David Reider has composed of the summative evaluation for the OUTSIDE project. Overall, the project exceeded expectations, in development of the app, numbers of participants and activities; it provided research on areas of science learning that have not yet been fully explored: how participants interact with technology in the field to better inform their learning experiences, and provided a range of data collection tools and protocols to help others further inform the field. The project also developed a model that is easily replicable elsewhere for others to help students experience nature
A partnership between Carthage College and the Appalachian Mountain Club has delivered a successful public education and outreach program that merges natural environment topics and astronomy. Over the four years of activity, over 25,000 people have received programming. The effort has trained nature educators, permanent and seasonal AMC staff, and undergraduate physics and astronomy students to integrate diverse topical material and deliver high quality programming to the lay public. Unique to the program is the holistic nature of the material delivered - an 'atypical' astronomy program. Linking observable characteristics of the natural world with astronomical history and phenomena, and emphasizing the unique sequence of events that have led to human life on Earth, the program has changed attitudes and behaviors among the public participants. Successful interventions have included hands-on observing programs (day and night) that link nature content to the observed objects; table-talk presentations on nature/astronomy topics; dark skies preservation workshops; and hands-on activities developed for younger audiences, including schools, camps, and family groups. An extensive evaluation and assessment effort managed by a leading sociologist has demonstrated the effectiveness of the approach, and contributed to continuous improvement in the program content and methods.
Naturalists act as our link between scientific knowledge and the public’s understanding of natural history and conservation efforts. In order for them to succeed, they need access to reference materials as well as up-to-date information (Mankin, Warner, & Anderson, 1999). Incorporating mobile technology (i.e. tablets) into naturalists’ endeavors in natural history and environmental education can be used as supportive and educational tools. My project investigated how newly trained naturalists used tablet technology while leading groups of children on nature hikes. I investigated naturalists’
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Abuin Marishka Radzewich St. ClairKristy Daniel (Halverson)
Informal science education is a field of study that is becoming increasingly popular and important in the world of science, especially regarding elementary students. It is important to understand how students with learning disabilities and individual education plans react to informal learning experiences. This case study seeks to reveal the experiences of two students with an individual educational plan due to Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when participating in an informal nature hike associated with the Over, Under, and Through: Students Informally Discover the
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Ashleigh DavisKristy Daniel (Halverson)
In this article, science center and museum professionals from around the world share ways that they are engaging visitors in hands-on innovation. Work from the following organizations are discussed: Exploratorium, Discovery Center of Idaho, Lawrence Hall of Science, Iridescent, Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, Ideum, Discovery Place, Ontario Science Centre, Bootheel Youth Museum, Science Centre Singapore, Children's Museum of Phoenix, Discovery Museums (Acton, MA), Discovery Center of Springfield, Missouri, Museum of Science, Boston, Questacon--The National Science and Technology
OUTSIDE: Over Under and Through: Students Informally Discover the Environment will focus on conducting a pilot study of our informal environmental education nature program designed for underrepresented middle school students in Mississippi. We have partnered with the University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) well-established Biological Sciences Learning Center (BSLC) and newly developed Lake Thoreau Environmental Center (LTEC), the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the Hattiesburg Public School District (HPSD). We are focused on reaching two target populations of participants: future naturalists and underrepresented middle school students. During this pilot, we are training volunteer naturalists to lead engaging, inquiry-driven informal environmental education programs designed to immerse middle school students in nature. We have developed a training program for volunteer naturalists and captured patterns in learning and interactions between students and naturalists during OUTSIDE programming.
From May 16 through October 26, 2015, The New York Botanical Garden will present the first solo exhibition on Frida Kahlo to be mounted in New York City in more than 25 years. This institution-wide exhibition aims to uncover new motivations for Kahlo’s work by focusing attention on the importance of plants and nature in both her painting and her life. As one of the world’s premier botanical gardens, NYBG is uniquely qualified to present the first exhibition to focus on Kahlo’s engagement with nature, revealing her intense interest, aesthetic appreciation, and deep knowledge of the natural world, especially Mexico’s plant life.
The article offers information on a citizen science project titled "Pathways to BioTrails" being conducted at Acadia National Park in Maine in which DNA barcoding will be used to monitor and identify plant and animal species. The project's goal of educating visitors to the park and acting as a model for future collaborations between national parks and research institutions is also touched on.
This article from "The Atlantic" describes ways that teachers are integrating hands-on and experiential STEM learning into the classroom, which include collaboration with informal learning environments through creative field trips.
The Bronx Youth Urban Forestry Empowerment Program offered an opportunity for a two month, in-depth and field based urban forestry work experience for low income and largely minority teenagers in the Bronx. The goal of this evaluation is to understand participant outcomes as a result of taking part in this program. Evaluation consisted of: supervisor and NRS research technician’s participant observations that were conveyed over the course of the summer via periodic interview; a pre and post test questionnaire; and weekly public essays. Appendix includes instruments.
Hidden Villa is a non-profit 1,600-acre organic farm and wilderness preserve dedicated to inspiring a just and sustainable future through multicultural and environmental education programs for children, youth and the community. In 2004, Hidden Villa hired an evaluation specialist to develop and implement an evaluation framework, and to design appropriate evaluation instruments for its environmental education programs. The following report documents in detail the process of and findings from the 2004 evaluation activities with the Hidden Villa Environmental Education program or HVEEP.
The goal of this study was to investigate the degree to which school-based and nonformal education programs that focus on air quality (AQ) achieved measurable AQ improvements, and whether specific instructional methods were associated with those improvements. We completed a standardized telephone interview with representatives of 54 AQ education programs. Quantitative analysis of these interviews generated three key findings: (1) nearly half (46%) of the programs we studied reported evidence that AQ had actually improved over the course of their projects; (2) most (89%) of the programs we
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Brian JohnsonMichael DuffinMichael Murphy