This summative evaluation was commissioned by the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to explore visitors’ perceptions of the exhibition, “Climate Change: ” – which was installed from October 2008 through August 2009. This report provides systematic information about visitors’ perceptions of the intended messages and about the different types of exhibitry used to create the educational and experiential value of the exhibition. The information can be used to reflect on the exhibit development and design process, to consider whether to rent the traveling exhibition, and to inform future
The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH) contracted Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A) to conduct a formative evaluation for Places of Invention, an exhibition funded by the National Science Foundation. The exhibition aims to stimulate visitors’ thought about how people, resources, and spaces work together to support invention in historic and modern communities. Through formative evaluation, RK&A explores visitors’ use of exhibition prototypes (including barriers to use) and the meanings visitors take away
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and InnovationNational Museum of American HistorySmithsonian Institution
This report summarizes front-end research with visitors on the topic of agriculture, conducted by the Research & Evaluation Department of the Saint Louis Science Center. This front-end study was designed to inform the internal development teams connected to the Science Center agriculture exhibit. The main objective of the research was to gather information from Science Center visitors about their familiarity and interest in the topic, their experiences with farming, their top of mind knowledge about technology and sustainability as it relates to agriculture, and their expectations for an
Sci•Tech Today is a brief televised science news program designed to enhance public understanding of current science, engineering and technology. The 3-5 minute segments are researched and presented by Museum of Science staff and mediated by a news anchor of New England Cable News (NECN). The segments are cablecast live from the Museum of Science’s Gordon Current Science & Technology stage and NECN's Needham, Massachusetts studios. Twice a month, the segments feature nanoscale science and engineering research. These segments are produced with support from (1) the Center for High-Rate
The Museum of Science partnered with the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing to create a sequence of professional development experiences in science communication and hands-on learning for graduate students and post-docs. The Sharing Science Workshops were intended to help graduate students who work with the CHN program to improve their abilities to present their research to a variety of scientific and nonscientific audiences. The sequence included a half-day "Sharing Science" workshop, a half-day guided "Practicum" with museum visitors, and optional participation in NanoDays events at MOS
One objective of the Center for High-rate Manufacturing is to increase knowledge of and interest in nanotechology among secondary and postsecondary students, educators, and the general public. The Center partners with the Museum of Science, Boston, to help carry out these goals. The Museum's CHN sub-award PI and her team provides training to graduate students to help them learn how to engage in education and outreach activities with these groups. To better understand graduate student education and outreach activities, and student participation in the Museum of Science outreach activities and
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TEAM MEMBERS:
UMass Donahue Institute Research and Evaluation GroupCarol Lynn AlpertCarol Barry
resourceevaluationProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN) brings together three universities with unique strengths in nanoscience and nanomanufacturing: the University of Massachusetts, Lowell (UML); Northeastern University, Boston (NEU); and the University of New Hampshire, Durham (UNH). The University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute (UMDI) is conducting the five-year evaluation of CHN's education and outreach activities. The evaluation uses multiple sources of evidence to analyze project processes and outcomes. Using quantitative and qualitative
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Center for High-rate NanomanufacturingCarol Lynn AlpertCarol Barry
resourceevaluationProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN) brings together three universities with unique strengths in nanoscience and nanomanufacturing: the University of Massachusetts, Lowell (UML); Northeastern University, Boston (NEU); and the University of New Hampshire, Durham (UNH). The University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute (UMDI) is conducting the five-year evaluation of CHN's education and outreach activities. The evaluation uses multiple sources of evidence to analyze project processes and outcomes. Using quantitative and qualitative
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Center for High-rate NanomanufacturingCarol Lynn AlpertCarol BarryUMass Donahue Institute Research and Evaluation Group
Funded by NSF, Earth: The Operators’ Manual (ETOM) is a users’ guide to the present and future energy resources of our planet, providing “users” with the information, attitudes and tools to make wiser choices about powering homes, schools, businesses and communities. ETOM uses a hybrid model of science communication including video + in-person presentations + Web 2.0 social networking. Rockman et al evaluated project impact, working from front-end to summative stages to understand the reactions of media, online and on-site audiences using both qualitative and quantitative measures to look at
This report was completed by the Program Evaluation Research Group at Endicott College in October 2013. It describes the outcomes and impacts of a four-year, NSF-funded project called Go Botany: Integrated Tools to Advance Botanical Learning (grant number 0840186). Go Botany focuses on fostering increased interest in and knowledge of botany among youth and adults in New England. This was being done through the creation of an online flora for the region, along with the development of related tools, including PlantShare, and a user-friendly interface for ‘smartphones’. In January 2012, the PI
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Judah LeblangNew England Wild Flower Society
The Community STEM Outreach Project at the Saint Louis Science Center (SLSC) received funding from the United States Office of Naval Research (ONR) from October 2010 through September 2013. Klein Consulting, with support from Tisdal Consulting, conducted the evaluation of the three-year project. The original proposal from the SLSC to ONR laid the foundation for the Community STEM Outreach Project by describing the institution and its youth program, the Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program. Plans were underway to reach out to existing and new national partners to document and disseminate a
This report presents a project overview and findings from a formative evaluation of the Ready, Set, School prototype exhibit space at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, NC. This study was conducted by museum staff in consultation with Randi Korn & Associates in May 2013.