The California State University, Los Angeles (CSLA) ACCESS Center [consortium] requests $216,949 to pilot a collaborative with the Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services Community Centers and several community-based organizations to provide informal science experiences to underserved 11-14 years old youth and their families. The pilot will engage families in hands-on science activities, participate in community-based science clubs, and provide opportunities for leadership roles by enhancing their interest and knowledge in science, mathematics and technology. California State University Los Angeles (CSLA) School of Natural and Social Sciences, Charter School of Education, School of Health and Human Services' Social Work Department, and ACCESS Center's partners for this pilot project include he following organizations: Girls, Incorporated, of Los Angeles (Girls, Inc) Con Los Padres Grandma's House Los Angeles Unified Districts Division of Adult and Career Education The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) The California Science Center
The project includes a simulation based Family Learning Program to be administered through the International Challenger Learning Center (CLC) network. The goal is to develop families' skills in learning as a team through science, math and technology (SMT) in an environment where parents and children are co-travelers in a world of ideas. PACCT is disseminated through ten of the Challenger Learning Centers reaching 22,000 families nationwide. Many of these activities are completed in the home at no cost to the anticipated 12,500 participating families. Through this network of centers, all types of communities are served in many states. The activities include Sim-U-Voyages, where family teams work at home; Sim-U-Challenges, where families create a physical model responding to a challenge; Sim-U-Visits, where families hear from scientists and work as scientists in a team solving a problem; and Sim-U-Ventures, which result in flying a mission. Cost sharing is 8%.
The Delta Research and Education Foundation and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) request $50,000 to plan a project titled: Parents as Partners in Science, Mathematics and Technology. The planning process will use focus groups involving 15-25 participants in seven geographical sites. During the planning process, information will be collected to design and test an integrative model using innovative materials, strategies and experiences for parents to help support the work of their daughters in SMT content. Further, the model will demonstrate techniques for use by parents with their children. These techniques will be designed for use in the education of their daughters by assisting them in gaining the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for empowering stakeholders to advocate for universally available, high-quality SMT education for their children.
This project, Project PARTNERS (Parents: Allies Reinforcing Technology and Neighborhood Educators Reinforcing Science) supports parents and their children in learning the mathematics and science taught in the schools. The Bronx Educational Alliance (BEA), in collaboration with Lehman College, School District Nine, the Bronx High School Superintendency, and the Bronx Federation of High School Parent Association Presidents, provides a four-month Parent Academy twice a year. Thirty-six parents (20 elementary, 6 middle and 10 high school), from 18 Bronx schools in three K-12 corridors with which the BEA Resource/Outreach Center for Parents currently works, participate in each Academy, reaching 360 over five years. Project PARTNERS goals are to: 1) increase student achievement in 18 Corridor Schools through meaningful parental support; 2) provide parent training in Math, Science and Technology and enable parents to understand the New Standards; 3) develop skills to reinforce their children's learning at home; and 4) model how to effectively learn in science-rich informal educational institutions. Parents meet on Saturdays twice a month for six hours. On one Saturday they team with a teacher and child to visit a science rich institution. On the other Saturday they learn to use computer software programs which support MST, and math concepts through games and manipulatives. Incentives for parents include learning computer skills and stipends of $300 upon completion. The BEA Academies coordinate with the BUSI and District's Family Math and Family Science workshops.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Herminio MartinezMarietta Saravia-Shore
The Louisville Science Center will develop "'The World We Create' -- a Traveling Exhibit." This project will develop two traveling version exhibitions (approximately 2,500 sq. ft. each) based on the programs of the highly successful permanent 12,500 sq. ft. exhibition "The World We Create," funded by NSF. One exhibit copy will travel nationally to small and medium-sized science centers throughout the United States over a three-year period, filling a need for quality traveling exhibits and reaching an audience of 300,000 to 500,000 people. The second exhibit copy will travel to rural areas of Kentucky to be hosted by schools, public libraries or community colleges, reaching an audience of 150,000 to 200,000 students and adults.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Theresa MatteiGail BeckerNancy Potoczak
The New York Hall of Science is in the process of designing and constructing a 50,000 sq. ft. facility addition. This project, which could also be called project BUILD: Building Underway-Informal Learning Design, will take advantage of the inherent teaching and learning opportunities in science and engineering found in an authentic, real-time setting. A portable exhibit unit, fashioned after a construction-site fence with peepholes, will highlight aspects of technology, math, engineering, and materials sciences found in the building trades and architecture. Each peephole will display an artifact, text, image or interactive for the visitor and have specific learning outcomes defined during the development of the exhibit. Associated programing, in the form of Explainer demostrations, workshops, lectures, building trades career days, design, and hard hat tours will be created for three distinct audiences -- families, adolescents 11-14 (middle-school) and young adults 15-18 (high school). The exhibit and programs will evolve and amend themselves in tandem with the changeable timetables and nature of construction. Finally, a guidebook written on "how to" replicate these learning experiences, construct the exhibit fence for other venues, and partner with architects and tradespeople will be available to the wider museum and informal learning community.
