Let’s Do Chemistry Train-the-Trainer Workshop Summative Evaluation

ChemAttitudes: Using Design-Based Research to Develop and Disseminate Strategies and Materials to Support Chemistry Interest, Relevance, and Self-Efficacy (ChemAttitudes, NSF DRL-1612482) is a collaborative project between the Museum of Science, Boston (MOS), the National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Net), and the American Chemical Society (ACS) among others. As a part of this project, researchers and educators from MOS and the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) used design-based research to create chemistry hands-on activities meant to positively impact visitors’ attitudes towards chemistry including their interest, sense of relevance, and feelings of self-efficacy towards chemistry. These activities and supporting materials were packaged into a kit known as Explore Science: Let’s Do Chemistry, (Let’s Do Chemistry) which was distributed to 250 informal science institutions across the US. Beyond the kit, the project produced findings about activity design and facilitation through the design-based research activities. In 2019, MOS applied for supplemental funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to share these findings with educators through a series of workshops for chemists and informal science educators. The initial plan was for these workshops, known as the Let’s Do Chemistry Train-the-Trainer Workshop, to be held in-person in conjunction with chemistry and other science organization conferences: ACS, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos / Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the workshops were shifted so that they could be held virtually instead. A pilot workshop was held in May and June 2020. This workshop was used to help make decisions about changes for the final workshops which were held in October - December 2020 and January - February 2021. This memo is the report of the summative evaluation findings from the train-the-trainer workshop.

Appendix includes instruments.