We present the assets that collaboration across a land grant university brought to the table, and the Winterberry Citizen Science program design elements we have developed to engage our 1080+ volunteer berry citizen scientists ages three through elder across urban and rural, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and formal and informal learning settings.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Katie SpellmanJasmine ShawChristine VillanoChrista MulderElena SparrowDouglas Cost
The Arctic Harvest-Public Participation in Scientific Research (which encompasses the Winterberry Citizen Science program), a four-year citizen science project looking at the effect of climate change on berry availability to consumers has made measurable progress advancing our understanding of key performance indicators of highly effective citizen science programs.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Angela LarsonKelly KealyMakaela Dickerson
In Spring 2022, Monterey Bay Aquarium opened its new exhibition, Into the Deep (En lo Profundo). The 7,000+ square-foot exhibition showcases characteristics of the deep sea and the animals that live there.
PocketMacro is a mobile app designed by the Learning Media Design Center at Carnegie Mellon University in collaboration with Stroud Water Research Center, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Clemson University, and stakeholder input. The PocketMacro app aims to help users better identify benthic macroinvertebrates commonly found in streams and other waterways. Rockman et al Cooperative (REA), an independent educational evaluation group, designed a summative study to explore the effectiveness of the app in supporting users’ aquatic macroinvertebrate identification. The purpose of the
Kera Collective evaluated the response of youth ages 10-14 to prototypes of a new paleontology exhibition being developed by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
Overview
In 2022, Kera Collective partnered with NCMNS to evaluate two exhibit prototypes–DinoLab Tools and Meet the Team–for the museum’s new Dueling Dinosaurs exhibition.
The exhibition aims to spark youth’s interest in paleontology by exploring the questions and mysteries surrounding the Dueling Dinosaur fossils–Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex–that are among the most complete skeletons ever discovered of their
The NSF-funded project titled An Informal Learning Model of Genetic and Genomic Education for Adult Bilingual Learners, was led by Joanne Sandberg, PhD. The project included three phases:
Phase I: Investigation of knowledge and beliefs about transmission of traits, genetic and genomic concepts, gene-environment interactions, and environmental exposures in Latinx adults born in Mexico or Central America and who have limited literacy.
Phase II: Development of two educational interventions in Spanish that address:
Information about environmental exposures that can be detrimental to
Life on the Edge is a traveling exhibition focused on educating children ages 8-14 and their families about how understanding Earth’s extreme environments helps us search for life in space. Created by Sciencenter in Ithaca, NY, the big idea of the exhibition is: “our exploration of extreme environments expands our understanding of life on Earth and the possibilities for life in our solar system and beyond.” Through five unique exhibit sections, the exhibition offers visitors information, activities, and questions focused on scientific exploration and discovery, life in space, and the origins
This assessment serves as the summative assessment of the IMLS-funded project at KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum: Natural History Mystery: Immersing families in a problem-solving game using museum collections. The assessment employs a mixed methods approach, in which both quantitative and qualitative data are collected. More specifically, quantitative data are generated from surveys that are administered to participants at the beginning and end of the game and analyzed by using descriptive statistics (i.e., mean, standard deviation, and histogram) and paired sample t-test
With input from its community and benchmarking against other natural history museums across the nation, the Delaware Museum of Natural History will transform its exhibits from static, taxonomy-based dioramas to interactive, ecosystem-driven engagement areas with more relevant STEM content and stories. The museum will work with an exhibit design firm to develop interpretive content, exhibit design, and related elements. Project activities will also include testing of exhibit prototypes and workshops for museum staff on best practices in evaluation. A final design development package will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval and the museum will change its name to the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science.
The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo will create the California Dinosaur Garden exhibition, an inclusive environment for children ages 3 to 11 that promotes science learning. The museum will employ sensory-rich storytelling and interactive experiences to engage children and their caregivers. Project activities will include the completion of initial concept designs and evaluation to inform exhibit development; design development, prototyping, and formative evaluation; and engaging external contractors to fabricate and install the exhibit. The exhibition will include prehistoric plants within a seasonal marsh landscape, interactive interpretive exhibits, a fossil dig, and life-size dinosaur sculptures. The project will also address the need for science learning experiences for children with disabilities by applying universal design principals such as wheelchair access to the garden experience, braille labels, and tactile, sensory-rich elements.