ERIC EJ1132085: Examination of a Successful and Active Science Club: A Case Study

2017·0.06 MB·English

by  ERIC

Marc Behrendt
Examination of a Successful
and Active Science Club:
A Case Study
Abstract or fi tness (Hurd, 2013). Students also opportunities to directly explore and par-
This qualitative evaluative study ex- need science literacy to participate wisely ticipate in science-related activities. The
plores the views of two science club and function as a contributing member clubs are usually supported and run by
advisor/educators of an active 122-member within society (Martin, Sexton, & Franklin, a school, educational facility, or parent
rural high school science club pro- 2009). At the same time, determined from group; in the case of this study, the Sci-
gram that is thriving in spite of increas- the Programme for International Student ence Club was a sanctioned organization
ingly busy student schedules, decreasing Assessment (PISA) statistics, 15 year-olds in a high school. Each club is different,
school budgets, and a demanding stan- in the United States rank 16 out of 26 defi ned by its purpose and advisor’s phi-
dardized curriculum. It is essential to un- countries in science literacy (National losophy and goals. Looking specifi cally
derstand the teacher-advisors’ objectives Science Board, 2010). Gottfried and at school-based Science Club programs,
and how they run science club, to under- Williams (2013) recognized that gov- the meetings may take place during
stand why the organization is popular for ernment, industry, and parents are pres- school, after school, or during the week-
students. What do the two teachers do to suring school systems to respond to ends (Primary Science Teaching Trust,
make this science club vital to the stu- the perceived gap of decreased stu- 2014). Activities are usually student
dents? Why do the students connect to dent scientifi c literacy and stagnant oriented to generate and nurture interest
the program? Four emergent categories numbers of students pursuing science in science, to gain science related expe-
were identifi ed during analysis: (a) the related career paths. To close the gap, riences that are not part of the regular
teachers established goals and a philoso- the Next Generation Science Standards school curriculum, and to simply inspire
phy concerning science club, (b) the sci- (NGSS) provide guidance for the for- students to have fun exploring and ex-
ence club was based on activities, (c) the mal classroom setting, but classroom periencing new things. Some clubs are
social aspects of science club were nur- activities alone may not be suffi cient. general, and some clubs may focus on a
tured, and (d) there was a connection To bridge the divide, Gottfried and Wil- specifi c area of science such as astrono-
between the informal (science club) learn- liams (2013) identifi ed an improvement my, technology, or nature (Science Clubs
ing and the formal (classroom) learning. of student achievement in the science, of South Africa, 2014). School based
The results of this study informs our under- technology, engineering, and math- Science Clubs are typically open to the
standing of how an active, strong science ematics (STEM) areas when students full student body, although some clubs
club may be structured and managed, and participated in informal learning ac- may target subset populations, such as
the study tangentially illustrates the ben- tivities, particularly when belonging to female students (Chandler & Parsons,
efi ts that a well-run science club may pro- STEM related extracurricular clubs. 1995; Watermeyer, 2012). In some in-
vide to the student membership as well as This study examined one very active, stances, in spite of Science Club being
the overall science program at the school. 122-member rural high school Science open to the full population, only seg-
Club program that thrives in spite of ments of the student population join. For
Introduction
increasingly busy student schedules, de- example, Carter (2012) observed that his
Student interest in science tends to de-
creasing school budgets, and a demand- Science Club membership consisted pri-
cline as the students advance through school
ing standardized curriculum. This study marily of “boisterous boys” who did not
(Ipsos Reid, 2010). Once the students reach
was not about how to set up or run a Sci- necessarily do well academically but en-
high school, many do not see science as rel-
ence Club, but instead the objective was joyed participating in the activities.
