate translations make good political sense. Following the 

axiom that “the parent is the child’s first teacher,” translating the series into Spanish might help 

to provide a venue for Latino parents to become more involved in the “mathematics, science, and 

technology” portions of their children’s education. Theorists and practitioners, alike, advocate 

that for young non-English speakers, math and science instruction be undertaken in their native 

language. Lastly, as the number of “language emersion” programs increases in America’s 

schools, so, too, does the need for quality language programming. 

Conclusions 

Earlier we stated that for NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM to be considered a success, the 

following criteria would have to be met: 

1. The series would have to obtain an overall average survey score of 4.30 (using a 5-point 

Likert scale). 

On a 10-point scale, survey participants rated the overall technical quality of NASA’s 

Destination TomorrowTM high ( x = 9.48) and the educational value of the series slightly higher 

( x = 9.56). Ninety one (91) percent of the participants reported that the technical quality of 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM was higher compared to other educational programming 

airing on their station. Most stations (81 percent) indicated that NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM was well received by their audiences, and 97 percent indicated that they had 

recommended or would recommend the series to a colleague. Lastly, using a 10-point scale, 

survey participants indicated that (1) the series successfully educates people about what NASA 

does ( x = 9.23), (2) the information contained in NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is credible 

( x = 9.53), and (3) the series is successful in educating the public about what NASA does ( x = 

9.23). 

2. Registered stations would continue to use this product. 

Since we started registering television stations to air the series, not one single (registered) station 

has stopped airing the program. To the contrary, stations continue to ask that the number of 

programs produced annually be increased. 

3. The number of registered television stations would continue to grow. 

The number of domestic television stations airing the series has nearly doubled since 2002. 

4. Registered stations would recommend NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM to other stations. 

About 97 percent (403) of the survey participants in the 2005 survey stated that they have or 

would recommend NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM to a colleague. 
19

5. NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM would fare well in the highly competitive, multimedia 

education awards competition. 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is an Emmy®-award winning program. Additionally, the 

series has won the coveted New York Film Festival award and numerous others. For a complete 

list of awards, please visit http://destination.larc.nasa.gov/awards.cfm.

By these and any other reasonable criteria, NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is a success. 

Evaluation is both ongoing and dynamic. In future evaluations, an assortment of other tools 

should be considered as part of an ongoing attempt to determine the extent to which NASA’s 

Destination TomorrowTM does (1) create and heighten adult interest in mathematics, science, 

technology, and NASA; (2) increase the scientific and technological literacy of adults; 

(3) improve the scientific and technological literacy of adults who do not use English as their 

primary language; and (4) serve as a mechanism for parents and caregivers to become involved 

in the education of children and young adults. 

References 

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Project 2061: Science for All 

Americans, A Project 2061 Report on Literacy Goals in Science, Mathematics, and Technology.

Washington, DC: AAAS. 1989 (AAAS Publication 80-01S). ISBN: 0-87168-341-5. 

Pinelli, Thomas E. and Jeannine Perry: 2002. Evaluating the Effectiveness of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM 2000–2001 Program. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration. (Available at http://ntrs@nasa.gov) 
20

Appendix A 

Appendix A contains the telephone protocol that was used for the 2005 NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM survey.

Hello. Is _______ available? 

Hello ________, my name is Scott Endo. I’m calling from the NASA Center for Distance 

Learning to conduct a survey regarding NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. The survey should 

take about 20 minutes. Do you have time now to participate? 

______(Yes) Great. 

______(No) What is the best date and time to call you back? 

_______________________________ 

First, I would like to ask you “5” questions about your station. 

1. What kind of programming does your station use? 

 A. Commercial 

 B. Community Access – Education 

 C. Community Access – Government 

 D. ITV 

 E. PBS 

 F. College/University 

G. Other (Please specify.) ____________________________ 

2. According to our records, your audience size is ___________________________. 

 (If not correct, change the records.) 

3. What type of media do you prefer? 

 A. Digital B. Tape 

 i. DVD i. Beta-SP 

 ii. DVCAM ii. SVHS 

 iii. DVC PRO iii. VHS 

 iv. Mini DV iv. 3⁄4 in. 

4. Does your station have satellite (downlink) capability? 

______ No 

______ Yes 

OMB Approval Number: 2700-0012 
21

(If no, skip to Question 6.) 

5. What percentage of your programming is downlinked via satellite? 

_______% 

Next, I would like to ask you “7” questions about how your station selects programs. 

Would you please rate each answer on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being not at all important 

and 10 being extremely important? 

6. How important is program cost? 

Not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely important

7. How important is the program’s technical quality? 

Not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely important 

8. How important is easy program acquisition? 

Not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely important 

9. How important is the program’s educational value? 

 Not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely important 

10. How important is having few restrictions on program use? 

Not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely important 

11. How important are viewer recommendations? 

Not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely important

12. Which of the following considerations is the single most important attribute that affects your 

decision to select a program to air on your station? 

______ Cost 

______ Technical Quality 

______ Ease of Acquisition 

______ Educational Value 

______ Few Program Restrictions 

______ Viewer Recommendations 
22

Your station is registered to receive NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. Next, I would like to 

ask you “16” questions about NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM. 

