Evaluating the impact of science‐enrichment programs on adolescents' science motivation and confidence: The splashdown effect

The impact of summer science‐enrichment programs on high‐school students' science motivation and confidence was evaluated in a 7‐month period following program completion. The programs took place on a college campus. The splashdown effect was defined as program‐related changes the program graduates recognized in themselves that became apparent to them after reentry to their home high school. The effect was studied in a group of 88 gifted girls and boys from 38 high schools. On qualitative and quantitative measures obtained during private interviews, students reported a strong splashdown effect after returning to their high school. Results supported the validity of the splashdown concept. Splashdown motivation and splashdown confidence (i.e., recognition of program‐related gains in motivation and confidence that occurred after high‐school reentry) predicted change in corresponding science attitudes during the follow‐up period. As predicted by social comparison theory, the intensity of the splashdown effect was associated with average school achievement in the student's home high school. Students from academically weaker schools reported stronger splashdown effects. Implications for enhancing and evaluating the effect of science‐enrichment programs on students' science attitudes are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 359–375, 2005     

Evaluation of Short-Term Impact of a High School Summer Science Program on Students' Perceived Knowledge and Skills

Summer science programs held in university research facilities provide ideal opportunities for pre-college students to master new skills and renew, refresh, and enrich their interest in science. These types of programs have a positive impact on a student's understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry and can open a youngster's eyes to the many possible career opportunities in science. This paper describes a study of high school students enrolled in the Summer Science Academy program at the University of Rochester that investigates the program's impact on students' knowledge of laboratory skills, as well as the impact on student interest in pursuing a career in science. Students' exposure to advanced laboratory techniques and their interaction with professional scientists provided them with a very positive hands-on experience. Students who attended the program felt more confident in their ability to use sophisticated laboratory skills and that the Summer Science Academy program provided a positive influence on their performance in advanced science courses, as well as their desire to pursue a career in science.     

The impact of a cryogenics‐based enrichment programme on attitude towards science and the learning of science concepts

This study explores the impact of a cryogenics‐based enrichment programme, which involves demonstrations that use liquid nitrogen, on attitudes towards science and the learning of science concepts. The findings presented in this paper are based on a sample of 214 fifth‐grade students from two schools in Singapore who had their enrichment lesson in a subzero‐temperature science centre. Overall, the students viewed science as more enjoyable and acquired more interest in wanting to pursue science careers after experiencing the cryogenics‐based enrichment programme, but no remarkable and conclusive change was detected in their perceptions of the social implications of science. Significant knowledge gains were also detected among the participants. The programme did not have any differential impact on students of either gender and from two learning streams, both cognitively and affectively.     

Evaluation of the Long-Term Impact of a University High School Summer Science Program on Students' Interest and Perceived Abilities in Science

Many biomedical research universities have established outreach programs for precollege students and teachers and partnerships with local school districts to help meet the challenges of science education reform. Science outreach programs held in university research facilities can make science more exciting and innovative for high school students and can offer them much more insight into the nature of science and laboratory research than is available in most high school science courses. This paper describes a long-term follow-up study of high school students enrolled in the Summer Science Academy program at the University of Rochester to investigate the program's impact on students' perceived abilities in higher level science courses, on participation in extracurricular science programs, as well as the program's impact on student interest in pursuing a career in science. Students' exposure during SSA to advanced laboratory techniques and their participation in authentic science investigations provided them with a very positive hands-on experience. Students who attended the program indicated that it provided a positive influence on their performance in advanced science courses, as well as their decision to participate in other science programs and their desire to pursue a career in science.     

Does one size fit all? The induction experience of beginning science teachers from different teacher‐preparation programs

The number of induction programs available to teachers is increasing rapidly, and by necessity these programs are designed to meet the needs of all teachers regardless of their preparation and academic background. This study examines the impact of a science‐focused induction program on secondary science teachers from different preparation programs. The 16 teachers were first‐year secondary science teachers who graduated the previous year from one of four different teacher‐preparation programs. All teachers were monitored during their first year of teaching, as they participated in the induction program, to understand their teaching beliefs, instructional practices, and experiences in the classroom. The analysis of data revealed that the preservice training of a science teacher influenced the type of support the teacher derived from the science‐focused induction program. Teachers from a preservice program with an extended student‐teaching experience and two science methods courses held beliefs aligned with student‐centered practices and implemented more reform‐based lessons than did other teachers during the year. This study reinforces the importance of induction programs for teachers and suggests that there is a need for specialized support programs for beginning science teachers. The study also provides specific suggestions for improving the preparation of secondary science teachers. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 963–985, 2006     

A case for culturally relevant science education in the summer for African American youth

Abstract

This article focuses on the impact of culturally relevant teaching and learning during a summer enrichment program for high school students. Culturally relevant science instruction and curriculum helped students to foster a more positive interest in science and STEM careers as it provided students the opportunity to do science in meaningful and relevant ways. Students were able to see themselves represented in the curriculum and recognized their own strengths; as a result, they were more validated and affirmed in and transformed by, their learning. We use this case to warrant increased support for summer learning programs focused on providing African American youth with access to high quality, culturally relevant/responsive science education.     