evant for their future careers, overlooking
to explore what the two teacher-advisors There is minimal recent research il-
the fact that science courses are required to
did to make this Science Club vital to the lustrating the state of Science Clubs in
enroll in seemingly non-science career paths
students. Why did the students connect modern high schools. Anecdotal evi-
such as culinary arts, technical theatre,
to the program? dence and personal observations sug-
gest that, in general, Science Clubs are
Defi nition of Science Club experiencing decreasing memberships
Keywords: science club, informal learning,
Science Clubs are organizations or or dissolution. In contrast, the benefi ts of
experiential learning, fi eld trip
programs intended to provide students an afterschool Science Club program are
82 SCIENCE EDUCATOR
well documented from past and present ranging from tenth to twelfth grade, were attended by 550 students. Some students
researchers (Dunbar & Schafer, 1930; chosen through purposeful stratifi ed se- were part-time Science Club members;
Gottfried & Williams, 2013; Hauenstein lection methods from the Science Club however, 50 or more students showed
& Makki, 2012; LeDee, Mosser, Gamble, membership pool (Onwuegbuzie & Leech, up for each meeting and activity. It was
Childs, & Oberhauser, 2007, Reusser, 2007) to gain understanding of the na- evident from the interviews that Science
1934; Twillman, 2006; Webb, 1931). ture of their experiences during a four- Club was important to all students - those
Students may use Science Club as a day immersive fi eld trip. Three students who enjoyed science as well as to those
resource to deepen and broaden their in- self-identifi ed themselves as highly in- who did not enjoy science classes. What
terest in science, to gain knowledge, to terested in science, and three students did this Science Club do to connect to so
develop experience in conducting a meet- self-identifi ed themselves as minimally many students?
ing, to experience topics and activities that interested in science. The six students were This current study utilized a qualita-
are not part of the regular classroom, and interviewed on multiple occasions, and tive case study research design (Creswell,
to be given free-choice to explore their participated in photovoice. During semi- 2003; Stake 1995) to explore the views of
personal interests, which may intrinsi- structured interviews, each student- two high school science educators who
cally motivate exploration and discovery participant (all names are pseudonyms) were also co-advisors for a rural Ohio Sci-
(Reusser, 1934). Depending on the pur- commented on the importance of Sci- ence Club. Data from this study included
pose and goal of the Science Club, the ence Club to their interest or apprecia- teacher interviews, three full months of
teacher might use Science Club as an ex- tion of science: classroom and fi eld trip observations, and
tension of a class (Hauenstein & Makki, statements from student interviews from
- “With Science Club you get to do
2012) or as an avenue to science com- the larger study that sparked this exami-
things you would never have had
petitions (Twillman, 2006). An effective nation. After IRB approval was granted,
the opportunity to do…If I only
Science Club program has the ability to teacher interviews were conducted using
have one activity to do, I would
develop in students the sense of awe and a semi-structured protocol, recorded on
probably pick Science Club, be-
wonder, to develop “personal interest, ex- digital recorder, and transcribed. Inter-
cause of the people in it and [the
perience, and enthusiasm—critical to chil- view transcript analysis involved open
teacher-advisors]” (Willa, interview,
dren’s learning of science at school or in coding related to the teachers’ views
4/10/2013).
other settings— [that] may also be linked about science education and Science
- “We have the Science Club. We do
to later educational and career choice” Club membership and activities. Gener-
everything from a zoo trip, which
(National Research Council, 2011, p. 28). ated codes were compared and merged
is an overnighter, we do a canoe
Students enjoy Science Club because where appropriate into categories, and
trip, we do Stone Lab. We have
they get to do authentic science and be then tested against the data (Patton, 2002;
many labs after each informational
real scientists, they can conduct science Rubin & Rubin, 2012; Stake, 1995).
meeting, like blowing stuff up with
activities that are meaningful and have a
dry ice, just the fun activities that Participants
purpose, (Hauenstein & Makki, 2012),
we do with science.” (Tammy, in- Two high school science teachers who
they feel less apprehensive about sci-
terview, 4/8/2013) were also co-advisors for Science Club
ence and have a better attitude towards
- “I like to see different things all participated in the interviews. Mr. Jacobs
science (Moore-Hart, Liggit, & Daisey,
the time. I love to go on the local (all names are pseudonyms) had six
2004), and they have time to meet and
zoo overnight trip, you get to inter- years experience, and taught Biology 2,
mingle with peers who will not laugh at
act with different kinds of people, Ecology, and multiple sessions of Biol-
them for enjoying science (Twillman,
you get to learn stuff you don’t ogy 1 at the time of the study; Ms. Kay
2006). There is no focus on standards
learn at school” (Logan, interview, had 28 years experience and taught Phys-
or curriculum, rather an afternoon activ-
4/9/2013). ics and multiple sessions of Chemistry at
ity may unpredictably change course as
- “The trips are fun, and I like doing the time of the study. Both teachers had
students fi nd interest in an unanticipated,
the odd experiments at the end [of one free period per day for lesson prepa-
peripheral topic that leads to exploration
each meeting]” (Lisa, interview, ration. The two teachers at this specifi c
and discovery. Science Club should cul-
4/8/2013). high school were chosen for this study
tivate the joy of investigating mystery,
During the initial interviews prior to because the Science Club membership at
while having fun (Twillman, 2006).
