Examines achievement levels of elementary school children in field trip settings. One group of students was familiar with the field setting, the other not. Results show that while both groups learned more about the setting, the familiar group achieved significantly greater mastery of concepts being taught.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Smithsonian InstitutionJohn H FalkW. Wade MartinJohn D. Balling
A Maryland school district and the Smithsonian Institution have become partners in outdoor science education. Working together, they have developed a series of activities for students in grades 1-8 that are an integrated part of a total unified science curriculum, meeting the need of teachers and students alike.
Describes the use of the "Plant Wheel" by the University of California Botanical Garden as a means of providing elementary school children with a structured activity as they explore the Garden at their own pace. This activity accommodates the children's curiosity, energy, and attention span.
This seminal book describes the nature and extent of science learning in America with particular attention to the innumerable sources of science education existing outside the formal education system.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Institute for Learning InnovationJohn H Falk
Six studies on school field trip learning are reviewed. Among the findings reported are those indicating that students' perceptions of the novelty of the trip affects what they learn, and that imposed learning will be inhibited in settings where novelty is either extremely great or small.
This report describes the findings of an evaluation of the Gallery Guide program at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington. It aimed to determine if and how 6 identified public tour goals are being met and examined how visitors are generally engaging during public tours at the museum. List of Key Findings: Overall all Gallery Guide goals were met to varying degrees. The majority of surveyed visitors reported they would feel comfortable leading a friend through the Frye after their tour experience. Gallery Guides provided a high number of informative statements (47%). Visitors appear more
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Peder NelsonMark RosenRose Paquet KinsleyThe Frye Art Museum
resourceprojectProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
To enhance and build on NSF-funded efforts already underway in the informal science education community, this proposal requests funding to: (1) bring together educators working in informal science environments for a two-day professional development conference that will focus exclusively on climate literacy in all of its dimensions, and (2) provide opportunities for informal science educators to interact on the topic of climate change with scientists and science media who will be participating in the AAAS annual meeting that immediately follows. This Climate Literacy professional development conference will take place on February 17-18, 2010 in San Diego. AAAS will organize the conference in partnership with the Birch Aquarium, the public exploration center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. In addition to presentations on all aspects of climate literacy and what it entails for educators and for the public, this professional development conference will also provide a variety of hands-on opportunities for participants to apply their new knowledge and skills to their own programs and projects. An expert advisory group will guide the development of the conference program and the selection of speakers and participants, focusing especially on including and serving the needs of informal science educators from institutions of varying sizes and types and serving diverse public audiences.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) MinnAqua program educates the state's youth about angling and aquatic resources. In 2001, MinnAqua developed a Leaders' Guide so educators could carryout MinnAqua activities in their own setting. As part of the development process, a formative evaluation was undertaken to answer the questions: (a) To what extent are MinnAqua's rewrite guidelines addressed in individual lessons and the Leaders' Guide as a whole?, and (b) To what extent does the Leaders' Guide meet the educational needs of intended users in both formal and informal
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Amy Grack NelsonMinnesota Department of Natural Resources
The goal of the SISCOM program is to improve science achievement of economically disadvantaged middle school students in science, through the development, implementation, and dissemination of a replicable, model program for use with underserved youth, especially girls, in informal educational settings. A number of programs and interventions geared toward bolstering the STEM interest and achievement of urban youth have been implemented across the country. Key elements that have proven to be successful have been incorporated into the SISCOM program include the longevity of intervention
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Penny L. Hammrich, Ph.D.Kathy Fadigan, Ed.D.Judy Stull, Ph.D.
Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG) conducted process and summative evaluation for the New York Aquarium (Wildlife Conservation Society) of Project POWER: Protecting Our Wetlands with Educators and Regulators. The project was designed to train teams from around the country to present wetlands workshops in their local communities to reduce the frequency and magnitude of wetlands violations by community residents. As part of their participation in Project POWER, in March 2006, teams attended a two-day Leadership Seminar where they received training and resources. The primary goal of the