The Museum of Science and Industry will develop "Genetics: Decoding Life," a 4325 sq. ft. permanent exhibit about the basic principles of genetics, the Human Genome Project, new tools and technology to study life, and the biomedical and biotech applications resulting from genetic information. As a result of interacting with this exhibit, visitors will understand the basic principles of genetics, they will become familiar with the role of genes in the development of life, they will learn something about how and why scientists used genetic tools, and visitors will become aware of applications of these principles and the potential social, ethical, medical and economic outcomes. In addition to the exhibit there will be a number of complementary outreach programs. An electronic web site will be created, software used in the exhibit will be modified into a format suitable for use in schools, computers loaded with genetic programs will be loaned to Chicago public school groups, churches and other community agencies, and the content of the exhibit will be used to enhance special Lamaze and prenatal classes held at the museum. Special consideration will be given to developing the relationship between the project personnel and the staff of the Chicago Systemic Initiative. They will work together to produce a school program about genetics that will be suitable for grades 5 to 8. School materials will include a teacher's guide for the exhibit, a program of classroom activities, and materials to be used before and after a trip to the museum to see the exhibit.
National Public Radio will produce and distribute a weekly, one-hour program entitled, "Weekly Edition: Science, The Environment, and Technology," which consists of a compilation of the best science stories aired during the previous week on "Morning Edition," "All Things Considered," and "Weekly Edition." Each program will be varied, looking back at the week in science and reviewing main stories. The hour format also will enable the producers to go into greater depth than was done in the daily coverage. They will expand the news pieces with additional interviews and/or out-takes reporters were unable to use on the daily programs. As part of the NPR outreach program, the project will develop "Weekly Science" on "Kids Connection (Science Friday)" as part of the World Wide Web. Each week, that week's program as well as additional science information and bibliographies will be entered on the "Science Friday" homepage. The PI and executive producer for the series will be Anne Gudenkauf, Senior Editor at NPR. Richard Harris and Joe Palca will host the series. Harris has been an on-air host for NPR produced summaries of congressional action on health reform and both have substituted for Ira Flatow on NPR'S TALK OF THE NATION: SCIENCE FRIDAY. The program producer will be Jane Greenhalgh.
