GSE/DIS Disseminating the National Science Partnership Kits

Franklin Institute Science Museum, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

The Franklin Institute and Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. are disseminating materials and resources developed for The National Science Partnership for Girl Scouts and Science Museums (NSP) under prior NSF funding. The dissemination of these materials and resources targets 1.8 million Brownie (ages 6-8) and Junior (ages 9-11) Girl Scouts nationwide. Intellectual Merit. The National Science Partnership, a pioneering collaboration, was designed to address the science learning and teaching needs of Girl Scout leaders, with the goal of encouraging girls' pursuit of science. NSP provided science activity kits, coupled with leader training, that emphasized the processes of science, as well as badge-appropriate science content in physics, chemistry, astronomy, meteorology, and environmental science. Longitudinal evaluation showed that NSP was successful in building leader capacity as teachers and learners of science and cultivated girls' positive attitudes and long-lasting interest in science. In 2001, NSP was recognized by the Department of Education as one of five projects nationally for promoting gender equity in science. The project team will continue its longstanding collaboration to dramatically expand dissemination of the four most popular and effective NSP kits. Leaders will have an expanded menu of training opportunities, including web-based resources, and all four kits will meet current badge requirements, as well as align closely with the National Science Educational Standards. Through the proposed dissemination, the team expects to engage a whole new generation of girls and leaders in science learning in the powerful informal all-girl environment offered through Girl Scouting. Broader Impacts. NSP has benefited girls and leaders nationwide since the early 1990s. More than 11,800 leaders and 138,000 girls benefited from the NSP kit program during its initial five years of federal support. By providing strong resources for leaders in Girl Scouts, NSP enhances the likelihood of quality informal science experiences for girls, provides opportunities for engagement and transformation of leaders into science teachers, learners, and advocates, and offers program models for the institutions implementing the program.