Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

ReSciPE: Resources for Scientists in Partnership with Education

Research and Evaluation

It is important for the science education community as a whole to understand better how to engage scientists in effective and lasting partnerships with education. We are conducting an evaluation-with-research study to contribute to this knowledge base at the same time as we examine the effectiveness of our workshops in particular. We seek to understand the motivations and barriers that influence the participation of scientists in K-12 education, and their professional development needs. We wish to know whether this workshop, and the notion of inquiry in general, are helpful starting points. We want to know more about how scientists participate in education, outreach, or as advocates and leaders for science education.

Some of our study questions are grounded in a previous study of scientists' involvement in education:

"Scientists and public outreach: Participation, motivations, and impediments"
E. Andrews, A. Weaver, D. Hanley, J. Shamatha, G. Melton
Journal of Geoscience Education 2005, 53(3), 281-293

Findings from our research-with-evaluation study demonstrate the impact of the workshop on participants and illuminate resources and barriers for education-engaged scientists. This work is described in several publications.

Laursen, S. L., Thiry, H., & Hunter, A.-B. (2008). Professional development for education-engaged scientists: A research-based framework. In Garmany, C. D., Gibbs, M. G., & Moody, J. W. (eds.), EPO and a Changing World: Creating Linkages and Expanding Partnerships, The 119th Annual ASP Meeting. ASP Conference Series, v. 381. San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, pp. 289-297.

Thiry, H., Laursen, S. L., & Hunter, A.-B. (2008). Professional development needs and outcomes for education-engaged scientists: A research-based framework and its application. Journal of Geoscience Education 56(3), 235-246.

Laursen, S. L., & Smith, L. K. (2009). Helping scientists become effective partners in education and outreach. Eos, Transactions AGU 90(1, 6 January 2009), 3-4.

Scientists examine the internal workings of a black
box class to discover what is inside.