Measuring the impact of a science center on its community

A range of sources support science learning, including the formal education system, libraries, museums, nature and Science Centers, aquariums and zoos, botanical gardens and arboretums, television programs, film and video, newspapers, radio, books and magazines, the Internet, community and health organizations, environmental organizations, and conversations with friends and family. This study examined the impact of one single part of this infrastructure, a Science Center. This study asked two questions. First, who in Los Angeles (L.A.) has visited the California Science Center and what factors best describe those who have and those who have not visited? Second, does visiting the California Science Center impact public science understanding, attitudes, and behaviors and if so, in what ways? Two random telephone surveys of L.A. county adults 18 years of age and over (n = 832; n = 1,008) were conducted; one in 2000, shortly after the opening of the totally redesigned and rebuilt Science Center and one in 2009, roughly a decade after opening. Samples were drawn from five racially, ethnically, and socio‐economically diverse communities generally representative of greater L.A. Results suggest that the Science Center is having an important impact on the science literacy of greater L.A. More than half of residents have visited the Science Center since it opened in 1998 and self‐report data indicate that those who have visited believe that the Science Center strongly influenced their science and technology understanding, attitudes, and behaviors. Importantly, Science Center visitors are broadly representative of the general population of greater L.A. including individuals from all races and ethnicities, ages, education, and income levels with some of the strongest beliefs of impact expressed by minority and low‐income individuals. The use of a conceptual “marker” substantiates these conclusions and suggests that the impact of the Science Center might even be greater than indicated by the mostly self‐report data reported here. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 1–12, 2011     

Assessment for Effective Intervention: Enrichment Science Academic Program

Israel suffers from a growing problem of socio-economic gaps between those who live in the center of the country and residents of outlying areas. As a result, there is a low level of accessibility to higher education among the peripheral population. The goal of the Sidney Warren Science Education Center for Youth at Tel-Hai College is to strengthen the potential of middle and high school students and encourage them to pursue higher education, with an emphasis on majoring in science and technology. This study investigated the implementation and evaluation of the enrichment science academic program, as an example of informal learning environment, with an emphasis on physics studies. About 500 students conducted feedback survey after participating in science activities in four domains: biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science. Results indicated high level of satisfaction among the students. No differences were found with respect to gender excluding in physics with a positive attitudes advantage among boys. In order to get a deeper understanding of this finding, about 70 additional students conducted special questionnaires, both 1 week before the physics enrichment day and at the end of that day. Questionnaires were intended to assess both their attitudes toward physics and their knowledge and conceptions of the physical concept “pressure.” We found that the activity moderately improved boys’ attitudes toward physics, but that girls displayed decreased interest in and lower self-efficacy toward physics. Research results were used to the improvement of the instructional design of the physics activity demonstrating internal evaluation process for effective intervention.     

Contrasting landscapes: A comparison of the impact of different induction programs on beginning secondary science teachers' practices,beliefs, and experiences

Induction programs are essential in addressing the unique pedagogical and content needs of secondary science teachers. Yet most secondary science teachers have little access to general induction programs, and even less opportunity to participate in specialized science induction programs. This study examines the impact of three different induction programs on secondary science teachers. The teachers were matched by grade level among three groups; one group participated in a science‐focused support program, another participated in a general support program, and a third had no formal support. All teachers were monitored during the spring semester to understand their teaching beliefs, instructional practices, and experiences in the classroom. The analysis of data revealed that the secondary science teachers in the science‐focused support program implemented more student‐centered inquiry lessons, held beliefs aligned with student‐centered practices, and felt fewer constraints in their teaching than did the other two groups of teachers. This study reinforces the importance of induction programs for teachers, suggests there is a need for specialized support programs for beginning science teachers, and recommends that universities and school districts work together to develop such programs. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 77–97, 2003     

Intergenerational preschool experiences and the young child: Potential benefits to development

We conducted an exploratory study evaluating the potential impact of intergenerational programming (IG) on children's socio-emotional development, behavior, school performance, and attitudes and behavior toward older adults. Children currently in kindergarten through second grade (age range: 6–8 years old) who previously attended one of two preschools of comparably high quality and serving families of similar demographic profiles were compared 1–3 years after graduating from their respective programs. One program offered intergenerational (IG) programming while the other was a traditional single-generation program (SG). Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the child and one of his/her parents in their home. In addition, a mail survey was sent to the child's school teacher. The study explored whether children exposed to IG had differential outcomes on specific measures as compared to children who attended the SG program. Results showed that children from the IG program had higher levels of social acceptance, a greater willingness to help and greater empathy for older people, slightly more positive attitudes, and better able to self-regulate their behavior than children from the SG program. Although limited by the lack of a pre–post experimental design, these results provide initial evidence that an IG program can offer additional benefits to children's development whose impact can last into the their early school age years.     