the fi eld trip, when asked what activities their school over the past ten years ranged
Design and Procedure or sports they belong to, each of the stu- from 122 to 226 members, at a school
This current study is an emergent ex- dents immediately answered “Science with on average 550 students.
tension of a larger study that will be de- Club” before naming any other activity.
scribed fi rst, to provide a foundation to This particular studied Science Club had Findings and Analysis
the current study. In the original study, 122 members during the 2012-13 school The objective of this study was to ex-
six students, four female and two male, year at a rural Midwestern US high school plore what the two teacher-advisors did
WINTER 2017 VOL. 25, NO. 2 83
to make this specifi c Science Club in- school year when students worked with canoe trip on a local river. The event unites
teresting and signifi cant to the students. the school recycling effort. The goal is the membership and builds a commonal-
The analysis resulted in four emergent to make science fun, to make it a start- ity among the students. Although primar-
categories: ing point from which students can begin ily a social event, the teachers talk science
exploring on their own. Science Club is to any nearby students with each teachable
1) The teachers’ established goals
to be non-threatening. There is no home- moment. The winter overnight trip at the
and a philosophy concerning
work, and besides an obligation of two local zoo is a favorite annual activity. This
Science Club
service days working with the school activity is more social than educational,
2) The Science Club was based on
recycling program, there are no expec- but the students learn about zoo opera-
activities
tations for members. The teachers’ ul- tions. Additionally, the students experience
3) The social aspects of Science
timate goals are that the students gain a one-night fi eld trip away from home. In
Club were nurtured
new awareness of the world around them the spring, there are two possible extended
4) The informal (Science Club)
and that students develop and maintain a trips, alternating each year. During the fi rst
learning connected with the
sense of self-worth. option, the students spend three days and
formal (classroom) learning.
two nights at a rural state park, where they
Goals and Philosophy Activities hike, explore and discover the local biology
In this fi rst emergent category, the In the second emergent category, the and geology. During the hikes, the teachers
teachers reported clear goals for the Sci- teachers described how students planned stop to explain and add relevance to what
ence Club: to provide a place where stu- and ran the Science Club meetings and the students are seeing. One highly antici-
dents who enjoy science fi t in; to create post-meeting activities. The teachers are pated activity during each state park trip
experiences that students fi nd interesting; involved as advisors and oversee all ac- was the night hike, an experiential activ-
and to help students realize that science tivities that require equipment or involve ity in which students learn about nocturnal
is around them at all times. The teachers potential safety issues. Favorite post- forest life. In a moment of awe and won-
wanted the students outdoors, to experi- meeting activities that students repeat- der, after hiking for a while the group stops
ence and recognize that not everything in edly brought up during the interviews to listen to the night, and then the teacher
nature is what they expect, and that sci- included placing dry ice in plastic milk makes a barred owl call, which causes the
ence is a process that is always changing: jugs, placing a Peep marshmallow in a barred owls within hearing range to re-
vacuum pump, and building gliders. spond. The most anticipated of all the fi eld
Doing pre-fi eld stuff inside makes
One trip is planned per season, three trips is the biennial biological fi eld station
sense, you get their attention, but if
per year. The teachers consider the over- trip, when the students spend four days
you really want to experience stuff
night fi eld trips to be integral moments and three nights immersed in science, as
in a creek, you don’t grab rocks and
when the students are susceptible to explained in this powerful description:
bring them in. You can talk about
learning and gaining awareness about
that, look here is what you are go- It is science, hands on, the whole
the world:
ing to see, here is the kind of stuff, time. [The students] are surrounded
here is the stuff, now we have to Once you get them away from their by adults going, isn’t this cool? Did
go outside. (Mrs. Kay, interview, regular routine, it becomes special, you see this bug sitting here on the
5/31/2013) they are more willing to learn. I wall? Have you gone out and looked
think even just an overnighter is around? And it is not just in the
The goals are achieved through interest-
enough to make it because it is just class. It is complete total immer-
ing activities and during at least three
enough to make a difference. It is sion…We have had kids go to Stone
fi eld trips, two of which are overnight-
like a trip to any other class-like Lab and come back and go, that’s
ers. The idea is to break students away
thing, but they will remember be- what I want to do. I know what I
from their routine lives and activities, to
cause it is time away from classes, want to do now. It is really impor-
be surrounded by peers and teachers who
people, their parents, all that, to tant. It is something that they would
are excited about science and to experi-
spend with a group of people. Any not have seen anywhere else.” (Mrs.
