Fall 2007 Group Meeting Jeffrey R. Raker Towns Research Group Purdue University

Plan of Action Current Areas of Interest Summer Research Study Semester Goals

Current Areas of Interest Informal Science Education Boy Scouts of America Free-choice participation Organic Chemistry Education

Informal Science Education (ISE) Definition (from NSTA Position Statement, 1998) “programs and experiences developed outside the classroom” “accommodates different learning styles and effectively serves the complete spectrum of learners” “compliments, supplements, deepens, and enhances classroom science studies”

ISE (Definition, part 2) Free-choice learning (Falk, 2001, p. 7) “no convincing evidence that the fundamental processes of learning differ” “non-sequential, self-paced, and voluntary” “recognizes the socially constructed nature of learning” “learning is primarily driven by the unique intrinsic needs and interests of the learner”

Boy Scouts of America as an ISE Free-choice (pseudo) learning environment Youth males - ages Weekly meetings, monthly/yearly camping trips and events (structured meeting times) Rank advancement, Merit Badge Program (structured curriculum)

Why choose the BSA as a research venue? Difficulty in researching community- based organizations (Nicholson, Weiss, & Campbell, 1994) Lack of research in Scouting (Jarman, 2005) Opportunity for Access

Jeffrey R. Raker, Boy Scout Eagle Scout (1999) Order of the Arrow, Brotherhood Member “Top 20” National Young American Award Seven Ranges Scout Reservation Staff (1995, , , ) 2007 Seven Ranges Scout Reservation Ecology & Conservation Director

Research Question What contextual influences (personal, sociocultural, and physical) impact a Scout’s choice to participate in science- related merit badge programs during their summer camp experience?

Definitions of terms in the RQ Merit badge curricular segments of which 21 are science-related Summer camp experience - 7 day participation in the merit badge program at Seven Ranges Scout Reservation Seven Ranges Scout Reservation offers 15 science-related merit badges of 43 total badges

Contextual Model of Learning Theoretical Framework Falk & Dierking (2000) Three Contexts of Learning Personal motivation and expectations; prior knowledge, interests, and beliefs; choice and control Sociocultural within-group sociocultural mediation; facilitated mediation by others Physical advance organizers and orientation; design; reinforcing events and experiences outside the museum

Assessment of the “Contextual Model of Learning” Weaknesses Not designed for community-based organization research Broad inclusion of influences on learning Ability to assess all three contexts Strengths Applicability beyond museums Significant development of the model Bridge to other informal science education research

Methods Stratified purposeful sampling strategy (Patton, 2000) Identify Scouts and their Parents who ARE or ARE NOT participating in the Seven Ranges Preserving Our World’s Energy Resources (POWER) program prior to camp Identify at camp an Adult Leader of a pre- selected Scout and Parent participant pair

Methods (2) Participant Goal: Recruit a Scout, their Parent, and their Adult Leader to participate (triangulation strategy) Conduct a semi-structured interview with each Scout and Adult Leader at camp. Conduct a semi-structured interview with each Parent either via phone or at camp.

Methods (3) IRB Revision (Week 5 of 7) Recruit Scout/Parent pairs and Adult Leaders from any Council during a Sunday Leaders Meeting at camp Why? Inability to recruit sufficient Scout/Parent pairs via phone. Scout/Parent pairs are more readily available at camp. Interest in study once at camp

Participants (Goal vs. Actual)

Participants (Actual) 4 Scout/Parent pairs (POWER) 1 Scout (POWER) 1 Adult Leader (with POWER participants) 1 Adult Leader (without POWER participants

Participants (POWER) Bill 15 years old, First Class Father – Asst. SM Peter 16 years old, Eagle Scout Father – Advancement Chair Otto 15 years old, Life Scout Father – Asst. SM Franklin 13 years old, Second Class Father – Asst. SM

Interviews Questions came from Theoretical Framework Three Categories of Questions Summer Camp Participation Scouting and Science Science (General)

Summer Camp Participation (Sample Scout Questions) What interests you in those merit badge(s) or the merit badge program? How did you learn about the merit badge(s) you are taking this week? Probes: Scoutmasters, Parents, Peers, Camp Literature Are there other Scouts from your unit in these merit badge(s) with you?

Scouting and Science (Sample Questions) What science activities or merit badges has you Scout’s unit done in the past? (Parent Question) In the last year, have you visited a science center or museum with science exhibits? Who did you visit these centers with? (Scout Question)

Science (General) (Sample Questions) What do you like or dislike about science? What kind of experiments do you do (or do you remember doing) in science class? What areas of science are you interested in?

Analysis Transcribe and Analyze in Scout/Parent Pairs Adult Leader data will be transcribed later Code using Atlas.ti Determine inter-rater reliability

Semester Goals Finish transcribing Scout and Parent interviews Code Scout and Parent interviews Develop a summary of findings