Evaluation
ESSENTIAL INFO
For more information contact:
Maritza Macdonald
center@amnh.org
The Museum conducts evaluations of its educational programs and exhibitions. Their structure and purpose vary. Formative evaluations inform program design, development, and implementation. Summative evaluations assess whether program or product goals and education expectations were met, and are shared with colleagues in the field.
Evaluations of larger scale initiatives are often conducted by external experts, with input from Museum staff. The Museum works with multiple independent firms with different areas of expertise, such as media and digital products, teacher education research, and professional development.
Sample evaluations of AMNH programs include the following:
Research
IESP Working Paper: Can Formal-Informal Collaborations Improve Science Literacy in Urban Middle Schools?
This study by researchers at New York University reports the findings of an evaluation of Urban Advantage (UA), a partnership program designed to improve middle school students’ understanding of scientific inquiry.
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Science On a Sphere Ocean-Atmosphere Literacy Partnership Summative Evaluation
This Ocean-Atmosphere Literacy Partnership was evaluated in 2010 by the Institute for Learning Innovation with visitors' experiences of these programs.
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Seminars on Science Water Course Independent Evaluation
An evaluation of the Water: Environmental Science online course offered by Seminars on Science.
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Silk Road Temporary Exhibition: Collaborative Stakeholder Exhibition and Visitor Experience Evaluation Report
This evaluation is on the Museum's 2010 temporary exhibition Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World.
Evaluation of AMNH Science Bulletin "Evolution in Action": - the Trilingual (English, French, Spanish) Version
The "Evolution in Action" HD media story from the Museum's Science Bulletin was evaluated in this report looking at media-based scientific resources for audiences who speak different languages.
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Seminars on Science Independent Evaluation
This 2009 report is an overarching evaluation of the Seminars on Science online professional development program since its inception in 1998.
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Journey to the Stars Public Evaluation Report
This July 2009 summative evaluation of the Museum's planetarium show Journey to the Stars reviews the show's effectiveness in conveying key scientific concepts, stimulating audience curiosity, and promoting further inquiry.
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NOAA Satellite Data Visualizations Project Summative Evaluation
An evaluation report on two 2009 professional development programs that focused on using visualizations to enhance climate and weather literacy among teachers and students at bilingual schools.
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TRUST Final Evaluation Report - Life Science
This evaluation was for the Museum's TRUST professional development program into the Life Sciences (2007-2009).
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Seminars on Science Evolution Course Independent Evaluation
This 2008 assessment presents a sample of surveyed educators who responded to questions about the quality and value of the Seminars on Science Evolution course.
