KAYSC IDEA Cooperative: Year Two Formative Evaluation

Front-end and formative evaluation of the Science Museum of Minnesota'€™s Invention, Design, Engineering, and Art (IDEA) Cooperative youth development program was carried out from June 2008 - May 2009. The front-end and formative evaluation activities were guided by four overarching questions. 1. To what extent are youth able to apply IT and engineering process skills to design challenges? Can they come up with multiple solutions to challenges? Are they persistent problem solvers? 2. To what extent does the program provide youth with the necessary resources to help youth prepare for both secondary and post-secondary school transitions, specifically in relation to IT and engineering education and careers? 3. How effective are program activities in building youth's awareness and interest in IT and engineering education and careers? 4. To what extent are youth participating in program activities? How can the program increase involvement of youth? The following evaluation reports are included: -Invention Crew & Design Team Entry Interviews: All youth entering the IDEA Cooperative participated in an entry interview. Entry interviews provided information to help ensure the program was created based on the unique needs, prior knowledge, and experiences of each youth. The entry data allowed program staff to be able to better serve youth and thus more fully address program outcomes. -Invention Crew Formative Evaluation: Invention Crew youth were the first IDEA Cooperative team. Since they had the most experience with the program, they participated in a two-hour workshop to gather formative evaluation data related to the Invention Crew and overall IDEA Cooperative program in terms of the four program outcomes. The workshop was carried out in an interactive, participatory manner. Data was gathered during the workshop using various methods including a short one-page survey, carousel sheets, participatory graphs, and large group discussions. -Design Team Formative Evaluation: During the winter of 2009, Design Teams worked on an electronic wearable project where youth integrated a programmed cricket into an accessory or article of clothing. The electronic wearables project provided the opportunity to conduct a formative evaluation of the Design Team's experience carrying out a design project. A mixed-methods design was used to gather data from various perspectives to obtain a holistic picture of the Design Team experience. Data collection methods included observations of Design Team meetings, content analysis of sketchbooks and NING postings, and a post-project survey and interview. -Participation in the IDEA Cooperative: In addition to the Invention Crew and Design Team data, attendance data was gathered for all IDEA Cooperative youth. Participation in three types of program activities was tracked; attendance during regular days, optional days, and events. The appendix of this report includes interview protocols and surveys used in the study.