Project BUILD Summative Evaluation Report

The Space Science Institute’s (SSI) National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL), in partnership with the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the University of Virginia (UVA), was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop and implement a 3-year program, Project BUILD (Building Using an Interactive Learning Design). Project BUILD aims to bring together public library staff from six libraries (three rural and three urban) and professional engineers from ASCE to engage youth in grades 2-5 and their families in age-appropriate, technology-rich, engineering-related learning experiences. The ultimate goal of the program is to increase youths’ awareness of and motivation to STEM-related educational and career pathways, especially for youth from rural areas and populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM. The project utilized Community Dialogues, circulating Kits, and library programs to reach these goals.

Education Development Center (EDC) conducted the summative evaluation of Project BUILD, investigating the implementation of the project and its influence on library staff, engineers, and patrons (youth and their caregivers). Methods included library staff and engineer surveys and interviews, and patron program and Kit surveys. During the final year of the project, the evaluation team also piloted a drawing activity with youth at two library programs to investigate another method for gathering youths’ views of the program.

Appendix includes instruments.