Validities of the Female Form of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank Occupational Therapy,Laboratory Technology,and Nursing Keys,

Many of the educational agencies now engaged in long-range planning have had to undertake training programs in order to teach their personnel how to plan. When evaluating these programs’ impact on the planning process, educators should study the relationship between the surface quality of the plans drafted during and after training and the attitudes of personnel toward those plans. Based on their assessment of a training program in educational planning, the authors contend that the better the plan, the more favorable the attitudes towards it and the greater the chances for lasting improvements in the agency’s planning capability.     

Contemporary induction to teaching in Australian universities

Australia has 42 universities. In 2015/16, 30 of 40 universities reviewed provided one or more days of teaching induction for their staff, while 10 did not. Twenty-six of the 30 teaching induction program directors were surveyed and 24 of those were interviewed to provide a snapshot of professional development for new teaching staff in Australian universities. The key findings of that research showed that almost two thirds of universities did not pay sessional staff to attend a teaching induction program; just over half the programs included peer observation of teaching; only one in five programs offered mentoring opportunities; three quarters of programs included assessment; and approximately a third of programs provided credit towards an award course. We conclude that all universities need to provide new teaching staff with a longer teaching induction program, which will support them to develop student-centred, scholarly behaviours and attitudes.     

Beginning secondary science teacher induction: A two‐year mixed methods study

Those who study secondary science teachers are often concerned with preservice or in‐service teacher development. Science teacher educators have acknowledged that this focus is limited, as the induction years of beginning teachers are an important component of teacher development. This mixed methods study focuses on the induction years of beginning content specialists, with the intention of adding to the literature in this underexamined area. The secondary science teachers in this study were followed during their first and second year of teaching in order to understand the changes in their beliefs, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and practices as a group, and as they participated in different induction programs. Analysis by induction program revealed that first year teachers who participated in science specific induction programs strengthened their beliefs, PCK, and practices. By the end of the second year, regardless of program, most of the teachers shared similar beliefs and PCK. However, the teachers in the science specific induction programs continued to enact more interactive learning environments that had more investigations and laboratories than did their peers in the other induction programs. For those who work with beginning science teachers, this study suggests that the induction of science specialists is an important area of work. It also explores the complex process of induction, and calls for more research into how beginning secondary science teachers learn and what types of induction experiences can best support beginning science teachers. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 1199–1224, 2011     

Reflective Practice and Self-Evaluation in Learning Positive Guidance: Experiences of Early Childhood Practicum Students

This paper examines the role of self-reflection and self-evaluation in early childhood practicum students’ development of positive guidance skills with children. We examine how helpful students find self-reflection and self-evaluation exercises and how their thoroughness of reflection relates to their progress in acquiring positive guidance skills. Self-reflection also plays a role in students’ attitudes towards positive guidance and their confidence in using guidance skills. This paper explores the extent to which reflection and evaluation affect the attitudes and confidence of future early childhood educators, which could have an impact on the children and families they work with. Participants were 63 university students (60 female and 3 male) in their junior or senior years in a Human Development and Family Sciences undergraduate program at a university in the southern region of the United States. They were enrolled in an undergraduate class focused on learning “positive guidance” interaction skills and classroom management with young children. Students generally found the self-ratings and goal setting helpful in learning guidance skills. We did not find that thoroughness of self-reflection was related to guidance skills or amount of improvement. There were three groups of students in regards to self-evaluation and supervisor evaluation: those who initially overinflate their abilities, those who initially underinflate their abilities, and those who evaluate themselves consistently.     

Just do it? impact of a science apprenticeship program on high school students' understandings of the nature of science and scientific inquiry

The purpose of this study was to explicate the impact of an 8‐week science apprenticeship program on a group of high‐ability secondary students' understandings of the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Ten volunteers (Grades 10–11) completed a modified version of the Views of Nature of Science, Form B both before and after their apprenticeship to assess their conceptions of key aspects of the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Semistructured exit interviews provided an opportunity for students to describe the nature of their apprenticeship experiences and elaborate on their written questionnaire responses. Semistructured exit interviews were also conducted with the scientists who served as mentors for each of the science apprentices. For the most part, students held conceptions about the nature of science and scientific inquiry that were inconsistent with those described in current reforms. Participating science mentors held strong convictions that their apprentices had learned much about the scientific enterprise in the course of doing the science in their apprenticeship. Although most students did appear to gain knowledge about the processes of scientific inquiry, their conceptions about key aspects of the nature of science remained virtually unchanged. Epistemic demand and reflection appeared to be crucial components in the single case where a participant experienced substantial gains in her understandings of the nature of science and inquiry. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 487–509, 2003     

