This paper examines STEM-based informal learning environments for underrepresented students and reports on the aspects of these programs that are beneficial to students. This qualitative study provides a nuanced look into informal learning environments and determines what is unique about these experiences and makes them beneficial for students. We provide results of a qualitative research study conducted with the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, an informal learning environment that has proven to be effective in recruiting, retaining and encouraging
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Cameron DensonChandra Austin StallworthChristine HaileyDaniel Householder
The Experiment Benches at Science Museum of Minnesota are a series of multiple-outcome participatory exhibits located within the Experiment Gallery. Designed to give visitors a large degree of control over their learning while promoting and guiding meaningful scientific thought, they provide an opportunity for visitors to create and set their own experiments in order to explore a given phenomenon or topic. As such, they are designed o be responsive to a visitor's curiosity, allowing them to follow a personally directed inquiry.
The purpose of this summative evaluation project was to
The impact of four half-hour science programs aired on commercial children's radio was assessed by Dr. Barbara Flagg of Multimedia Research in a causal-comparative between-groups study with prebroadcast and postbroadcast questionnaires. Of 253 fourth graders, 34% listened to one or more shows of the Kinetic City Super Crew series. Significantly more girls listened than boys. Listeners and Non-listeners did not differ on background variables of ethnic status, science attitudes, science reading and television viewing, and participation in seven of eight common at-home science activities
The purpose of the Museum of Science and Industry’s new Teacher Professional Development Series (TPDS) is to improve student performance in science by enhancing their teachers’ science content knowledge, instructional strategies, and museum skills. By combining solid content, hands-on classroom activities, inquiry-based instruction, and tools for a successful Museum visit, the Museum seeks to assist 4th-8th grade teachers who want to help students explore basic science concepts in new and engaging ways.
The major goals for the overall Teacher Professional Development Series are as follows: (1
In the Communities of Learning for Urban Environments and Science (CLUES) project, the four museums of the Philadelphia-Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative worked to build informal science education (ISE) capacity in historically underserved communities. The program offered comprehensive professional development (PD) to Apprentices from 8-10 community-based organizations (CBO), enabling them to develop and deliver hands-on family science workshops. Apprentices, in turn, trained Presenters from the CBOs to assist in delivering the workshops. Families attended CLUES events both at
This evaluation provides feedback from a tracking and timing study from the project "Seeing: The Interaction of Physiology, Culture, and Technology" at the Exploratorium. The evaluation concludes that Seeing is a large, complex collection of loosely related exhibit elements that attract and hold visitors’ attention well, but not exceptionally well. Yet, given the size and scope of the exhibits, a longer average time and more stops would not be expected. The individual interactive elements range from many that are modestly engaging, to some that are highly engaging, with a few exceptionally
The Seeing Team wished to determine visitors what visitors understood from interacting with the Seeing section of the museum, before the section was to be renovated. In particular, they wanted to know what visitors took away from the exhibits as a group. We interviewed pairs of visitors after they had been directed to spend as much time as they wanted in the Seeing section (as marked off by blue tape on the floor). Seeing included the exhibits in the back of the museum as well as those near the south bathrooms. We collected approximately 55 interviews, of which 33 had been transcribed by the
This evaluation reports on the Mission: Solar System project, a 2-year project funded by NASA. The goal of the Mission: Solar System was to create a collection of resources that integrates digital media with hands-on science and engineering activities to support kids’ exploration in formal and informal education settings. Our goal in creating the resources were: For youth: (1) Provide opportunities to use science, technology, engineering, and math to solve challenges related to exploring our solar system, (2) Build and hone critical thinking, problem-solving, and design process skills, (3)
At the Maryland Science Center, a new permanent exhibition with a companion mobile game is focused on electricity. Multimedia Research, an independent evaluation firm, implemented a summative evaluation to assess how using the PowerUp! game in the exhibition influences engagement and knowledge acquisition. The evaluation collected timing and tracking observations and pre- and post-interview data from 18 ten-year-olds who used the game within the Power Up! exhibition area and 16 ten-year-olds who did not use the game. Game players experienced the Power Up! exhibition area differently from non
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Maryland Science CenterBarbara FlaggIlona Holland
Rockman et al evaluated BURN: An Energy Journal, an NSF-funded radio series about the energy issues that impact our communities. Evaluation activities consisted of formative and summative focus groups, web usability studies, interviews with listeners, and surveys.
Roto, an exhibition design and production firm, contracted Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A) to conduct a front-end evaluation of Speed, an exhibition being developed for The Science Museum of Virginia (SMV) in Richmond, Virginia. RK&A explored visitors’ thoughts, perceptions, and understandings of exhibition concepts related to speed, defined as change over time. How did we approach this study? RK&A worked closely with Roto to identify the goals and objectives for the Speed exhibition. Findings from the front-end evaluation were designed to help Roto and SMV find common ground between
Goodman Research Group, Inc., (GRG), Cambridge, MA, conducted the formative evaluation of The Music Instinct project. The NSF-funded project aims to bring to PBS viewers the strong evidence of the connections between music and science, as well as to facilitate a deeper understanding of both fields. The Music Instinct project, presented by WNET/Thirteen, in collaboration with Mannes Productions, includes a two-hour television program, a website, and ancillary educational materials. The purpose of the formative evaluation is to obtain timely information to support and guide the producers as they
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Rucha LondheMiriam KochmanNivedita RanadeIrene F GoodmanWNET/ThirteenMannes Productions Inc.