Partner Project Descriptions #3 – Making Connections: Integrating Formal and Informal Learning Experiences for Teens who are at Risk of Dropping out

Making Connections: Integrating Formal and Informal Learning Experiences for Teens who are at Risk of Dropping out of School
Kieran O’Mahony

This study builds on how several attempts to integrate formal schooling with informal learning experiences outside the school fail to engage students or increase science learning (Hosselkuss, 2009; Young, 2009). Risk of student failure, including dropping out, is a continuing and considerable predicament in the local schools that pertain to this study. The crisis persists despite attempts to relate school learning to everyday learning in an area of intense relevance to the lives of the participants. This Making Connections project will integrate formal classroom learning with informal experiential learning by first, engaging students in the restoration of their community landscape, and thereafter, in their “telling” of the story to peers and to the outside world.

This study is situated around the largest dam removal project in the world today and focuses attention not only on STEM issues but, in addition, has far-reaching implications for matters relating to energy production, indigenous culture, green design, technological modeling, sustainable solutions, and communications. This proposal documents a project that will measure student learning in a blended formal/informal learning environment. The outcomes will allow us judge the best way to proceed with a longitudinal study that will look at issues of retention and sustainability. A pilot study (O''Mahony, 2009) indicated that students showed measureable successes, asking deeply relevant questions and making connections between a theoretical knowledge base and hands-on observations in the field. In this next phase of research, we seek to develop and measure students’ learning in 21st century video, and docent skills.

The purpose of this project is two-fold: (i) to show if and how learning sciences principles—based on How People Learn models and LIFE Center research, e.g., (Bransford & Schwartz, 2008; Bransford, et al., 2005; NRC, 2000)—will lead to measurable learning benefits, and (ii) capture critical video footage that establishes a baseline for a larger term project. This project’s timing is driven by ongoing scientific work, which involves study of the effects of removing two dams on Native American lands. Once the dams are removed (in 2010) the opportunity to engage local students in the capture of scientific data f this kind will be gone forever. The overall goal is to develop student expertise in areas of scientific education that stem from the restoration of the river watershed. This will allow us to seek funds for a longitudinal study to increase student learning in STEM subjects and ultimately retain scholars in school in an area where dropouts are extremely high (48%). By applying appropriate learning science principles, we will test ways to connect students’ field and classroom experiences that result in the acquisition of important life-wide and life-deep skills. Students will learn and apply scientific principles as they also learn to develop videographer and museum-like docent skills and, in so doing, capture and process valuable footage of the present (pre-dam-removal) landscape.

The project will partner with The National Park Service (NPS), who will develop visitor activities for the site so that others can learn about the myriad of geo-scientific and social issues involved in dam removal and habitat restoration. The following url deploys an exemplar video that was created by students working with scientists from the National Park Service. In spite of its obvious drawbacks for education (it lacks deep scientific concepts that we plan to introduce to local students in the implementation of this project), it serves to illustrate the kind of product that we envision: http://www.ericrejman.com/elwha/screen/sd.html.

We will spend half day on the beach at the river mouth working through a beach transect - so that Honors students would know exactly what the school students need to do and learn and understand. While there we will explore ways that would make the work more meaningful, engaging and how the concepts might be delivered to the kids so that they could own them this is the pedagogic content layer, which is so important for transmission of declarative knowledge so that it doesn't remain inert. Then we will spend time at the dam exploring the silt and the teaching methodologies around 'preconceived ideas' and people's proclivity to hold onto some pretty amazing concepts even when they are told and sometimes until they get to touch and experiment themselves.

The second day we will have school kids with us and use our knowledge to mediate the knowledge and experience so that the kids begin to ask deep questions and make connections between the observed phenomena and the physical landscape. This will allow the two groups to begin to communicate and set up mentor mentee relationships that we can foster and grow with technology over time.