The impact of two science enrichment programs on the science attitudes of 330 gifted high school students was evaluated using a multimethod, multiperspective approach that provided a more comprehensive evaluation of program impact on science attitudes than did previous assessments of science programs. Although pre-post comparisons did not indicate positive impact on science attitudes, other measures provided strong evidence of program effectiveness. Program benefits were greater among girls, those who had more supportive families and teachers, and those who entered the programs with greater
This article discusses the goals, methods, and findings of a research study conducted by staff at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to evaluate their revised sea otter feeding program. The study evaluated the success of the volunteer training and peer coaching program as well as the effectiveness of the new program format in promoting the aquarium's mission.
This article discusses the development of the "New Heart of the Zoo" exhibit project at the San Diego Zoo. Old monkey cages and a bird yard from the 1930's will be replaced with multispecies habitats representing both Asian and African rainforests. This article outlines goals, methods and findings of a three-week formative evaluation for the new exhibit.
The Austin Children's Museum will develop Sixteen Candles: Growing Up from 0 - 16. a 1500 sq. ft. interactive traveling exhibition the topic of human development. Visitors will be given the opportunity to learn about the physical, intellectual, and social/emotional changes that are connected with human growth and the branches of science that study human development. Guided by the museum's maxim of exhibit and program development that experience should "build on the familiar and be personally meaningful to varied audiences" this exhibit will have components and activities that highlight similarities and differences between families and children of different cultural and economic backgrounds and family life styles. The exhibit text material will be bilingual, Spanish and English. Complementary educational material will include teacher orientation materials, educator's guide book with pre-and post-visit activities, and various parent -child activities. Museum staff will cooperate with a PBS affiliate and various other community organizations in the development of this exhibit. The exhibit will travel to an additional eight to twelve sites around the country during a three-year period. It will open at the Austin Children's Museum in the spring of 1999.
The World Wildlife Fund will develop Windows on the Wild - Exploring Biodiversity. The components of this project include two editions of a 2000 sq. ft. traveling exhibit, mini-exhibition kits designed to reach small and medium-sized institutions, and complementary educational materials designed to reach the general public and families including traditionally underserved audiences, students, and educators. With this project WWF intends to raise awareness and interest in biodiversity - its importance and its decline; raise awareness of the nature and role of scientific research in investigating and protecting biodiversity; raise awareness of, interest in, and understanding of the impacts of personal choices on biodiversity; and motivate and empower individuals to get involved in biodiversity issues. The exhibits will include a centerpiece theater introduction surrounded by five sections presenting activities and information related to the themes: What is Biodiversity? How Do We Find Out? Why is it Important? Why Is It at Risk? and How Can We Get Involved? Ancillary materials form the general public will include A Family Biodiversity Discovery Notebook, a take-home booklet, a brochure format for host institutions to use highlighting local events, among others. Complementary materials linking the exhibit to formal education activities include Educator's Info, and Windows on the Wild Biodiversity Educational Materials, as well as information about workshop and institutes.
The New York Hall of Science will develop, test, and implement the "Biochemistry Discovery Lab," a 1000-sq.-ft. space designed to complement the content and design of "The Chemistry of Living Things," a 3000-sq.-ft. exhibition that will be opening in 1999. The Biochemistry Discovery Lab will engage visitors in four different types of activities: 1) guided experiments for scheduled groups, 2) self-guided experiments, 3) demonstrations, and 4) the prototyping of ancillary materials. These activities are intended to engage the target audiences -- families, students, and the general public -- in experiences leading to an understanding that chemical reactions are due to the interaction of molecules; that chemical reactions occur in both living and nonliving things; and that there are visible and measurable characteristics of chemical reactions in living and nonliving systems.
The Hudson River Museum (HRM) will develop Hudson Riverama: An Interactive, Long-term Exhibition for Families and School Children. This will be a 2000 sq. ft. exhibit and will take the form of a trip along the Hudson River. Part I, "The Journey," will introduce seven distinct river environments from Lake Tear in the Clouds to the New York Harbor. Part II, "River People," will present human occupations and activities that are related to the river such as a shad fisherman, a municipal planner, a sewage treatment worker, and an environmental educator. The exhibit will present four fundamental, interrelated environmental concepts: ecosystems, habitats, adaptation, and human impact on the environment. Learners will immerse themselves in a habitat by "becoming" Hudson River animals and by role playing field guides, urban planners, etc. National science standards will provide a framework for the exhibit and complementary educational activities. The complementary materials will include pre- and post-visit materials for use by teachers and their students. These will include visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic activities that will connect the science education requirements with the exhibit. Information about the exhibit will be broadly disseminated and it is expected that other similar museums will emulate this approach. The exhibit is scheduled to open in January, 2001.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Philip VerreCatherine Shiga-Gattullo
The Franklin Institute and the Girl Scouts of the USA will develop, implement, and evaluate "Girls at the Center," a family outreach program that will foster girl-centered, learning within the context of the family. Partnerships will be promoted between local science and technology centers and Girl Scout Councils. It is a multi- component program that will increase girls' and their families' understanding of and interest in basic science principles and processes. Consisting of a series of family-oriented activities that coincide with the school year, science/technology centers will serve as the hosts. These museum-based activities will be supplemented by home-based activities. The activities will follow the constructivist theory of education and will cover a broad menu of scientific disciplines including ecology, energy, and human physiology as well as science careers opportunities. They will be linked to the requirements for the Girl Scout recognition (badges) program. It is building on the success of a previously NSF funded project "National Science Partnerships for Girls Scout Councils and Museum" and is expected to reach 75,050 girls and 112,575 adults in 25 sites across the US during the funding period. It will be institutionalized and will continue to operate in those sites as well as expand to other sites after the NSF-funded period.
