Adaptations to Pond Life

Program name: Adaptations to Pond Life

Field station name: Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology

Outreach program type: Lecture(s), Field trip(s)

Years active: 5-10 years

Frequency: Upon request

Course credit: No

Wiki Table of Contents

Outreach program characteristics

[✓ = applies to this outreach program, ✗ = does not apply to this outreach program]

[expand title=”Outreach Goals” tag = “h2”]

  • ✗ Build community
  • ✗ Disseminate place-based knowledge and/or skills
  • ✓ Encourage conservation or environmental stewardship
  • ✓ Inspire curiosity
  • ✗ Make field station resources available to the public
  • ✓ Promote STEM careers

  • ✓ Raise awareness of the field station's work
  • ✗ Raise money
  • ✗ Reach a particular audience
  • ✓ Teach about the environment generally
  • ✗ Teach researchers how to communicate with the public
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[expand title=”Approaches for Learner Engagement” tag = “h2”]

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[expand title=”Strands of Informal Science Learning” tag = “h2”]

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[expand title=”Outreach Content” tag = “h2”]

All topics are directly tied to the place where the program is situated.

  • ✓ Animals
  • ✗ Archeology
  • ✗ Art
  • ✗ Astronomy
  • ✓ Biodiversity
  • ✓ Biology
  • ✗ Botany
  • ✗ Chemistry
  • ✗ Climate
  • ✗ Conservation
  • ✓ Ecology
  • ✓ Ecosystems
  • ✗ Engineering
  • ✓ Environment
  • ✗ Environmental Philosophy
  • ✗ Evolution
  • ✗ Field Science
  • ✗ Fungi
  • ✗ General Science
  • ✗ Genetics
  • ✗ Geographic Information Systems
  • ✗ Land management
  • ✗ Leadership
  • ✗ Learning about Technology
  • ✓ Limnology
  • ✗ Marine Science
  • ✗ Mathematics
  • ✗ Microorganisms
  • ✓ Natural History
  • ✗ Paleontology
  • ✗ Physics
  • ✗ Plants
  • ✗ Preservation
  • ✗ Science Communication
  • ✗ Social Sciences
  • ✓ STEM Career Awareness
  • ✗ Using Technology
  • ✗ Water
  • ✗ Other

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Outreach program implementation and planning

[expand title=”People Involved” tag = “h2”]

Leaders

1 program leader(s):

  • ✓ Professional scientists
  • ✗ Graduate students
  • ✗ Professional educators
  • ✓ Field station staff
  • ✗ Volunteers
  • ✗ Other

Scientists have the following roles:

  • ✓ Organizers
  • ✓ Teachers/Facilitators
  • ✗ Participants
  • ✗ Guest speakers
  • ✗ Content reviewers
  • ✗ Not involved
  • ✗ Other

Leaders have the following credentials:

  • ✗ Formal training in education (a university degree)
  • ✓ Formal training in science (a university degree)
  • ✗ Teaching experience (K-12 or University)
  • ✗ Relevant certification
  • ✗ None
  • ✗ Other

Leaders are prepared in the following ways:

  • ✗ One day or less of training
  • ✗ Apprenticeship
  • ✓ Self-taught or learned from experience
  • ✗ Trained in communicating science
  • ✗ Trained in educational practices
  • ✓ Scientific training
  • ✗ No training
  • ✗ Other

Participants

25 participants on average per event.

Participants are recruited in the following ways

  • ✓ Word of mouth/flyers around town
  • ✓ Schools (any type)
  • ✗ Social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
  • ✗ Organizational communication (e.g., listservs, newsletters, emails, pamphlets)
  • ✗ Free local media (e.g., radio)
  • ✗ Paid advertisements (e.g., newspapers, journals)
  • ✗ Partnership with a particular group
  • ✗ Other

Participants are from the following demographics:

  • ✓ Youth (under 14 years)
  • ✓ High School Students
  • ✗ University Students
  • ✗ Graduate Students
  • ✗ Adults (18 years and older)
  • ✗ All ages/Families
  • ✗ Retirees
  • ✗ Professionals
  • ✗ Other

The following groups are recruited:

  • ✗ Hispanic or Latinx
  • ✗ African American/Black
  • ✗ American Indian
  • ✗ Alaska Native
  • ✗ Pacific-Islander-American
  • ✗ Urban, low income community
  • ✗ Rural, low income community
  • ✗ Immigrant community
  • ✗ Persons with disabilities
  • ✗ Women/girls
  • ✗ Men/boys
  • ✗ Other

[/expand]

[expand title=”Preparation & Implementation” tag = “h2”]

The program is described in the following ways:

  • ✗ We put a great deal of planning into implementing this program.
  • ✗ This program has learning objectives.
  • ✗ We rely on outside groups to plan and implement this program.
  • ✗ Participants are guided through each part of the learning experience with instructional materials or a leader.
  • ✗ The program includes lectures or presentations.
  • ✗ Participants are given little or no instruction.
  • ✗ Participants choose for themselves how to spend their time.
  • ✗ We evaluate participants on what they have learned.

The field station provides all equipment.

  • ✗ Writing materials (e.g., pencil, pen, paper)
  • ✗ Field notebooks
  • ✗ Art supplies (e.g., scissors, paints, crayons, markers, glue, twine)
  • ✗ Cameras (of any type)
  • ✗ Apps on smartphones
  • ✗ Computers
  • ✗ Software/programs
  • ✗ Compasses
  • ✗ GPS devices
  • ✓ Collecting equipment (e.g., nets, traps)
  • ✓ Observation equipment (e.g., hand lens, binoculars, microscopes)
  • ✗ Sensors or monitoring equipment (e.g., buoys, weather stations)
  • ✗ Books
  • ✗ Other

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[expand title=”Desired Learning Outcomes & Determining Success” tag = “h2”]

Desired learning outcomes of the program are:

  • ✗ Participants experience an increase or change in knowledge of the topic.
  • ✗ Participants experience an increase or change in interest in the topic.
  • ✗ Participants improve their data collection or field skills.
  • ✗ Participants improve their data interpretation skills.
  • ✗ Participants change aspects of their behavior and/or attitude.
  • ✗ Participants learn the difference between anecdotal and empirical evidence.
  • ✗ Participants express an interest in returning to the field station.
  • ✗ Participants are more excited to spend time outdoors.
  • ✗ Participants are more aware of STEM careers.

Success of the program is determined by the following:

  • ✓ Attendance levels (i.e., how many participants are there?)
  • ✓ Participation levels (i.e., how engaged are participants with the program?)
  • ✓ Observation/perceptions
  • ✗ End-of-program survey/questionnaire
  • ✗ Review of participants’ work
  • ✗ Tests/formal assessment
  • ✓ Participant feedback (unsolicited)
  • ✗ Ongoing or followup contact with the participants
  • ✗ Other

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