To prepare for future summative research on the synergy among multiple educational media, the present pilot research explored real-life use of Cyberchase outreach materials. The present pilot study included: a Web survey of 48 outreach providers (representing over 3000 children in 19 states), follow-up phone interviews with 26 of these providers, and in-person observations at two outreach sites, one in New York and one in Massachusetts. With an eye toward future summative research, the resulting data yield conclusions and implications in two broadly defined areas: providers' use of Cyberchase
The Builders Math game on the Cyberchase website provides an integrated, goal-oriented problem that combines math skills in measurement, geometry, and visualization. The formative procedure focused on: ability to read the game text; interpretation of the terminology and suggestions for alternative terminology; transparency and usability of features; and comprehension of the four rounds of play. Cyberchase is the Emmy Award-winning mathematics series and website on PBS KIDS GO! using broadcast, web, new media and educational outreach to impact millions nationwide. Designed for children ages 8
To help guide the development of Season 7 (Do The Math!), this formative evaluation gathered feedback from third graders in response to three different materials: (1) a web-based game concept; (2) a web-based storymaker concept; and (3) The Misadventures of Buzz & Delete short videos. Cyberchase is the Emmy Award-winning mathematics series and website on PBS KIDS GO! using broadcast, web, new media and educational outreach to impact millions nationwide. Designed for children ages 8 to 11 and packed with mystery, humor, and action, Cyberchase's mission is to improve kids' problem-solving and
As part of a National Science Foundation grant, Thirteen/WNET produced and posted online ten short-form motivational animated videos. To evaluate the impact of Cyberchase Do the Math videos, Multimedia Research implemented a pre-post same-sample evaluation with the following goals: (1) to determine the extent to which viewing ten short math videos online motivates further online and offline math-related activities; (2) to evaluate whether viewing ten videos changes interest and confidence in figuring out math-related problem activities; (3) to assess change in math knowledge related to viewing
As part of a National Science Foundation grant for Season 8 of Cyberchase, Thirteen/WNET produced Summer Challenge broadcasts with accompanying online and offline activities to be posted weekly for eight weeks in the Summer of 2010. Summer Challenge learning opportunities included viewing broadcast and online half-hour episodes; viewing short video excerpts; earning points and rewards online by answering trivia questions about episodes; making one's own games; and doing at-home activities. To learn how children engaged in the opportunities and to explore strengths and weaknesses of the online
Funded by the National Science Foundation, Cyberchase: The Next Frontier is a web redesign intended to broaden Cyberchase's audience and engage kids more deeply with the math concepts. Multimedia Research, an independent evaluation group, assessed an early version of the revised website with rising 4th graders, focusing on: Appeal of screens and features User friendliness of screens and site components Transparency of icons, titles and site structure Cyberchase is the Emmy Award-winning mathematics series and website on PBS KIDS GO! using broadcast, web, new media and educational outreach to
Research Questions: (1) To what extent do children's and parent's interest in math and science increase as a result of exposure to one or more of the project's components? (2) To what extent do children and parents want to engage further with Mateo y Cientina after initial exposure to the cartoon through one or more of the project's components? (3) To what extent do parents and children think they've learned new concepts about math and science as a result of completing a Mateo y Cientina activity? (4) To what extent do parents and children gain confidence in their understanding of math and
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Sarah MushlinUniversity of CaliforniaColleen Kuusinen
The Peabody Museum of Natural History's program on Biodiversity and Vector-Borne Disease was successful in meeting all of its goals. The following is a summary of the program in terms of these goals. Goal 1: To build teacher capacity for bringing research in biodiversity and disease ecology to grades 5-11 in an engaging, inquiry-based style. A total of 64 teachers from Connecticut and 4 teacher-trainers from California, Texas, and Wisconsin participated in training institutes to learn about vector-borne diseases. All participating teachers successfully implemented most or all of the curriculum
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Minda BorunPeabody Museum of Natural History
The Listen exhibition at The Exploratorium, which opened in October 2006, deals with the production and physical characteristics of sound, the reception of sound in the ear and its perception in the brain, and the human capacity to interpret and act on the information transmitted by sounds. Summative evaluation of Listen consists of two parts: tracking and timing and exit interviews. Instruments for the studies were developed by Minda Borun. Data were collected by Exploratorium staff members Mary Kidwell, Emily Pinkowitz, Heather Posner, and Deborah Siegel, and were tabulated by Mary Kidwell
Engaging and Learning for Conservation: Workshop on Public Participation in Scientific Research was held at the American Museum of Natural History 7-8 April 2011. This preliminary report synthesizes the process evaluation with the workshop feedback provided by the participants. The overall goals of the project are to convene a workshop for scientists, educators, and community members involved in public participation in scientific research (PPSR) to share experiences, lessons, protocols, and tool and to collaboratively set forth a coherent agenda for answering outstanding questions for
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Joe E HeimlichAmerican Museum Natural HistoryCornell UniversityNational Audubon Society
The Review of NISE Network Evaluation Findings: Years 1-5 seeks to investigate the work of the NISE Network since its inception in 2005 and provide an overarching summary of NISE Net Public Impacts evaluation efforts to the NISE Network and the broader ISE field. This Review is divided into six chapters, representing the following themes: Connecting ISE Professionals with Nano Informal Science Education; Connecting University-Affiliated Individuals with Nano Informal Science Education;Engaging the Public in Learning about Nano through NISE Network Educational Products;Engaging the Public with
Visitors to the Museum of Life and Science (MLS) in Durham can now explore acres of new exhibition space, called BioQuest Woods. To get to BioQuest Woods, visitors walk outside and away from the Museum building a quarter of a mile, passing Loblolly Park, the Farmyard, the trail to the Butterfly House, and Grayson's Cafe. Upon approaching BioQuest Woods, they encounter a fork in the trail where they can choose to enter one of two exhibition areas: Catch the Wind or Explore the Wild. On the backside of either exhibition area, people can choose to take a full loop (which is a total of a half-mile