The primary purpose of this study was to examine the influence of volunteer motivation, participation, and citizen science project type on the retention and scientific literacy of 4-H youth volunteers ages 8-19 years participating in science projects. The conceptual model of participation in organized activities (OA) proposed by Bohnert,…

Citizen science programs are becoming increasingly popular among teachers, students, and families. The term "citizen scientist" has various definitions. It can refer to those who gather information for a particular science research study or to people who lobby for environmental protection for their communities. "Citizen science" has been called…

Mueller, Tippins, and Bryan's contrast of the current limitations of science education with the potential virtues of citizen science provides an important theoretical perspective about the future of democratized science and K-12 education. However, the authors fail to adequately address the existing barriers and constraints to moving…

A robotics team from Muncie, Indiana--the PhyXTGears--is made up of high school students from throughout Delaware County. The group formed as part of the FIRST Robotics program (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an international program founded by inventor Dean Kamen in which students work with professional engineers and…

This study investigated the use of a contextually sensitive instrument to assess the effect of invasive species monitoring training on the scientific literacy of citizen volunteers. The authors measured scientific literacy scores before and after 57 citizens participated in a 2-day event to learn to monitor invasive species with an instrument…

There is an emerging trend of democratizing science and schooling within science education that can be characterized as citizen science. We explore the roots of this movement and some current projects to underscore the meaning of citizen science in science and schooling. We show that citizen science, as it is currently conceptualized, does not go…

With some NIH pay lines running at or below the 10th percentile, and funding becoming scarce for large science grants, new approaches are necessary to secure large interdisciplinary grant awards. The UCSD Moores Cancer Center has developed a team approach, starting with the identification of a competitive opportunity and progressing to the…

Can storytelling--a revered teaching tradition in many Native American cultures--be used to generate enthusiasm for science and technology among indigenous children and address the achievement gap that exists between Indian and non-Indian children? The Tribal Youth Science Initiative (TYSI) is an innovative new media project for young people, ages…

This book is intended as a final report on those activities and institutions supported through the National Science Foundation's College Science Improvement Programs (COSIP A & B), and as a reference to current developments in undergraduate science education. In the first major subdividion of this work are included project abstracts for the…

The document contains the final report on the Gifted Science Project in Montgomery County, Maryland, a program to provide resources for gifted students in grades 3-8 who are motivated in science. The primary product is a microfiche file (the Project Resource File) listing people, places, and published materials that can be used by individual…

Presented is the annual report for fiscal year 1975-76 of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), including the annual reports of the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine. Contents include: (1) report of the President; (2) reports on completed studies including food and nutrition, public health, natural resources, space…

Many educators advocate the use of projects in the science classroom. This document describes an effort (LabNet) that has successfully implemented a program that allows students to learn science using projects. Chapter 1, "An Introduction to LabNet" (Richard Ruopp, Megham Pfister), provides an initial framework for understanding the…

Science as a Way of Knowing is a project being developed by the American Society of Zoologists' education committee. The project, co-sponsored by several professional organizations, seeks to increase the effectiveness of college-level biology. A report on the project's goals, symposia, publications, reprints, and sponsorship needs is presented.…

Describes grade 5-8 school project designed to collect, preserve, prepare, and observe small items under a microscope. The project aimed to demonstrate the scientific method, as well as to teach students to search for their own questions and answers. Includes listing of materials and projects procedures. (Contains eight references.) (NB)

Described are several physics activities developed by a high school: research corner, exploring an invention, construction projects, archives report and archives update, short term research and design projects, essay contest, and special projects. (YP)