Taking NPASS to Scale (NPASS2): Creating State-based Professional Development Networks for Out-of-School Time Science

利用国家课外科学伙伴关系(NPASS)扩大规模，建立在以前资助的努力(DRL 0515549)的基础上，该努力旨在为校外时间科学培训者、管理人员和一线工作人员提供专业发展。教育发展中心公司(EDC)与波士顿儿童博物馆合作，利用分级培训方法来增加对非正式科学节目的性质和价值的理解，并改进节目开发和演示技能。专业发展内容符合K-8年级地球、生命和物理科学的国家标准，强调科学探究和过程技能。除了将NPASS模式传播到8个州(CA、GA、MD、MN、MO、NH、NJ、OH)外，该项目还审查了在地方和州范围内促成成功的因素。合作的NPASS领导团队位于加州学龄联盟、佐治亚州课后投资委员会、课后研究所、明尼苏达州学龄儿童保育联盟、密苏里大学哥伦比亚分校、新汉普郡大学以及俄亥俄州儿童保育资源和推荐协会。罗格斯大学-新不伦瑞克分校和国家课外时间研究所(NIOST)协助招聘和培训。这项工作的主要目标受众是OST科学培训员、全州OST网络和地方项目的管理员以及一线工作人员。次要受众是参加课外项目的年轻人，他们中的大多数来自传统上服务不足和经济困难的群体。交付成果包括为期三天、每半年培训一次的培训员研究所；为新伙伴关系领导人举办的年度研讨会；专业发展工具；科学资料包；以及新伙伴关系协会的网站。项目设计包括四个层次的管理和交付。在第一级，NPASS2的主要合作伙伴EDC和波士顿儿童博物馆每半年提供一次为期三天的州立OST科学培训研究所。科学培训师学院将实践经验与非正式科学学习、青年发展和与OST网站合作的后勤方面的教学培训结合在一起。在第二级期间，八个州领导小组招募两批OST从业人员参加科学培训师学院。然后，新的科学培训师选择OST地点参加第三级为期半天的一系列科学培训。每节课介绍并模拟新的科学项目，供课外环境使用，包括NSF资助的Design It！或者去探索它！材料。最后，在第4级，邀请服务于主要未得到充分服务和代表性不足人口的儿童的OST地点加入NPASS2倡议。OST网站在每次培训时都会收到一套材料和活动指南，而支持和脚手架，如指导、帮助热线、常见问题解答档案、双月通讯和社交网站，则在整个计划中提供。据估计，多达30名OST州领导人、300名管理人员和100名科学培训员将在750个社区地点为22,000名青年提供服务。联合干预有可能改变OST的面貌。古德曼研究小组(GRG)将进行的项目评估采用纵向设计，以确定参与者随时间的成长以及变量之间的变化幅度。形成性评估旨在评估项目可交付成果的发展情况，而终结性评估侧重于专业受众的影响。NPASS2总结性评估除了对网络管理员和OST站点管理员进行年度问卷调查和访谈外，还通过基线调查检查OST科学培训员、OST州网络管理员、青年工作者和站点管理员。岗位前设计衡量培训者在非正式STEM教育研究或实践方面的理解、态度、行为和技能的变化。为了最大限度地提高评估的效率和真实性，GRG将使用目前由EDC与国家4-H理事会的SET PD委员会合作开发的SET/STEM领导者能力标准。

Taking NPASS (National Partnerships for Afterschool Science) to Scale builds on a previously funded effort (DRL 0515549) designed to provide professional development for out-of-school time (OST) science trainers, administrators, and frontline staff. Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), in partnership with the Boston Children's Museum, utilizes a tiered-training approach to increase understanding of the nature and value of informal science programming and improve program development and presentation skills. The professional development content is aligned with state standards in earth, life, and physical sciences for grades K-8 and emphasizes science inquiry and process skills. In addition to disseminating the NPASS model to eight states (CA, GA, MD, MN, MO, NH, NJ, OH), this project examines the factors that contribute to success at the local and statewide levels. Collaborating NPASS Leadership Teams are located at the California School-Age Consortium, the Georgia Afterschool Investment Council, The After-School Institute, Minnesota School Age Child Care Alliance, University of Missouri-Columbia, University of New Hampshire, and the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association. Rutgers University-New Brunswick and the National Institute on Out of School Time (NIOST) assist with recruitment and training. The primary target audience for this effort is OST science trainers, administrators of statewide OST networks and local programs, and frontline staff. The secondary audience is youth participating in afterschool programs, most of whom are from traditionally underserved and economically challenged groups. Deliverables include three-day, semi-annual train-the-trainer institutes; annual seminars for NPASS leaders; professional development tools; science kits; and the NPASS website. The project design consists of four levels of management and delivery. At Level 1, the NPASS2 primary partners, EDC and the Boston Children's Museum, provide three-day state-based OST Science Trainer Institutes on a semi-annual basis. The Science Trainer Institutes combine hands-on experience with pedagogical training in informal science learning, youth development, and the logistics of working with OST sites. During Level 2, the eight State Leadership Teams recruit two cohorts of OST practitioners to attend Science Trainer Institutes. The new Science Trainers then identify OST sites to attend a series of half-day science trainings in Level 3. Each session introduces and models new science projects for use in afterschool settings, including the NSF-funded Design It! or Explore It! materials. Finally, at Level 4, OST sites serving children from predominantly underserved and underrepresented populations are invited to join the NPASS2 initiative. OST sites receive a materials kit and guide for the activities at each training session, while support and scaffolding such as mentoring, a helpline, FAQ archive, bi-monthly newsletter, and social networking site are available throughout the program. It is estimated that as many as 30 OST state leaders, 300 managers, and 100 science trainers will be reached at 750 community sites serving 22,000 youth. The combined intervention has the potential to change the OST landscape.The project evaluation to be conducted by the Goodman Research Group (GRG) employs a longitudinal design to determine participants' growth over time and the magnitude of change among the variables. The formative evaluation is designed to assess the development of the project's deliverables while the summative evaluation focuses on professional audience impacts. The NPASS2 summative evaluation examines the OST science trainers, OST state network administrators, youth workers, and site administrators through a baseline survey, in addition to annual questionnaires and interviews of network administrators and OST site administrators. The pre-post design measures changes in trainers' understanding, attitudes, behavior, and skills related to informal STEM education research or practice. To maximize the efficiency and authenticity of the evaluation, GRG will use the SET/STEM Leader Competencies Rubric currently being developed jointly by EDC in collaboration with the National 4-H Council's SET PD Committee.