The investigators will collect data on a broad range of informal science education activities of an existing sample of approximately 3,500 adults across the U.S. It will relate these activities to prior forms of science involvement and to various indicators of lifelong STEM learning. The proposed work is an extension of the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), a study funded by NSF since 1986 and still ongoing. Prior work has tracked two national cohorts of students who were originally representative of public middle and high schools, focusing on their science and mathematics course enrollment, content, achievement, and career choices, and informed by data from their parents and teachers. The project team has maintained very high levels of continued participation by the approximately 5,000 students, now aged 34-38, many of whom have families of their own. The project will extend the planned surveys for 2009 and 2010 to examine how these adults use informal science education resources such as museums, libraries, books, magazines, newspapers, television, and the Internet. The project will provide baseline data on informal science education resource use in the Internet era for a large and diverse sample. It will allow investigation of the relationships of current informal science learning behaviors, both individual and intergenerational, to prior learning variables such as school science achievement, parental involvement, college experience, career choice, and prior use of informal learning resources while respondents were school-aged.
CENTC's (Center for Enabling New Technologies Through Catalysis) outreach is focused on partnerships with science centers. Initially we worked with the Pacific Science Center (PSC) to train our students in effective communication of science concepts to public audiences. Later we developed a short-term exhibit, Chemist - Catalysts for Change in the Portal to Current Research space. As part of the CCI/AISL partnership program, we partnered with Liberty Science Center to create an activity on a multi-touch media table, "Molecule Magic." We are currently developing another exhibit with PSC.
The National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) is a partnership of 13 institutions (Cornell University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Howard University, North Carolina State University (affiliate), Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, University of California at Santa Barbara, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of New Mexico, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Washington) that provides multi-faceted, interdisciplinary, and broadly-accessible infrastructure supporting both near-term and long-term needs identified in the National Nanotechnology Initiative. The partnering facilities are open laboratories providing outstanding service to the external user, comprehensive training and staff support, and support of interdisciplinary and emerging areas of research, with openness to new materials, techniques, and applications.
FETCH with Ruff Ruffman is a daily half-hour PBS television series with accompanying Web and outreach activities targeted to 6- to 10-year olds. The program brings science learning to young children by uniquely blending live-action with animation, game show convention with reality programming, and humor with academics. The intended impacts are to 1) help the target audience develop interest, knowledge and skills necessary to do science; 2) train afterschool leaders to better facilitate science activities with kids; and 3) demonstrate how media can be used to teach substantive science and share the results of project evaluation with others in the field. The requested funds will allow the project to expand the science curriculum with 20 new half-hour episodes and expand the Web site, focusing on three new science themes that highlight topics of interest to this age group. The Web site will include four new science-based Web games that will allow kids to create and post content of their own design and contribute to nationwide data collection. A new FETCH Online Training resource will be created to help afterschool leaders to effectively engage in FETCH's hands-on science activities. American Institutes for Research (AIR) will conduct summative evaluation of the Online Training program.
This paper was prepared for the symposium, "Learning Science in Out-of-School Time: Research Directions," presented at the 2011 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans. The authors discuss research efforts related to the nature of afterschool science offerings in publicly funded afterschool programs for elementary school students in California and the sources of support for science programming and afterschool staff development. Findings from the Afterschool Science Network (ASN) are outlined.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Barbara MeansAnn HouseCarlin Llorente
This poster was presented at the April 2011 workshop, Engaging and Learning for Conservation. It describes the eBirding citizen science program, including its methods, findings and conclusions.
Each fall and winter, hundreds of volunteers will scour the SF Bay to count migratory shorebirds. This study will help elucidate the importance of SF Bay wetlands as wintering grounds for shorebirds and other waterbirds. Conducting the survey helps us understand which parts of the bay shorebirds are using and if restoration projects are successful.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
PRBO Conservation ScienceAudubon CaliforniaUSGS - San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay Bird ObservatoryMatt Reiter
This 2-page poster was presented at the April 2011 workshop, Engaging and Learning for Conservation. It features images associated with Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission's Statewide Citizen Science Projects.
This poster was presented at the April 2011 workshop, Engaging and Learning for Conservation. It describes the Community Science Program, including four highlighted projects, at The Natural History Museum North Campus.
A BioBlitz is a rapid biological survey of a property in which as many species from as many taxonomic groups as possible are counted during a 24-hour period. It is used to provide a snapshot of wildlife in any area, and identify any rare or endangered species there. As a volunteer you would participate in training to learn how to collect data during the BioBlitz, and on the day of the event you work with experts to identify species. By participating in the BioBlitz, you get the opportunity to meet and spend time with people who are interested in the environment, and learn about critters in Wisconsin!
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Beaver Creek Reserve Citizen Science CenterSarah Braun
This poster was presented at the April 2011 workshop, Engaging and Learning for Conservation. It describes the goals and conservation outcomes of the citizen science Queen Conch Earthwatch Project in Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, Belize.
This poster was presented at the April 2011 workshop, Engaging and Learning for Conservation. This poster explains the meaning of phenology and describes the Nature's Notebook program that engages observers across the nation to collect phenology observations on both plants and animals.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Jake WeltzinNational Phenology Network