This week's guest blog about MOST-Science is by Dr. Sandra Laursen of The University of Colorado Boulder. Read on to discover how you can contribute to this important research and help advance the field of after school science!
· Fifth
graders learn about wolf biology and predator-prey relationships, then help
prepare meat to feed captive wolves at a wolf sanctuary….
· Seventh-grade
girls build and test rockets, then hold a contest to see how high their rockets
will fly….
· High
school youth measure the water quality in a local creek and discover that
illegal dumping is contaminating the water.
They report their find to local environmental authorities….
All who work with young people in out-of-school science and
engineering experiences like these know that they can have a profound effect on
the young people who participate. But
which experiences offer what benefits to youth? What program practices best
support sustainable and effective programs?
Such questions drive a current research study called MOST-Science,
underway by our team at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Every year, thousands of young people attend summer camps,
weekend workshops, and afterschool programs at community centers, libraries,
and science centers, work as interns and volunteers at museums and
laboratories, and participate in research projects at universities and
laboratories. The MOST-Science study is
building a map of these science-focused programs, especially programs for youth
in the middle and high school grades, and those where students work with each
other on team projects or with the public.
We want to understand the breadth and depth of out-of-school science
opportunities:
· Where,
when, and by whom are out-of-school science programs conducted?
· What
types of experiences do these programs offer to young people?
Which experiences are especially effective in engaging youth and fostering
their growth?
· What
kinds of students participate and why?
· What
do students gain from taking part?
For example, do students become interested in new science topics, or sustain
their previous interests? Are
participants are more likely to go on to work in science and engineering? ...or
to grow up to be responsible community members and science-literate citizens?
The answers to these questions will help to improve youth
programs by sharing good ideas and practices.
Our research will also inform policy-makers and donors about the value
of out-of-school science education...
perhaps even to create more opportunities for youth who do not have them
now.
We are gathering data through documents, interviews, and the
online MOST-Science Questionnaire. We are now inviting leaders of out-of-school
programs to complete the questionnaire and share with us some information about
who participates in your programs; for how long and how often; and about the
kinds of content, hands-on activities, career information, mentors and role
models with which your participants interact.
Everyone who completes a questionnaire
will have a 1-in-15 chance to win a $50 gift certificate. More importantly, however, study participants
will alert our team to your organization and its programs, and help to inform
funders, policy-makers, researchers and the public about the good work in this
community and the needs that remain to be addressed.
Sandra Laursen earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley and maintains interests in both research and practice in science education. As co-director of Ethnography & Evaluation Research (E&ER), she leads research and evaluation studies focusing on education and career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Particular research interests include the underrepresentation of women and people of color in the sciences, professional socialization and career development of scientists, teacher professional development, and organizational change in higher education. She is also interested in inquiry-based teaching and learning, and the challenges of improving STEM education in and out of the classroom and across organizations.
