NISE Net Expanded Informal
Educational Outcomes
Larry Bell ([email protected])
Sr VP for Strategic Initiatives, Museum of Science, Boston
Nanoscale Science and Engineering Grantees ConferenceDecember 13, 2016
1,650 NanoDays kits sent to 468 different organizations over 8 years reaching about 1.1 million visitors/year. Hundreds of activity resources at www.nisenet.org
93 copies of nano mini-exhibition distributed across the U.S. reaching 9 million visitors each year.
Let’s Talk about It
83% of annual partner survey respondents report engaging audiences in nano & society content
620 organizations in the Network able to engage adults & children in learning about nano and other topics …368 museum/ISE 208 university 44 other
Plus a core group with skills for leading such an effort
• Professional Impacts Summative Evaluation• Study of Communication in the NISE Network• Summative Study of the Nano Mini-exhibition• Summative Study of NanoDays 2014 Events• Summative Study of Public Impacts of Nano-Rich Organizations• Nano online: Tracking NISE Net’s digital footprint• How visitors find and discuss relevance in the Nano exhibition• Partnerships in the NISE Net: Study of partnerships between university scientists and museum professionals• Research on organizational change• Complex adaptive systems as a model for network evaluations
Research & Evaluation team developed methods, conducted studies, implemented annual partner survey and spread Team-Based Inquiry through the Network
Five evaluation studies and five research studies
Focus of final year:• NanoDays collection• Guides• Evaluation reports• Research reports• Website• NanoDays dates•
Focus of final year:• NanoDays collection• Guides• Evaluation reports• Research reports• Website• NanoDays dates• Supplemental project:
Museums & Community Partnerships
Outcomes of the Museum & Community Partnerships Project
Elizabeth Kunz Kollmann ([email protected])
2016 NSF Nanoscale and Engineering Grantees ConferenceDecember 13, 2016
• Reach underserved audiences that partners weren’t currently engaging in learning about nanoscale science, engineering, and technology (“nano”)• Materials are designed for youth ages 8-10 and families
• Create new or expanded collaborations with a local community partner• A local community group, afterschool program, library, or summer camp
• A local chapter of a national youth-serving group such as 4-H, Boys & Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girls Inc., Girl Scouts, National Girls Collaborative Project, Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Y (YMCA), and YWCA
Purpose of Museum & Community Partnerships Project
Planning and implementation guides• Collaboration guide
• Event planning guide
Staff training materials• Educator framework
• Activity guides and training videos
• Tips sheets and background materials
• Nano 101 training slides and key concepts guide
• Resources for engaging diverse audiences
• Resources for hands-on STEM
Educational products• Hands-on activities
• Classroom set of materials
• Event supplies
Museum & Community Partnerships Kits
Overall focus
• Effectiveness of this approach to reach new audiences and form new collaborations
Specific questions
• Use of materials • Participation of professionals• Value of partnerships• Professional learning
• Reach and demographics for public audiences• Perception of public learning and engagement
Purpose of the Summative Evaluation
Professionals benefitted from the project.
94%
95%
My organization benefitted fromits Explore Science--Zoom into
Nano partnership (n=63)
I benefitted from my organization'sExplore Science--Zoom into Nano
partnership (n=62)
How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Mostly/completely agree Slightly disagree/slightly agree
Completely/mostly disagree
Professionals knew about nano after the project.
80%
81%
86%
86%
90%
90%
…how nano-sized materials behave compared to macro-sized materials
..how scientists work at the nanoscale
…the size of a nanometer
…ways that nano improves existing products
…examples of nano
…innovations that are possible because of nano
I am confident in my ability to explain to another adult... (n=70)
Mostly/completely disagree Slightly disagree/agree Completely/mostly agree
Most community organizations reported reaching low-income, female, minority, and rural participants.
90%76% 71%
57% 52% 48% 48% 48%19% 14…
Low-income Female Racialminority
Hispanic orLatino/a
Rural Speak alanguage
other thanEnglish at
home
Urban At-riskyouth
Personswith
disabilities
Other
Which of the following demographic categories apply to the children, youth, and family members
who participated in Explore Science--Zoom into Nano activities? (n=21)
Most respondents felt the activities were engaging, educational, and relevant.
49%42%
8%
Very engaging
Engaging
A little engaging
Not at all engaging
21%
47%
31%
Overall, how RELEVANT do you think today’s
activities were for participants? (n=118)
Very relevant
Relevant
A little relevant
Not at all relevant
33%
52%
15%
Overall, how much do you think participants LEARNED from today’s
activities? (n=117)
A LOT from the activities
SOME from the activities
A LITTLE from the activities
NOTHING from the activities
Overall, how ENGAGING do you think today’s
activities were for participants? (n=118)
Cynthia Needham, ICAN ProductionsThis presentation is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0940143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.
Thank you!
NSF AISL award (1421179) has allowed
NISE Net to partner with AAAS and
members of the synthetic biology
community to create kits of hands-on
activities and forum programs to stimulate
conversations between scientists and
publics about research, applications and
societal implications
A NASA cooperative agreement
(NNX16AC67A) with the Science
Museum of Minnesota is allowing
NISE Net to develop and
distribute:
• 250 copies of each of four Earth
& Space toolkits
• 50 copies of an Earth & Space
mini-exhibition
• online professional
development workshops
Using Design-Based Research to Develop and Disseminate Strategies and Materials to Support
Chemistry Interest, Relevance, and Self-EfficacyChemAttitudes
Public attitudes to chemistryRoyal Society of Chemistry, 2015
NSF AISL award (1612482) is allowing NISE Net to partner with the American Chemical Society to have a strategic impact on publics’ attitudes toward chemistry through new knowledge and kits of educational materials
National Academy of Science 2016 report:
Core leadershipP Martin, SMML Bell, MOSR Ostman, ASU
Extended leadershipM Benne, OMSII Bennett, ASUM Dahlager, SMMJ Das, TFIB Herring, MLSE Kollmann, MOSM Kortenaar, SCC McCallum, CMHC McCarthy, SMMK Ostfeld, CMHD Porcello, UCBD Sittenfeld, MOSR Vandiver, TCMJ Wetmore, ASU
Regional hubsB Herring, MLSA Jackson, SCF Kusiak, UCBC Leavell, SMM
AdvisorsJ Bell, CAISE A Krishnamurthi, AA L Huerta Migus, ACM K Peterson, NGCP
Network leadership now involves staff of 14 institutions