ence science and the natural world.
time you get a group of people to Kay, interview, 5/31/2013)
The teachers explained that all stu-
spend a long time together, you are
dents are welcome in the Science Club, Students prepare up to two years in ad-
going to get a close connection.
no students are excluded, and no stu- vance to attend the biological fi eld sta-
That connection, that tie that brings
dents are compelled to join. Knowing tion trip. Expenses are covered through
them together, is going to make a
that some students have overwhelmingly money-making activities through Science
huge impacts, good or bad. (Mrs.
busy schedules due to membership in Club. After the fi eld trip, students share
Kay, interview, 5/31/2013)
multiple organizations and sports, there their excitement and passion with those
is no required attendance except two Shortly after the school year begins, the who did not attend, which sets up the an-
mandatory times of service during the Science Club goes on a Sunday afternoon ticipation for the next fi eld station trip.
84 SCIENCE EDUCATOR
Social Interactions more of a person, and so you gain have fun and no anxiety about the learn-
In the third emergent category, the a different look at them, a different ing, so they learn the concepts better.”
teachers reported the impact of students feel, and that makes a closer con- Mrs. Kay compared Science Club to
building social connections with peers nection. You are not that weird per- classroom learning that defi ned this par-
and teachers through Science Club. son that, when they see you out of ticular school’s Science Club:
Social interactions with students. school, they say, who are you? Even
We have a chance to kind of pick
For some students, Science Club is a in class, you are a real person. (Mr.
and choose things that we want
time to meet and talk with friends. For Jacobs, interview, 5/31/2013)
to do and we don’t have to stick
other students, they are able to enjoy sci-
The teachers sometimes bring family to common core, we don’t have to
ence without the fear of being laughed
members on the trip, surprising some follow a defi nite progression. With
at, knowing that everybody in Science
students that teachers have families like our labs, we can go out and do the
Club likes or accepts science to some
“real people.” The fi eld trips allow the dry ice experiment one time, we can
extent. Students who are awkward and
teachers and students to casually talk, come in and do the vacuum the next
with few friends are welcomed and are
helping to develop adult/student bonds. time. We have done some differ-
accepted for who they are. The club pro-
Both teachers identifi ed an added benefi t: ent things, it is stuff that amuses us
vides the venue for this diverse group of
and it amuses the kids, and we do
students to gather and share a common It also lets me see [the students] in
it because it is cool, because it is
interest or curiosity in science. a different way. I get to see how
something that we talk about…we
The membership drive occurs during they are interacting outside. Oh, I
are not lecturing on it or not test-
the fi rst few weeks of school. All it takes didn’t know they were friends, be-
ing on it. They are not sitting there,
is one student excited about Science Club cause I never see them together…
how is she or he going to put this on
to “change the complexion of the entire that explains a few things. Now I
a test? That is not even a question!
class; they will get other students inter- understand. (Mrs. Kay, interview,
This is really cool, I like this! So it
ested” (Mrs. Kay, interview, 5/31/2013). 5/31/2013)
is a chance to see something differ-
It may be the trips, the activities, or the
ent and do something different. (Mrs.
