The ASPIRE Program

2014 ◽  
pp. 216-231
Author(s):  
Peter Christiansen
Keyword(s):  
Middle School Students ◽  
Main Tool ◽  
Online Games ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Teaching Tool ◽  
School Students ◽  
Science Outreach ◽  
Interest In Science ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Basic Physics

The ASPIRE Program is a science outreach program that was designed with the goal of teaching basic physics and math to middle school students and encouraging them to take an early interest in science. Our main tool in achieving this goal is a series of online games and activities that are designed to supplement classroom learning. The use of videogames as a teaching tool has enabled ASPIRE to reach thousands of students per day, while maintaining an average staff of only two or three employees. Although the games themselves are online, much of the success of ASPIRE can be attributed to connections with educators made through more traditional outreach activities. These connections serve as both a source of feedback for improving pro-learning behavioral effects in players and as a means of raising awareness for the games themselves.

scholarly journals Engagement in Practice: Outreach Program to Introduce Computer Science to Middle School Students

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sifat Islam ◽  
Ravi Shankar ◽  
Iris Minor ◽  
Susanne Lapp ◽  
Dilys Schoorman
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
School Students

scholarly journals Middle School Students’ Perceptions of Scientists and Views About to Become a Scientist

2021 ◽  
pp. 410-428
Author(s):  
Aslı Bahar Ivgin ◽  
Hakan Akcay ◽  
Hasan Ozgur Kapici
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Albert Einstein ◽  
School Science ◽  
School Students ◽  
Science Textbooks ◽  
Isaac Newton ◽  
Interest In Science ◽  
Images Of Scientists ◽  
8Th Grade

It is important to explore children’s perceptions related to scientists for preventing their lack of interest in science and avoidance of science careers. This study aims to reveal middle school students' images of scientists, with an analysis of how those images may be influenced by middle school science textbooks currently use in Turkey. It was also examined students’ opinions related to becoming a scientist. The study is based on a qualitative research methodology. The sample consists of 98 students from a middle school (5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade). The data was gathered by four science textbooks, the Draw a Scientist Test (DAST) and an open-ended questionnaire. The findings showed that most of the middle school students think that scientists as men, happy, wearing a lab coat and glasses, working individually in indoor places. Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton were drawn as the most famous scientists. The images of scientists in the science textbooks were mostly men. On the other side, more than half of the students were not sure or not eager to be scientists for their future careers because of negative thoughts on scientific studies and not matching their own characters and the characters that scientists should have.

Canisius College Summer Science Camp: Combining Science and Education Experts To Increase Middle School Students’ Interest in Science

2011 ◽  
Vol 88 (7) ◽  
pp. 876-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip M. Sheridan ◽  
Steven H. Szczepankiewicz ◽  
Christopher R. Mekelburg ◽  
Kara M. Schwabel
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
School Students ◽  
Science Camp ◽  
Interest In Science ◽  
Science And Education

scholarly journals What Good Is a Scientist in the Classroom? Participant Outcomes and Program Design Features for a Short-Duration Science Outreach Intervention in K–12 Classrooms

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Laursen ◽  
Carrie Liston ◽  
Heather Thiry ◽  
Julie Graf
Keyword(s):  
Short Duration ◽  
Program Design ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Science Content ◽  
Science Outreach ◽  
Interest In Science ◽  
New Science ◽  
Collegial Support ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
K 12

Many short-duration science outreach interventions have important societal goals of raising science literacy and increasing the size and diversity of the science workforce. Yet, these long-term outcomes are inherently challenging to evaluate. We present findings from a qualitative research study of an inquiry-based, life science outreach program to K–12 classrooms that is typical in design and excellent in execution. By considering this program as a best case of a common outreach model, the “scientist in the classroom,” the study examines what benefits may be realized for each participant group and how they are achieved. We find that K–12 students are engaged in authentic, hands-on activities that generate interest in science and new views of science and scientists. Teachers learn new science content and new ways to teach it, and value collegial support of their professional work. Graduate student scientists, who are the program presenters, gain teaching and other skills, greater understanding of education and diversity issues, confidence and intrinsic satisfaction, and career benefits. A few negative outcomes also are described. Program elements that lead to these benefits are identified both from the research findings and from insights of the program developer on program design and implementation choices.

scholarly journals Insomnia Status of Middle School Students in Indonesia and Its Association with Playing Games before Sleep: Gender Difference

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 691
Author(s):  
Septian Arief Gandaputra ◽  
Imam Waluyo ◽  
Ferry Efendi ◽  
Jiun-Yi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Online Games ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Reported Data ◽  
Grade 8

The excessive use of online gaming before sleep in adolescents could be a risk factor of sleep disorders such as insomnia. This study aimed to assess the association between playing online games before sleep and insomnia based on gender perspective among middle school students in Indonesia. This was a retrospective study and the data came from a cross-sectional survey that included 315 of Grade 8 and 9 students from four middle schools in Jakarta, Indonesia. Self-reported data were collected via a structured questionnaire, which consisted of demographic variables, sleep duration per day, frequency of playing online games before sleep and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Insomnia status was classified into “none or mild” and “moderate to severe” according to ISI score. The proportions of male and female students who often or always played online games before sleep were 50.3% and 21.7%, respectively. Grade 9 students were more likely to have moderate to severe insomnia than Grade 8 students for males (odds ratio—OR = 4.34, p = 0.005) but not for females (OR = 0.69, p = 0.363). However, female students who often or always played online games before sleep were more likely to have moderate to severe insomnia (OR = 4.60, p = 0.001); such an association was relatively smaller for male students (OR = 3.09, p = 0.061). Gender differences should be taken into account when developing health education or interventions.

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