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ERIC Number: EJ941663
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jun
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2077-2327
EISSN: N/A
Building Scientific Literacy through Summer Science Camps: A Strategy for Design, Implementation and Assessment
Foster, Jamie S.; Shiel-Rolle, Nikita
Science Education International, v22 n2 p85-98 Jun 2011
To enhance scientific literacy in the general public efforts are needed that both inspire and engage the learner. Often such efforts are provided through school programs or science learning centers, however, in many rural communities such resources are unavailable. Alternate strategies are needed to provide individuals with quality educational opportunities. One such option is the development of short-term science camps. Science camps can provide both researchers and teachers with the opportunity to disseminate important scientific findings and concepts to a broad audience. Here, we present a brief guide for those educators interested in developing a short-term science camps as a means to promote scientific education and literacy. The aim of this guide is to discuss the potential benefits and caveats associated with running a science camp in rural areas and provide educators with a template assessment for evaluating students' knowledge and perceptions of science. We also discuss the results of a pilot camp offered to seven students in the rural international community of the Exuma Cays, Bahamas. We used using pre- and post-knowledge assessments as well as student self-evaluations to evaluate the effectiveness of the camp. Our findings suggest that these short-term outreach activities can have a positive impact on the scientific literacy and long-term career goals of the participants. (Contains 2 figures, 4 tables, and 1 footnote.)
International Council of Associations for Science Education. Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Education, Buca, Izmir 35150, Turkey. Tel: +90-532-4267927; Fax: +90-232-4204895; Web site: http://icaseonline.net
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Bahamas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A