NISE Network Professional Impacts Summative Evaluation

The NISE Network Professional Impacts Summative Evaluation is a longitudinal examination of individual professionals over the final three years of NISE Net funding. This investigation is based on the NISE Network goals for professionals and explores how involvement with NISE Net impacts an individual professional’s sense of community, learning about nano, and use of nano educational products and practices. This evaluation primarily included professional partners who were: (1) Informal Science Educators (ISE): Professionals from science museums and children’s museums implementing informal science education, and (2) University professionals: Individuals from large and small universities and colleges throughout the United States including researchers, scientists, education outreach coordinators, and others. Drawing on the goals for individual professionals, questions guiding the NISE Net Professional Impacts Summative Evaluation include: 1. How and to what extent does participation in NISE Net impact professionals’ sense of community over time? 2. How and to what extent does participation in NISE Net impact professionals’ understanding of key nano concepts and practices of engaging public audiences in nano over time? 3. How and to what extent does participation in NISE Net impact professionals’ use, modification, and development of nano-related products and practices over time?