The project conducts action research to learn more about how different groups use technology in meaningful ways, develops approaches that significantly increase access for underrepresented groups, and proposes ways in which technology might be modified or redesigned to engage, address, and represent diverse populations. The project targets children and young people from groups underrepresented with technology, informal and formal educators, community groups and organizations, researchers, policymakers and funders, industry, and the public. Products include: a report on the state of access of underrepresented groups to technology; case studies; guides to increasing community access to technology; guidelines about how to be critical viewers, users, and makers of technology; report on the issues involved in producing diverse and equitable technology design; exemplars and ideas for diversifying technology design; suggestions for software publishers and industry; commissioned papers on issues of access and design for particular underrepresented groups; an agenda for action; and interactive World Wide Web site; and a popular press book that synthesizes the knowledge gained through this project.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
ellen wahlYolanda GeorgeEric JollyLaura JeffersAndres Henriquez
The Massachusetts SSI (Project PALMS) will conduct this project in partnership with MITS (the Museum Institute for Teaching Science, Inc.) and will develop, demonstrate the effectiveness of, and disseminate a locally-driven model for parental involvement in mathematics, science, and technology education. The model builds on the SSI structure by starting with parents who are active in PALMS District Leadership Teams for Systemic Change (approximately 2900 parents). These parents will have opportunities for additional training with materials such as Project PRISM, EQUALS, AAAS, etc. These support the new State frameworks and assessments developed through he SSI, and are also in support of the high quality curriculum materials recommended for implementation in schools. Parents will then develop local plans for engaging other parents in their communities. Materials will be developed, including a manual on How to Build Coalitions to Engage Community Members in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Reform. In addition, materials will be developed and outreach activities will be conducted to include activities for parents and children (estimated to reach an additional 21,000 parents) held in nontraditional environments such as subways, laundromats, health clinics, and malls. Products will include a manual on building coalitions to engage communities in supporting mathematics and science reform, and a collection of field-tested prototype outreach activities. Findings will be disseminated through the Eisenhower Consortia, National PTA, Urban League, and National Council of La Raza.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Thomas NoonanMary Jane SchmittPendred Noyce
The Exploratorium will develop "The Electronic Guidebook: Extending Museum Experience Using Networked Handheld Computers." Through this project, the Exploratorium and the Concord Consortium will investigate the use of new technologies to enhance the learning experience of science museum visitors. The exponentially increasing availability of portable personal computing devices provides an opportunity for science museums to develop new ways for visitors to experiment and interact with exhibits. The partners will design and prototype a museum-based "Electronic Guidebook" for visitors. Twenty-five Exploratorium exhibits will be connected to a museum network and handheld portable computers through infrared connections. The target audiences for this project are the general public (adults and families) and children in the K-12 age range. The primary disciplinary focus is physics, with a secondary focus on mathematics.
The Self Reliance Foundation in association with the Hispanic Radio Network over a five year period will produce and distribute a variety of daily Spanish-language radio programs on science education topics and follow-up outreach services to network listeners on science education and career opportunities. The applicants will add two science related episodes each week to Buscando La Belleza, the four-minute daily radio series for families that focuses on social issues, work issues, women's rights, and educational and career opportunities. It is carried on 100 stations with a weekly cumulative audience of 2,567,000 listeners. The new episodes will include: 52 role model interviews with Hispanic men and women who have careers in science, mathematics, and technology from technical positions not requiring a college degree to Ph.D.'s engaged in cutting edge research; 26 family involvement episodes with suggestions for parents to build their confidence in helping their children with homework, doing simple science activities with their children at home, encouraging their older children in their studies, and working with schools and community organizations; and 26 academic and career resource/success stories highlighting Hispanic students who have been successful in their pursuit of careers in science, mathematics, and technology. The second series included under the grant is Salvemos Nuestro Planeta, a two-and-a-half minute series that focuses on environmental issues. It currently is carried on 89 radio stations twice a week with a total weekly cumulative audience of 2,494,300. The producers will expand the series to seven original episodes per week with five episodes focusing on science, mathematics, and technology themes: general science literacy, environmental management and technology, computers and information technology, environmental activities for youth, and SMET career opportunities. Outreach will consist of a national Spanish language toll free phone number that will refer listeners to resources related to opportunities for scholarships in science and engineering, activities and resources for parents and children in science education, etc., and in some cases, connect callers to the subject of that days interview. The PI will be Roberto Salazar who has been chief assistant to Vicente Llamas at the Comprehensive Regional Center for Minorities. He has been involved in numerous science education project for Hispanics and has a background in radio. The Executive Producer will be Jeff Kline. Major science consultants will be Vicente Llamas, Director of the Comprehensive Regional Center for Minorities, and Estrella Triana, Hispanic Science Education Director for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Roberto SalazarGilbert SanchezRobert Russell