Science Club versus Classroom
idea that the club is just fun, but students
Kay, interview, 5/31/2013)
In the fourth emergent category, the
want to join Science Club. The fi rst year
teachers acknowledged the similarities
that the teachers were Science Club ad-
and differences between Science Club Discussion
visors, there were 226 members, roughly
and the classroom. Science Club is about Science Club activities should involve
half the school population; however dur-
fun, of being alongside peers who also hands-on experiences as described by
ing the past year the membership was
fi nd science interesting, of becoming ex- the teachers in this study. It is equally
down to 122, mostly because the teach-
cited about science, and about awareness important that the teachers focus on
ers imposed a $5 fee for the year. (The
of the world around each student. The social activities that build a prelimi-
fee paid for supplies for the meetings
students drive the conversations and dis- nary foundation of interest and excite-
and post-meeting activities. Each student
cussion during the meeting, activity, and ment about science among students.
was expected to pay for his or her own
post meeting social time. Students decide By enabling student control, providing
fi eld trip expenses.)
what is interesting and pursue it through a socially safe environment, sanction-
Social interactions with teachers.
the activities following the meetings. In ing student-centered fun, and provid-
The teachers cited the importance of posi-
comparison, the classroom is teacher- ing experiential fi eld trips, the students
tive interactions between students and
directed, follows a rigid curriculum that share and develop interests with other
teachers in the informal Science Club
is enveloped with assessments for learn- students, creating personally relevant
setting. During the meetings, teachers are
ing. The formal classroom has a level interest in science. These personal con-
seen as teachers. However, on fi eld trips,
of anxiety, and allows little peer social nections are important in science and en-
students observe the teachers having fun,
interaction (National Research Coun- vironmental curricula, helping students
laughing, joking, and eating s’mores at
cil, 2009). Many students come to high develop emotional connections to the
the campfi re. Students develop a new per-
school with no interest in science, and subject matter. Increasing awareness and
spective of the teachers:
take required science classes with little care about a subject lead to increasing
In a classroom, the teacher is up motivation other than to pass (Ainley & passion for that subject matter, no matter
front or the teacher is working the Ainley, 2011). whether it is the environment, animals,
groups, whatever. If you are doing Science Club is an avenue in which or a social situation (Tal, 2004; Tal &
an overnighter or fi eld trip, you are students may realize that science can be Morag, 2009; Variano & Taylor, 2006).
eating with your teacher, you are fun and interesting when energized by This cascade of involvement to interest,
sitting down and listening to what- two passionate and excited science edu- to awareness and care, enabled by Sci-
ever with the teacher, the teacher is cators. As Mrs. Kay exclaimed, “Students ence Club, has the ability to positively
WINTER 2017 VOL. 25, NO. 2 85
affect formal classroom learning. With to informal learning, an example of how environments. Monthly afterschool ac-
increased interest or passion, learning preservice science teachers might create tivities were augmented with daylong
is promoted as students construct more interest and student involvement in their and overnight Science Club trips that
abstract connections, gain more experi- future classrooms. developed deeper science interest among
ences, develop deeper observations, give the participants. Students were encour-
Future Research
in to curiosity, conduct simple investiga- aged to socially connect with their friends
There is minimal research available
tions, and discuss the subject matter with and peers, and developed deeper and
specifi cally investigating Science Clubs
peers and teachers (Falk & Dierking broader relationships with their science
or STEM clubs. New research needs to
2000; National Research Council, 2009). teachers, creating connections that ener-
be performed to understand the inter-
Informal science educators, including gized the formal classroom interactions
action between Science Club and the
Science Club advisors, have the poten- and learning.
formal classroom, career paths of club
tial to inspire interest and passion for In spite of all the barriers that threaten
members, attitudes and scientifi c literacy
science among high school students. An to prevent students from being involved
of non-science career students, and stan-
emotional connection may inspire the in Science Club, the advisors have the
dardized test scores. Research might also
learners to pursue a career in the sciences ability to make the Science Club suc-
examine teacher education to explore if
(Cwikla, Lasalle, & Wilner, 2009). A cessful with strong, student-oriented goals,
and how informal learning is being in-
strong Science Club in association with open minds to activities and student social
troduced to preservice teachers. A study
an effective formal education program interactions, and commitment to provide
is needed to illustrate the state of Science
has the potential to be life changing for occasional fi eld trip opportunities that
Clubs in modern high schools. Are Sci-
students. develop student interest in science -
ence Clubs thriving? What are student
This study was limited through its ex- aspects that will pay dividends with stu-
memberships? How involved are the
amination of one specifi c Science Club dent engagement in the formal science
teacher advisors? What sort of activities
program whose membership consisted of classroom.
