A team of researchers and practitioners developed a museum program to coach families in the skills of scientific inquiry at interactive exhibits. The program was inspired by the increasing focus on scientific inquiry in schools and the growing number of open-ended exhibit designs in science museums. The development process involved major decisions in two arenas: which inquiry skills to teach, and what pedagogical strategies to use to teach them. After many rounds of refinement based on evaluation with families, the final program, called Inquiry Games, improved visitors' inquiry behavior in
As Kathleen Enright rightly stated in the opening article of this issue: “Until all participants in the evaluation chain embrace and support a learning focus, I think our ability to use evaluation results to increase impact will be limited.” As grantmakers, we arguably play the most important role in ensuring that all stakeholders receive the support they need to be full participants, contributors, learners and beneficiaries of an evaluation process. For evaluation to be worth the money and time we spend on it, everyone needs to be a full participant — funders, grantee organizations and even
This annotated bibliography provides selected references regarding multiculturalism and cultural competence in evaluation. It contains a section listing more recent publications dating beyond 2007.
CDC provides its funded programs with a wide range of evaluation resources and guides. State health departments, tribal organizations, communities, and partners working in a variety of public health areas may also find these tools helpful. The resources provide guidance on evaluation approaches and methods, relevant examples, and additional resources. The guides are intended to aid in skill building on a wide range of evaluation topics. Practical Strategies for Culturally Competent Evaluation is designed to complement the other evaluation resources offered by the Division for Heart Disease and
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Derrick GervinRobin KuwaharaRashon LaneSarah GillRefilwe MoetiMaureen Wilce
This statement of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) affirms the significance of cultural competence in evaluation. It also informs the public of AEA’s expectations concerning cultural competence in the conduct of evaluation.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
American Evaluation AssociationMelvin HallCindy CrustoKatrina BledsoeJenny JonesKaren KirkhartKatherine TibbettsElizabeth Whitmore
Many research interventions may show initial positive results, but studies show that these results tend to fade when research structures and supports are removed from the local contexts. In this paper, Gutierrez and Penuel make the case for rethinking what is meant by “rigor” in educational research. To drive truly meaningful and sustainable educational improvement efforts, there is a need for jointly negotiated research that integrates the perspectives, ideas, work, practical considerations, and analysis of educational practitioners. The authors argue that standards for rigorous research
Educators in informal science are exploring data visualization as a way to involve learners in analyzing and interpreting data. However, designing visualizations of data for learners can be challenging, especially when the visualizations show more than one type of data. The Ainsworth three-part DeFT framework can help practitioners design multiple external representations to support learning.
The overall objective of this planning project was to examine the potential effectiveness of the Signing Science Pictionary (SSP) in increasing the ability of parents and their deaf and hard of hearing children to engage in informal science learning. To achieve this objective, research and development included four goals. 1) Design several SSP-based activities to help family members engage in informal science learning. 2) Examine the potential effectiveness of the SSP in increasing family member’s signed science vocabulary. 3) Find out about the potential effectiveness of the SSP in
The role of informal science institutions in supporting science learning and engagement is becoming increasingly recognised. However, research in this area is published in a variety of journals and can be challenging for practitioners to access and apply. Indeed, it appears that the informal science sector lacks a process by which research can be usefully integrated into practice, and by which practice can inform research. In this paper, we argue that there is a need for research and practice to work together to produce practically relevant and academically credible research. We outline the
This Resource Guide, developed by the California Endowment, was designed to assist foundation staff with evaluations of initiatives and programs working with diverse communities. It has been developed as a “how-to” manual for incorporating a greater multicultural focus when commissioning an evaluation, and also as a resource of ideas for those interested in learning more about the topic.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Traci Endo InouyeHanh Cao YuJo-Ann AdefuinChristina JohThe California Endowment
As part of a grant from the National Science Foundation, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is conducting regional STEM workshops, entitled NFB STEM2U, for blind youth [youth], grades 3 – 6. During this first regional workshop in Baltimore, the NFB operated three different programs simultaneously: one program for youth, a second program for their parents/caregivers, and a third program for a group of teachers who work with visually impaired students. A fourth program, for Port Discovery museum staff, was conducted earlier to prepare the museum staff to assist with the youth program
The underrepresentation of non‐White students and girls in STEM fields is an ongoing problem that is well documented. In K‐12 science education, girls, and especially non‐White girls, often do not identify with science regardless of test scores. In this study, we examine the narrated and embodied identities‐in‐practice of non‐White, middle school girls who articulate future career goals in STEM‐related fields. For these girls who desire an STEM‐related career, we examine the relationships between their narrated and embodied identities‐in‐practice. Drawing on interview and ethnographic data in