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1. Advancing Community Science Literacy

   https://doi.org/10.1080/10598650.2020.1720403  

   Spitzer, William; Fraser, John (January 2020, Journal of Museum Education)
2. Operationalizing science literacy: an experimental analysis of measurement

   https://doi.org/10.22323/2.19040203  

   McKasy, Meaghan; Cacciatore, Michael; Su, Leona Yi-Fan; Yeo, Sara K.; Oneill, Liane (January 2020, Journal of Science Communication)

   null (Ed.)

   Inequalities in scientific knowledge are the subject of increasing attention, so how factual science knowledge is measured, and any inconsistencies in said measurement, is extremely relevant to the field of science communication. Different operationalizations of factual science knowledge are used interchangeably in research, potentially resulting in artificially comparable knowledge levels among respondents. Here, we present data from an experiment embedded in an online survey conducted in the United States (N = 1,530) that examined the distribution of factual science knowledge responses on a 3- vs. 5-point response scale. Though the scale did not impact a summative knowledge index, significant differences emerged when knowledge items were analyzed individually or grouped based on whether the correct response was “true” or “false.” Our findings emphasize the necessity for communicators to consider the goals of knowledge assessment when making operationalization decisions. 

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3. Biological Field Stations Promote Science Literacy through Outreach

   https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biab057  

   Struminger, Rhonda; Short, Rachel A; Zarestky, Jill; Vilen, Lauren; Lawing, A Michelle (May 2021, BioScience)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Biological field stations (BFSs) are well positioned through their informal STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education programs to improve levels of science literacy and support environmental sustainability. A survey of 223 US BFSs revealed that their outreach programs strive to promote conservation and environmental stewardship in addition to disseminating place-based knowledge and/or skills. In this article, we unpack the educational approaches that BFSs use to engage learners, the aspects of science literacy most often addressed, and the perceived learning outcomes. Most notably, the BFSs reported that their participants develop an interest in and excitement for science, increase or change their knowledge of program topics, identify more with the scientific enterprise, and engage in scientific practices. The results indicate opportunities for BFSs to conduct more rigorous assessments of participant learning and program impact. By focusing on learner engagement, science learning, and participant outcomes, BFSs and other place-based informal education venues can expand their efforts and better support conservation and science learning. 

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4. Developing and Assessing an Environmental Science-Based Education Module to Support the Nature of Science and Increase Science Literacy

   Fry, Katelyn (April 2019, Proceedings of national conference)

   In today’s rapidly evolving career climate, there is an increased need to foster student understanding and appreciation of the scientific method, as well as the higher-order cognitive skills that accompany this process. A partnership with ANP Technologies, a Delaware company that manufactures and produces products relating to environmental monitoring, has led to the development of a classroom-ready educational tool. This module uses a sequence that prompts students to engage, explore, explain, and evaluate while meeting various concepts within the Next Generation Science Standards. Located in Dover, Delaware, Wesley College is a minority-serving liberal arts institution where non-science majors are required to take a topical science course emphasizing scientific literacy. Prior to this project, there was no common instructional tools or assessment between the various class sections. The module developed in this project was piloted in the spring of 2019 along with a post-test to assess module effectiveness and consistency between sections. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant differences between average post-test scores of the different sections following the implementation of the module and that students would achieve proficiency (70% or higher) on at least half of the questions. Results confirmed the consistency between the sections as there were no significant differences in mean post-test score. Students were able to meet threshold on 7 of the 12 questions, suggesting this module could be useful in scientific literacy education. 

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5. Data Jams: Promoting data literacy and science engagement while encouraging creativity

   Forster, Michelle; Bestelmeyer, S.; Baez-Rodriguez, N.; Berkowitz, A. R.; Caplan, B.; Esposito, R.; Grace, E.; McGee, S. (September 2018, The Science teacher)

   Thousands of students around the country have participated in activities using the Data Jam model, creating poetry, songs, videos, or sculpture to improve their data literacy, gain knowledge of local science research, and creatively express their findings. This article introduces the Data Jam model and how teachers can use it in classroom or after-school settings, supported by vignettes of student projects and feedback from teachers and students. 

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