ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Perhaps it would be a good idea to revisit the grant proposal and look at the written goals/objectives/outcomes that prompted the funding of the program in the first place. What kind of "impact" did
you say the program would make? That's what you need to assess for the funders, although you/your institution may be interested in other measures, too.
Karen L. Swade
Paul H. Leffmann Education Center
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
1300 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone 312-294-0349
Fax 312-322-9181
[log in to unmask]
Informal Science Education Network <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Can't impact be measured in such ideas as
>How much do you like science?
>How many scientists do you know?
>Do you think you might want to be a scientist when you grow?
>List as many different jobs that use science as you can think of?
>Is science only for geeks?
>
>Etc. etc.
>
>Of course you can come up with better questions, but the point is can you
>gauge impact as a measure of their attitudes toward science and their
>understanding of very basic "nature of science" type skills that are listed
>in the standards? These would be the kinds of things like collecting data,
>using the scientific method, etc. that you would cover over and over in your
>programs.
>
>My two cents,
>Kristie Maher, SD Discovery Center
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jonah Cohen" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 2:01 PM
>Subject: Assessing Boys & Girls Clubs
>
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>institutions.
>>
>****************************************************************************
>*
>>
>> OK, I ask you, my cohorts for advice, and please tell me if my gut
>> reaction is way off.
>>
>>
>>
>> Here's the deal: we've gotten mucho $$$ to do after school programs at a
>> number of local Boys & Girls Clubs. We'll be doing ~10 programs at each
>> club. So far so good. Apparently, one of the stipulations of the grant
>> is that we have to assess the impact our programs have on the kids at
>> B&G. Our bigwigs have tentatively decided we should come up with a bunch
>> of vocabulary words, give the kids a quiz before the programs, then give
>> them one after the quiz to see if they've learned anything.
>>
>>
>>
>> My gut reaction? This is complete {#$&*-Censored- (!^`#$} Here's why:
>>
>>
>>
>> 1) It takes our programs, designed to cover a wide spectrum of
>> scientific knowledge, and reduces it to rote regurgitation of a couple
>> words. Yech. Not that vocabulary isn't important or anything, but if,
>> say, one of our live animal programs demonstrates how animals have to be
>> well suited to live in their homes (for example, we show how a ferret's
>> flexible body is useful for maneuvering underground) kids can grok that
>> even if they don't recall the meaning of "adaptation" or "subterranean".
>> I'd prefer that they do, but assuming that the ability to do so is the
>> best way to assess our stuff doesn't make sense to me.
>>
>> 2) Oy, what a logistical nightmare. We've done programs at Boys &
>> Girls Clubs before. It's pretty chaotic. Every week the kids who show up
>> are different. Often their parents are picking them up mid-program. How
>> on earth are we supposed to assess the kids based on who attended which
>> program and was there for specific vocab or other info. Or for that
>> matter, who shows up for the assessment.
>>
>> 3) Worst of all, a Boys & Girls Club isn't school. Kids go there
>> for fun, not to be tested (again). A big part of what we do involves
>> getting kids to have a positive attitude about science, to enjoy
>> science, to get confidence that they can do science. If they see it as
>> (yet another) round of testing, they may simply not show up for our
>> programs and just go to B&G to play basketball or other things.
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm sure these beefs sound familiar, as the listserv has seen much talk
>> about standardized tests - but the fact that they're now being
>> transferred to non-school environments is an annoying wrinkle. So, now
>> that I've vented/made my case, my questions to you are:
>>
>>
>>
>> 1) Am I nuts in my above complaints?
>>
>> 2) Anyone have any experience assessing the impact of programs
>> like this in a setting as thoroughly informal as B&G? Any advice? Help
>> me. Please.
>>
>>
>>
>> Jonah Cohen
>>
>> Outreach & Public Programs Manager
>>
>> The Children's Museum (formerly The Science Center of Connecticut)
>>
>>
>>
>> "Connecticut is called The Nutmeg State, because much like the nutmeg in
>> any recipe it's ever been in, no one would miss it if it were gone."
>>
>> -Jon Stewart
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ***********************************************************************
>> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
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>
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