Skip to main content
COMMUNITY:
Project Descriptions

What Can We Learn from Middle School Science Fairs about Teaching Science and Engineering Practices?

August 15, 2014 - July 31, 2018 | Public Programs, Informal/Formal Connections

For over 60 years annual Science Fairs and Engineering competitions have been held in schools and communities throughout the country, engaging large numbers of middle school students and culminating in national and international events. Science fairs are at the intersection of formal learning in school and informal science learning in other settings including science centers, after-school programs, and clubs. However, in spite of their wide implementation and long history, there are few empirical studies that have examined the relationship between student participation in these fairs and their learning and interest in science. Additionally, there have been no studies to understand the real cost of these programs relative to the student benefits. This educational research project will fill that gap in understanding. It will systematically document and describe science fair models; measure their impact on learning; and provide evidence about the costs of various models and related benefits. The findings from this study will inform a wide range of stakeholders (including teachers, science fair leaders, volunteers, parents, and businesses) about these models and how they impact students' mastery of science and engineering practices. This four-year study in all regions of the country will be conducted in two phases: Phase 1 will be a survey of 3800 middle school science teachers will define the characteristics of science fair models; Phase 2 will use those understandings to conduct case studies in 20 schools. Deliverables include handbooks for teachers and the science fair community, articles in journals summarizing findings, the Science and Engineering Practice and Interest Inventory, and a suite of data collection instruments for scoring rubrics to describe science fairs and measure their impact. Research questions will include: (1) What are the basic models of middle school science fairs? (2) To what extent does participation in a particular model enhance students' mastery of science and engineering practices and/or their interest in science? (3) What student-teacher and school-level factors contribute to or inhibit students' mastery? (4) What resources, human and financial, are required to implement an effective middle school science fair? and (5) What are the most cost-effective aspects of the science fair experience, and how can they be applied or adapted by science fair leaders and teachers to strengthen students' mastery of science and engineering practices? Findings from this study will have the potential to improve current practices in the design and implementation of science fairs and their impact on student learning; they will be widely disseminated to the various stakeholders through publications, conference presentations, and educational association channels.

Funders

NSF
Funding Program: AISL, ITEST
Award Number: 1421112
Funding Amount: $1,999,997.00

TEAM MEMBERS

  • REVISE logo
    Principal Investigator
    Education Development Center
  • Marian Pasquale
    Co-Principal Investigator
    Education Development Center
  • Jacqueline DeLisi
    Co-Principal Investigator
    Education Development Center
  • REVISE logo
    Contributor
    Education Development Center
  • REVISE logo
    Project Staff
    Education Development Center
  • Janna Kook
    Project Staff
    Education Development Center
  • Erica Fields
    Project Staff
    Education Development Center
  • Lukas Winfield
    Project Staff
    Education Development Center
  • Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM
    Audience: Middle School Children (11-13) | Educators/Teachers | Museum/ISE Professionals
    Environment Type: Public Programs | Informal/Formal Connections | K-12 Programs

    If you would like to edit a resource, please email us to submit your request.