13. Are you familiar with NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM? 

 ______ No 

 ______ Yes 

 ______ Not really sure 

14. Have you watched at least part of a NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM program? 

 ______ No 

 ______ Yes 

 ______ Don’t know 

15. On your station, is NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM generally aired in the morning, 

afternoon, evening, at night, or at some combination of times? 

 ______ morning 

 ______ afternoon 

 ______ evening 

 ______ at night 

 ______ combination of times 

16. How would you rate the overall technical quality of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM

 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest? 

Very poor quality 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely good quality 

17. How would you rate the overall educational value of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM? 

No educational value 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely high educational value 
23

 18. From a programming standpoint, which of the following attributes of NASA’s Destination 

TomorrowTM appeal most to you? 

 ______ Cost 

 ______ Technical quality 

 ______ Ease of acquisition 

 ______ Educational value 

 ______ Few program restrictions 

 ______ Viewer recommendations 

19. Compared to other educational programming your station airs, is the technical quality of 

NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM series 

______ Better than average 

______ About average 

______ Worse than average 

20. From an audience perspective, would you say that NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM has 

been 

______ Very well received 

______ Somewhat well received 

______ Not well received 

21. Would or have you recommended NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM to a colleague? 

 ______ No 

 ______ Yes 

22. One goal of NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM is to educate people about what NASA does. 

How successful has NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM been in that regard? 

Not at all successful 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely successful
24

23. In your opinion, how credible is the information NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM contains? 

 Not at all credible 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely credible 

24. Can you recommend anything that would make NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM more 

useful to you and to your audience? 

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________ 

25. Are you aware that NASA’s Destination TomorrowTM has a web site? 

 ______ No 

 ______Yes 

26. If yes, have you visited the web site? 

 ______ No 

 ______ Yes 

27. If yes, would you say the web site is 

______ Okay as it is 

______ Needs improvement 

28. If yes, how could we improve the web site? 

Lastly, I’d like to ask “7” questions about you. 

29. Do you personally decide which programs to include in your station’s programming lineup? 

______ No 

______ Yes 

30. How many years have you worked at this TV station? 

 _________________________ 

31. How many years have you worked in television? 

 _________________________ 

32. What is your job title? 

 _________________________ 
25

33. How would you rate the quality of service the NASA Center for Distance Learning provides? 

Very poor quality 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extremely good quality 

34. Your gender: 

 ______ Female 

______ Male 

35. Your state: 

36. Your time zone: 

Is there anything else you’d like to tell me? (If not) 

Thank you very much for your time. 
26

Appendix B 

Appendix B contains a compilation of responses that were received for questions 24 and 28. The 

majority of respondents who did submit a comment complained about the small number of 

shows produced per season. 

Q 24. Can you recommend anything that would make NASA’s 

 Destination TomorrowTM more useful to you and to your audience? 

Comment 

Number of 

responses 

No comment. 294 

Produce more shows. 76 

Make trailers for future shows. 7 

Produce shows 1 hour in length. 5 

The satellite feed is hard to get/feed time online is different than actual feed time. 5 

Make show so it fits educational standards. 3 

Make a college level show. 2 

Add a Chicago element to the program. 1 

Cast is too young for our audience. 1 

Format a time slot for commercials. 1 

I prefer only one topic per show. 1 

Make the show more appealing to a younger audience. 1 

More blank space at the beginning and end. 1 

NASA should offer grant money for a satellite. 1 

Provide educational resources with the show. 1 

Provide NASA news updates online. 1 

The show is too technical. 1 

The show needs more scientific detail. 1 

Q. 28. If yes, how could we improve the web site? 

Comment 

Number of 

responses 

The web site is great. 15 

I would like better links from the NASA site to the Destination TomorrowTM site. 5 

The web site is visually appealing. 4 

The web site is easy to navigate. 2 

I would like to be able to download shows from the web site. 2 

 
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Results of a Television Station Managers' Telephone Survey of NASA's

Destination TomorrowTM

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Endo, Scott; Pinelli, Thomas E.; and Caton, Randall H.

 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

NASA Langley Research Center

Hampton, VA 23681-2199

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Endo, University of California at San Diego; Pinelli, NASA Langley Research Center; Caton, Christopher Newport

University

An electronic version can be found at http://ntrs.nasa.gov

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14. ABSTRACT

We conducted a television station managers' telephone survey concerning NASA's Destination TomorrowTM. On a 10-point

scale, survey participants rated the overall technical quality of NASA's Destination TomorrowTM highly (mean = 9.48), and

the educational value of the series slightly more highly (mean = 9.56). Ninety one percent of the participants reported that the

technical quality of NASA's Destination TomorrowTM was higher compared to other educational programming that airs on

their station. Most stations (81 percent) indicated that NASA's Destination TomorrowTM was well received by their

audiences, and 97 percent indicated that they had recommended or would recommend the series to a colleague. Lastly, using

a 10-point scale, survey participants indicated that (1) the series successfully educates people about what NASA does (mean =

9.23), (2) the information contained in NASA's Destination TomorrowTM is credible (mean = 9.53), and (3) the series is

successful in educating the public about what NASA does (mean = 9.23).

15. SUBJECT TERMS

Distance learning; Program assessment; NASA educational programs; Survey; NASA's Destination TomorrowTM

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