The New York Hall of Science will develop an interactive exhibit for the general public "The Chemistry of Life". There will be two editions of the exhibit: one 2,500 sq. ft. version will be installed permanently in the New York Hall of Science and another 1500 sq. ft. version will travel nationally. Focusing on the common chemical processes behind all life on earth, the exhibit will help visitors learn four basic chemistry concepts: 1) a shared chemistry underlies all forms of life, 2) the chemistry of energy transformation takes place in all living things, 3) chemical energy is converted to mechanical energy to animate life, and 4) the chemistry of reproduction provides for the continuity of life. The chemistry of the human body will be used whenever possible as an entry point to the concepts. Exhibits will include a hands-on staffed visitor chemistry lab, interactive activities, stimulations, models, demonstrations, and video clips. Complementary materials and workshops will be developed for families, school groups, and teachers. These materials are being developed with the curricular needs of the New York State Systemic Initiative and New York City Urban Systemic Initiative in mind. Teacher and student materials will be keyed to the curriculum guidelines. The long-term exhibit is scheduled to open late in 1998 and the traveling version will be available in spring 1999.
The New York Aquarium, a subsidiary of the Wildlife Conservation Society, is developing Alien Stingers, a 4000 square foot, permanent exhibit featuring Cnidarians, jellyfish and their relatives. This exhibit will showcase species such as the purple stripe, umbrella and lion's mane jellies. Other animals to be presented include colorful sea anemones and live corals. Visitors will learn about Cnidaria and their habitats, ecological roles, adaptations and relationships with other ocean life. Endangered species, human impact on habitats and various conservation efforts will also be highlighted. The exhibit design will create a sense of wonder and mystery using dramatic lighting, music and unique displays. Moveable 3D models, interactive graphics and specially designed cylindrical tanks will result in an exhibit experience that stimulates curiosity and invites learning. The project has a comprehensive, multi-level evaluation plan structured around two exhibit openings. The first round of evaluation will look at the impact of two-dimensional graphics and prototype interactives. A second opening is planned which will add complex prototype interactives that are designed to present more intricate messages. Both layers of evaluation will be used to shape the permanent exhibit graphics and promote self-directed learning. A website with a live jelly-cam supports this exhibit, along with a host of educational programs and materials for various audiences. A family handbook, children's activity guides, visitor guides and a children's book on jellyfish are among the supplemental materials planned. It is anticipated that over 815,000 visitors will view Alien Stingers on an annual basis.
Cornell's Laboratory of Ornithology will develop the "Cornell Nest Box Network (CNN)". This is an educational/research project that will enable lay people to participate in scientific research and it builds on a successful NSF grant "National Science Experiments". For this project, CNN participants will build and place nest boxes in their communities and monitor the boxes gathering information on the breeding success of their occupants. Participants will summarize and analyze their data and then send it to the Lab for more comprehensive analysis. Lab biologists will analyze the compiled data and report results in a variety of media including scientific reports and popular newsletters. The CNN includes both an educational and research agenda. Participants will learn about birds while participating directly in the scientific process. The research questions, requiring huge, continent-wide databases, will focus on the effects of acid rain on bird populations, geographic variation in avian clutch size, effects of ectoparasites on nesting birds and population dispersal, among others. The protocol will encourage group participation and will be especially suitable for families. It will involve a corps of trained "ambassadors" who will help sustain the project a local levels. One of the goals of the project is to move participants up a ladder of science knowledge from projects involving minimal knowledge and skill to those requiring more. It also addresses national education standards that call for increased opportunities for students to engage in extended inquiry and authentic research activities. After the fourth development year, this research/education project will become self-sustaining.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Andre DhondtRick BonneyJohn FitzpatrickDavid Winkler
Educational Broadcasting Corporation (WNET, NY) is developing a multi-media environmental education project for youth aged 8 to 12. Wild World focuses on American children's everyday urban and suburban surroundings - city streets, parks, backyards, vacant lots, the woods, and similar environments easily and often accessible to the audience. The project will educate young people about environmental and natural science topics and issues in an entertaining, engaging way, and will encourage them to become more aware of their immediate environment. Important goals are to showcase people who are passionate about their work with, and in, natural surroundings, and to show that our world is intriguing and well worth investigating. The science content will reflect the recommendations of the National Science Education Standards and Benchmarks for Science Literacy. Major components of the project include: * A thirteen part series of half-hour television programs entitled Wild TV -- this exciting and occasionally irreverent series is designed to attract viewers indifferent to traditional nature documentary program. The format is also intended to appeal to young people with little pre-disposition to science or nature. * Wild Comix -- a comic book-styled educational print piece for young people that includes activities that kids can try at home, puzzles, and other thought-provoking exercises. * Wild Web -- a World Wide Web site featuring an interactive version of the comic book, activities and puzzles, a chat room, a bulletin board, and links to environmental groups. * A Home and Extracurricular Settings: Activity Guide - intended for parents and informal educators, the guide will include: enriching nature appreciation for the entire family; improving the learning relationship between children and their parents; and activities/directions for parents that are not prohibitive with regard to area, income, and adults' educational background. * Classroom materia ls - a 12-page guide designed as an introductory resource for classroom teachers who want to incorporate environmental science activities into their teaching.