 Science-A-Go-Go Using Experiential Learning to Engage Students in Science North Bay Science Educators’ Council Mark Niemann, Novato High School Vic Chow, Bodega Marine Laboratory, UC Davis

California Partnership for Achieving Student Success  Vision A Seamless Educational Pipeline Facilitating Student Success  Mission Identifying and Removing Barriers to Student Success 

Principles and Goals Discovery Collaboration Alignment Innovation Evaluation Expansion

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

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

 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). Collaboration, Innovation, Expansion

Cal-PASS Regional Consortia

Cal-PASS California 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

Science-A-Go-Go  Program Description  Engineer for a Day  Geologist for a day  Marine Biologist for a day

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

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

Science-A-Go-Go: Program Components  Engineer for a day  Sonoma State University Engineering Lab  Undergraduate students hosts  Robots  Electron Microscope  Circuits  Lasers

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

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

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

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

Next steps: Where do we go from here?

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 1) Students don’t understand what the career opportunities are or what STEM careerists do. 2) Students get turned off to mathematics and science early in their educational experience. 3) There is a very high attrition rate among students who choose a STEM major in college. 4) STEM careers don’t seem interesting, appealing, glitzy, or rewarding to students. 5) There is insufficient public appreciation and support of the importance of math and science in this country.

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

Proposed Program Expansion:  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 North Bay Science Ambassadors

Proposed Program Expansion:  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 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 Proposed Program Expansion: North Bay Science Ambassadors

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