Project RESET Final Evaluation Report

Intellectual Merit: Project RESET utilized a responsive teaching approach to engage youth in critical STEM literacy on the topic of climate change. Video recordings of the afterschool program, artifacts from the program, and interviews with youth were analyzed to better understand how youth supported each other’s participation in science discourse. The team outlined four themes of critical STEM literacy (CSL) and identified a “constellation” of knowledge, dispositions, and practices within each of those themes. Finally, Project RESET demonstrated the potential benefits of multi-modal analysis for studying students’ engagement in afterschool programs.

The progress was supported by a particularly rich data set collected in Year 1; a systematic process for analyzing that data, developed and implemented in Years 2 and 3; an emergent distribution of expertise that allows team members to focus on particular research questions; and finally, a collective, intentional effort among the research team to elicit and value multiple perspectives during data analysis throughout the project.   

Project RESET’s work has been well-received, with 1 published peer-reviewed journal articles, 1 published peer-reviewed conference proceeding, 15 presentations at peer-reviewed national and international conferences, and 7 presentations at peer-reviewed regional conferences, including two Best Poster Awards at the Purdue University Annual Graduate Students Educational Research Conference. Project RESET received a Public Choice award in the National Science Foundation 2017 STEM Video Showcase.

Broader Impacts: Most youth interviewed (85%) said they would participate in Project RESET again. Youth reported that they learned more about climate change and developed positive relationships with the research team as a result of Project RESET. They also valued the opportunity to learn more about making and editing videos.  

Project RESET has apprenticed two graduate students in the key phases of education research, including data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, and dissemination of findings. One of these students completed a Master’s Thesis and the other will complete a doctoral dissertation in Chemistry Education Research.

Following Project RESET, the staff at the Burmese American Community Center plan to continue offering STEM programs for youth. Participating in Project RESET helped staff at the Center identify the most important elements of a STEM program for the youth they serve. The project team has curriculum materials, examples of youth-created artifacts, and illustrative video clips that can be used to develop classroom-ready tools for educators as part of a future project.  Lessons from Project RESET are being incorporated into a newly-funded project, Professional development for K-12 science teachers in linguistically diverse classrooms (NSF DRL 1813937). 

Appendix includes evaluation instruments.