Summative Evaluation of POLAR-PALOOZA

The following comprise the CONCLUSIONS of SRA's evaluation: POLAR-PALOOZA toured the United States at a time when the topic of climate change and global warming appeared relatively low on a list of Americans' concerns (Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 2006), with the economy, war, and health care taking precedence. Nevertheless, POLAR-PALOOZA was a powerful format for engaging the public and teachers with science, while also being a rewarding and worthwhile experience for the traveling scientists. PPZA was an ambitious and complex undertaking designed to bring what is happening at the poles as a result of global warming and climate change to public audiences across the country in an authentic, accurate, and appealing way. The PPZA model of using real scientists and Alaska natives accompanied with high definition video and audio footage proved to be an engaging and powerful format for engaging many of its audiences. The centerpiece of PPZA, the Stories from a Changing Planet (SfaCP) multimedia presentation, expanded adult audience members' (and some of their young charges') understanding of and interest in global warming and polar research. SfaCP also helped many audience members understand the subtleties and complexities of climate change and motivated some toward more concern about the rapid changes taking place at the poles and even an intention to act on what they learned. There was also evidence that direct interactions with the Travelers supported and likely extended some children's existing interest in science careers. The specific components of PPZA that contributed most substantially to meaningful audience experiences were: dynamic scientists and Alaska natives standing in front of video footage of them working in the field, high quality video and audio, the well-choreographed and professional production values, having multiple Travelers (not just one) as co-presenters, the use of authentic artifacts, up close and personal tabletop discussions and activities (when local circumstances allowed), the 81/2 x 11 ""glossies"" audience members could get autographed (when they were available), and the large repository of easily accessible online resources. The careful integration of all of these PPZA elements created an engaging and memorable approach to science. An issue that arises from large-scale multimedia presentations such as PPZA is the cost effectiveness of this approach to presenting science to the public. Does it seem to be worth all the money, time, and effort? Data from this study indicated that it clearly was worth it at many of the venues. Audience members at these venues had powerful and memorable experiences, and there were even indications that some lives were changed. People were reminded in powerful ways of things they already knew but had forgotten, and they were encouraged to care and to make a difference. Having the opportunity to interact with real scientists talking about real research and explore real artifacts and accoutrements of polar science created lasting impressions and memories for all audiences. While PPZA was a powerful experience for most adult audience members and for some of the younger people who accompanied them, for school groups and traditionally underserved audiences at many venues, the large-scale multimedia presentation tended to be comparatively less effective. PPZA made an extensive effort to engage children and underserved audiences by employing a comprehensive array of strategies, including having a diverse panel of Travelers, having Travelers participate in targeted media opportunities, and arranging many outreach presentations often targeted to specific underserved audiences. While these were all essential and effective strategies, the most successful venues - i.e. the SfaCP public presentations - tended to be attended primarily by adult, middle- to upper-class, White, and well-educated audience members. Some of the lessons learned during the course of the project were (a) the need to adapt the length of the presentations to specific audiences, recognizing that weekend daytime audiences in science centers will inevitably include a wide range of ages (including toddlers), regardless of how the program is advertised; (b) the ability to translate scientific concepts into more popular and accessible language is a highly refined skill that varied greatly among Travelers; some will need more guidance and support than others; (c) some local partner organizations will need more support, guidance, and encouragement to allow for those aspects of PPZA which proved most effective, for example one-on-one interaction between the Travelers and the audience members at tabletops after the SfaCP presentations; and (d) the need to incorporate into the design of the SfaCP presentations - especially when the audiences include younger and/or less-motivated participants - additional audience participation opportunities, including such activities and props as rap songs, stage activities, ice cores and fossils, and plenty of time for questions and answers and face time with the Travelers. Experiences that resonated with all children and even many adults were those that included interactive and hands-on components, such as opportunities to drill into the ice, shuffle a ""penguin egg"" on one's feet, put on a polar coat, plunge a hand into icy water with and without insulating blubber, or talk with and ask questions directly of a scientist. Relying exclusively - or even primarily - on the scientists-on-the-stage model limited the ability of some audience members to have memorable educational experiences. This was true for programs given at host sites as well as ancillary outreach programs. The challenge with these more interactive and hands-on opportunities is to relate the activity back to the bigger science message so that the activity does not become "empty." Trying on a big red parka for example, is important, but relating it to global warming and climate change is the real message. Feeling the insulating properties of blubber when a hand is plunged into icy water is impressive, but ensuring it is explicitly connected to the overarching idea of climate change is important. POLAR-PALOOZA was an incredibly complex and yet well-orchestrated venture. Because of the organizers' and Travelers' solid commitment to producing, refining, and improving a highquality product, the PPZA programming was widely praised by the host institutions, audiences, and various other participants. As a model for program development and a strategy for helping people who care about the environment and climate change become more knowledgeable about and appreciative toward these issues, POLAR-PALOOZA was a powerful, informative, and entertaining program for many of its audiences. As an experiment in informal science communication, it demonstrated the effectiveness (and some challenges) of a wide range of innovative and unique approaches to connecting with our visiting publics. This evaluation report includes the teacher survey form in the appendix.

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