Implementation and Evaluation of a Condom Availability Program on a College Campus: Lessons From the Field

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocate access to condoms as a critical sexual health prevention strategy. The purpose of this article is to discuss the implementation and evaluation of a condom availability program using dispensing machines in residence halls at a Midwestern U.S. university. Undergraduate students (N = 337) living in on-campus housing participated in a survey about their utilization of condom dispensers at the beginning and end of three academic years (2008–2009, 2009–2010, and 2010–2011). Questions also addressed students' attitudes toward the condom dispensers and related sexual behavior. Results indicated that the presence of condom machines did not increase rates of sexual activity (a concern of university administrators), but there was also no improvement in rates of unprotected sex. Overall, students reported high levels of satisfaction with the condom availability program. Implementation challenges are discussed and recommendations for universities and colleges wishing to execute similar programs are provided.     

How Do Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Views on Science, Scientists, and Science Teaching Change Over Time in a Science Teacher Training Program?

Every aspect of teaching, including the instructional method, the course content, and the types of assessments, is influenced by teachers’ attitudes and beliefs. Teacher education programs play an important role in the development of beliefs regarding teaching and learning. The purpose of the study was to document pre-service teachers’ views on science, scientists, and science teaching as well as the relations between these views and the offered courses over several years spent in an elementary science teacher training program. The sample consisted of 145 pre-service elementary science teachers who were being trained to teach general science to students in the 6th through 8th grades. The research design was a cross-sectional study. Three different instruments were used to collect the data, namely, the “Draw a Scientist Test”, “Draw a Science Teacher Test”, and “Students’ Views about Science” tests. The elementary science teacher training program influenced pre-service science teachers’ views about science, scientists and science teaching to different degrees. The most pronounced impact of the program was on views about science teaching. Participants’ impressions of science teaching changed from teacher-centered views to student-centered ones. In contrast, participants’ views about scientists and science did not change much. This result could be interpreted as indicating that science teacher training programs do not change views about science and scientists but do change beliefs regarding teaching science.     

Science Anxiety, Science Attitudes, and Gender: Interviews from a Binational Study

We conducted interviews with eleven groups of Danish and American students. The interview topics included gender and national components of science education, science anxiety, and attitudes toward science. The groups were science and nonscience students at the upper secondary and university levels, and one group of American science teachers who were students in a science enrichment program. The interviews revealed a variety of relationships between and among science attitudes, science anxiety, nationality, gender, and course of study. We also probed student attitudes toward constructivist versus traditional views of science.     

Evaluating an Experiential Learning Program: The GLCA – Philadelphia Urban Semester

Abstract

Hie present study is an evaluation of the GLCA-Philadeiphia Urban Semester, a program of off-campus experiential learning for college students. The goals of the program were to help students understand the city, to develop self-understanding, and to learn about a field of work related to the occupational goals. Data were gathered from 315 students who had attended the program during the period 1968-1973 on how positively or negatively they evaluated selected aspects of their experiences. These overall evaluations were related to a series of independent variables by means of a regression analysis. The findings of this study show that an overwhelming majority of students evaluated the urban semester extremely positively. Secondly, it was found that students who developed a positive self-concept and held a positive attitude toward work during the urban semester ranked the program significantly higher than those students who did not develop positive self-concepts and positive attitudes towards work. Further research comparing this program to more traditional types of campus programs is suggested.     

Teachers' attitudes and policies regarding play in elementary schools

Research and theory concerning the value of play for children's development as well as current factors reducing the amount of play time that children experience are discussed. To ascertain play opportunities occurring in the schools, teachers' attitudes toward play, and provision of play for children in grades 1–6 were surveyed. The amount of recess time provided ranged from 0 to 65 min., with a mean of almost 19 min. Findings indicated that teachers from rural areas provided more play time than teachers from suburban areas, who in turn provided more play time than teachers in urban areas. Further, the amount of play time provided was influenced by the teachers' attitudes. That is, teachers who indicated generally positive attitudes toward play tended to allot more time for play in school. However, teachers from upper grade levels, who were more likely to perceive greater pressure to provide highly structured academic instructional programs, tended to de-emphasize the role and value of play and in turn allotted less time for play in school. The results of the present investigation demonstrate that children who are given less recess time are also likely to have teachers who report less positive attitudes toward play. It is recommended that school psychologists be aware of the adverse impact that restricted play opportunities may have on children's development. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.