Science-A-Go-Go Using Experiential Learning to Engage Students in Science

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Science-A-Go-GoUsing Experiential Learning to
Engage Students in Science
Mark Niemann, Novato High School Vic Chow, Bodega
Marine Laboratory, UC Davis
North Bay Science Educators Council
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California Partnership for Achieving Student
Success

• Vision
• A Seamless Educational Pipeline Facilitating
  Student Success
• Mission
• Identifying and Removing Barriers to Student
  Success
• http//www.cal-pass.org

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Principles and Goals

• Discovery
• Collaboration
• Alignment
• Innovation
• Evaluation
• Expansion

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Discovery, Alignment, Evaluation

• Collects, analyzes and shares student data in
  order to track performance and improve success
  from elementary school through university.
• Already includes over 6,800 elementary schools,
  high schools, community colleges, colleges and
  universities, from over 52 California counties.
• Facilitates database inquiries from participating
  school districts, teachers, and education
  researchers

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Types of Data Collected

• Student identifier (encrypted)
• Student file demographic information,
  attendance
• Course file enrollment information, course
  performance
• Student test file STAR (achievement), HS exit
  exam
• Award file diplomas, degrees, certificates
• Optional files information collected on
  interventions

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Collaboration, Innovation, Expansion

• Improves communication and networking among
  educators.
• Brings together faculty from different
  educational systems to ensure that courses
  articulate with a smooth transition between
  segments.
• Builds stronger educational communities and
  collaborative partnerships and projects (e.g.
  North Bay Regional Consortium, Science-A-Go-Go).

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Cal-PASS Regional Consortia
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Cal-PASSCalifornia Partnership for Achieving
Student Success

• Cal-PASS Description
• Mission, goal, and resources
• Student performance
• Student transitions
• Communication and networking among educators
• Collaborative partnerships and projects
• Regional Councils
• North Bay Science Educators Council

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Science-A-Go-Go

• Program Description
• Engineer for a Day
• Geologist for a day
• Marine Biologist for a day

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Science-A-Go-Go Goals

• Science experiences for high school students
• Science content
• Scientific process inquiry-based learning
• Science role models
• Collaborations between scientists and teachers
• Cross-age teaching experience for college students

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Science-A-Go-Go

• Participants
• High schools
• Novato High School Mark Niemann
• El Molino High School Joan Vreeburg
• Universities
• Sonoma State University
• Engineering Shailendhar (Shally) Saraf
• Geology Dan Karner
• University of California, Davis
• Bodega Marine Laboratory Vic Michelle Chow

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Science-A-Go-Go Program Components

• Engineer for a day
• Sonoma State University Engineering Lab
• Undergraduate students hosts
• Robots
• Electron Microscope
• Circuits
• Lasers

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Science-A-Go-Go Program Components

• Geologist for a day
• Kehoe Beach at Point Reyes
• Graduate student assistant
• Investigated where might be best to drill for oil
• Gathered rock samples
• Observed millions of years of geologic rock
  formation
• Clear fault transitions

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Science-A-Go-Go Program Components

• Marine biologist for a day
• UC Davis Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory
• Investigated invasive species
• Sampled an area of the bay at low tide
• Counted, sized, and graphed the invasive species
  results
• Toured the Lab Facility

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Science-A-Go-Go Outcomes Evaluation

• Long-term focus
• How does this change long term decision making?
• Positive feedback from students.
• Unintended benefits
• Students exposed to college campus for the first
  time.
• Interacted with university students

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Science-A-Go-Go Accomplishments

• Real-world science experiences for high school
  students
• Science role models and academic/career paths for
  high school students
• Science teaching experiences for college
  students cross-age teaching
• Partnership between scientists and college and
  high school educators

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Next steps
Where do we go from here?
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Montgomery College Round Table (October
2007)Rising Above the Gathering Storm the
Role of Community Colleges in Preparing STEM
Professionals Issues and Challenges

• Reasons behind the shortage of students choosing
  a career in science, technology, engineering, and
  mathematics
• Students dont understand what the career
  opportunities are or what STEM careerists do.
• Students get turned off to mathematics and
  science early in their educational experience.
• There is a very high attrition rate among
  students who choose a STEM major in college.
• STEM careers dont seem interesting, appealing,
  glitzy, or rewarding to students.
• There is insufficient public appreciation and
  support of the importance of math and science in
  this country.

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Current and future goals

• Program expansion
• Increase the number of participating schools,
  teachers, and students
• Publish and disseminate curriculum
• Develop a network of science and education
  experts
• Include elementary and middle school students and
  teachers

• Program obstacles
• Funding
• Transportation
• Liability
• Local expertise

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Proposed Program Expansion
North Bay Science Ambassadors

• Strategies
• Leverage Cal-PASS collaborations and resources
• Utilize existing programs, resources, and
  expertise (tutor mentor programs, community
  service, internships apprenticeships)
• Develop scalable, systemic solutions for
  available (local) expertise, consistent training,
  and sustained funding

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Proposed Program Expansion
North Bay Science Ambassadors

• Program Elements
• Develop a series of classroom and field science
  activities for elementary school students
• Includes inter-related earth science, physics,
  chemistry, and biology strands culminating in a
  field experience
• Trained college science education majors to lead
  the activities with the assistance of high school
  students

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Proposed Program Expansion
North Bay Science Ambassadors

• Goals / Expected Outcomes
• Greater program capacity
• Enhanced science opportunities and activities for
  elementary school students
• Collaboration among K-16 educators to align
  curriculum and facilitate student transitions
• Cross-age teaching
• Role models for all students and model lessons
  for elementary school teachers
• Academic and career training for college and high
  school students

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Acknowledgments

• Cal-PASS
• Michelle Kalina (Senior Director for Operations)
• Shelly Valdez (Director of Regional
  Collaborations)
• Katheryn Horton (Regional Coordinator)
• Sonoma State University and the Bodega Marine
  Laboratory
• Researchers, educators, staff, and graduate and
  undergraduate assistants
• North Bay Science Educators Council
• Carlos Ayala Sonoma State U Katheryn
  Horton Cal-PASS Darci Rosales Santa Rosa JC
• Judy Barcelon Piner HS Dan Karner Sonoma
  State U Karen Santiago PROBE
• Lee Boyes Petaluma HS Dan Karner Sonoma State
  U Shally Saraf Sonoma State U
• Victor Brazil Petaluma HS Mark Niemann Novato
  HS John Shribbs Casa Grande HS
• Amy Breminger Maria Carrillo HS Teri
  O'Donnell Maria Carrillo HS Barbara
  Shubin Rincon Valley MS
• Michelle Chow Ocean Discovery! Tatjana
  Omrcen Santa Rosa JC Penny Sirota Rincon Valley
  MS
• Vic Chow UC Davis Mike Roa SCOE John
  Vogt Rancho Cotate HS
• Deb Grima-Lowe Willowside MS Joan
  Vreeburg El Molino HS

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