An evaluation of the EarthSky en Español Facebook Page and short format videos

In 2010 EarthSky Communications Inc. was awarded a broad implementation grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) entitled Proyecto de Implementacion Amplia EarthSky en Español (EarthSky in Spanish Broad Implementation Project). In partnership with the Spanish media company Univision Communications Inc. and a national Advisory Committee of Hispanic scientists, educators, and media experts, EarthSky proposed to present science information and scientist interviews to Spanish-preferring U.S. Hispanics via short video programs distributed on television and the Internet. Under the Broad Implementation grant, EarthSky was able to build on the work completed in prior projects funded by the NSF and continue working with Univision in order to produce science videos in Spanish for the television program Detras Del Saber. The Broad Implementation grant also enabled EarthSky to expand the reach of the videos and the project’s science outreach, in general, to the EarthSky en Español website and Facebook page. This report presents findings from two separate evaluations of deliverables produced as part of the EarthSky en Español grant. The evaluations were conducted by the independent evaluation firm Knight Williams Inc., which specializes in the evaluation of informal science media projects serving diverse audiences. The first evaluation (Study 1) focused on the impact of the project’s Facebook page by examining the audience and engagement metrics captured during the final 21 months of the grant period, from 9/1/2012 through 5/31/2014. The second evaluation (Study 2), involved an exploratory study of the appeal, clarity, and learning value of three short format STEM videos that aired within a one month period on Detras del Saber and appeared in posts featured on the EarthSky en Español homepage and Facebook page.