A Museum-based After-School Program Examining Amphibian Ecology

大卫·斯凯利博士的研究实验室与位于康涅狄格州纽黑文市的耶鲁大学皮博迪博物馆合作，推出了基于博物馆的两栖动物生态课外研究项目。该项目将邀请纽黑文公立学校中代表性不足群体的20名初中生和20名高中生参加一个体验式项目，重点是科学素养、STEM职业意识和大学准备。该项目基于斯凯利博士在两栖动物及其捕食者的元群落动力学方面的工作，以及从局部动力学到更大空间尺度的放大。这个项目结合了一个以环境为基础的研究项目和一个已建立的名为“进化”的青年项目。参与者在斯凯利博士在康涅狄格州的研究地点进行实践研究活动，开发巡回博物馆展览，主办一系列生态研讨会，在当地学校展示他们的工作，并制作他们自己的科学豆荚铸件。年轻人的作品将通过博物馆展品、豆荚模型和小学外展项目接触到更广泛的当地观众，数量达数千人。该项目将产生一个方案工具包，其中包括建立这些类型的伙伴关系的战略，如何让家庭参与，以及如何管理方案。

"A Museum-based After-School Program Examining Amphibian Ecology" is a partnership between Dr. David Skelly's research lab and the Peabody Museum at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The program will engage 20 middle and 20 high school students from under-represented groups in the New Haven Public Schools in an experiential program focused on science literacy, STEM career awareness and college preparation. The program is based on Dr. Skelly's work on the meta-community dynamics of amphibians and their predators and the scale up from local dynamics to larger spatial scales. This program combines an environment-based research program with an established youth program called "Evolutions." Participants conduct hands-on research activities at Dr. Skelly's Connecticut research site, develop a traveling museum exhibition, host an ecology seminar series, present their work at local schools and produce their own science pod casts. The work of the young people will reach a wider local audience numbering in the thousands with the museum exhibits pod casts and elementary school outreach programs. The project will result in a program tool kit including strategies for setting up these types of partnerships, how to engage families and how to administer the program.