are students experiencing in a Science
one-quarter of the high school’s popula-
Club? What support are Science Clubs References
tion, its two teacher-advisor participants,
receiving from their school systems? Ainley, M., & Ainley, J. (2011). Student
and three months of classroom and fi eld
engagement with science in early ado-
trip observations. In spite of these limita- Conclusion
lescence: The contribution of enjoyment
tions, the insights in this study provide ev- Children have an innate interest in to students’ continuing interest in learn-
idence that science educators can build a science, but interest wanes as they ma- ing about science. Contemporary Edu-
strong, successful Science Club program ture and progress through school. In this cational Psychology, 36(1), 4-12.
that will incorporate regular and signifi - competitive world, students need to be
Carter, L. (2012). The clubbers’ guide: “Be
cant informal experiential opportunities scientifi cally literate and possess knowl- inspired, inspire others”. School Science
for students to encounter science and the edge of the STEM subjects as well as an Review, 94(346), 27-32.
natural world, in an environment where understanding of the natural world (Falk
Chandler, F., & Parsons, S. (1995). A
all students are comfortable exploring sci- & Dierking, 2000; National Research case study of a mother/daughter sci-
ence without fear of rebuke or mockery Council, 2009). Students are more apt to ence club. Found at http://www.eric.
from their peers. Such a program would learn about subjects in which they have ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERIC
connect to formal classroom learning interest. Educators need to fi nd ways Servlet?accno=ED387331
through intrinsically motivated students to generate student interest in science, Creswell, J.W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry
developing interest in science (National which may then lead to deeper, more & research design. LA: Sage.
Research Council, 2009). signifi cant learning and understanding.
Cwikla, J., Lasalle, M., & Wilner, S. (2009).
The benefi ts observed in the described Science Clubs are one type of informal My two boots ...a walk through the wet-
Science Club program suggest that teacher learning activity that connects students lands: An annual outing for 700 middle
education programs should consider to science through hands-on, participa- school students. The American Biology
stressing the benefi ts of informal learning tory activities not encountered in the Teacher, 71(5), 274-279.
and demonstrate how to utilize informal classroom. Dunbar, R. E., & Schafer, C. (1930). Or-
learning to better prepare future science This study examined one specifi c ganization of the high-school Science
education professionals, to ensure that high school Science Club organization Club. Journal of Chemical Education, 7,
coordinated informal learning experi- that maintained a student membership 1327-1331.
ences, including Science Clubs, are de- that ranged from a quarter to half of the Falk, J. H., & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learn-
signed to promote student interest and school population. The teacher-advisors ing from museums: Visitor experiences
involvement in the sciences. The state- established goals to make Science Club and the making of meaning. New York:
ments by the two teacher-participants il- an activity-based place where all stu- Altamira Press.
lustrates the passion and excitement they dents could explore and discover sci- Gottfried, M., & Williams, D. (2013). STEM
have towards introducing their students ence concepts in safe, non-threatening club participation and STEM schooling
86 SCIENCE EDUCATOR
outcomes. Education Policy Analysis National Research Council, (2011.) A Tal, R. T. (2004). Community-based environ-
Archives, 21(79), 1-23. framework for K–12 science education: mental education—a case study of teacher–
practices, crosscutting concepts, and parent collaboration. Environmental
Hauenstein, C., & Makki, N. (2012). Just
core ideas. Washington, DC: National Education Research, 10, 523–543.
me and you ... and a whole community
Academies Press.
down by the stream. Science and Chil- Tal, T., & Morag, O. (2009). Refl ective
dren, 49(8), 31-35. National Science Board (2010). Science and Practice as a Means for Preparing to
Engineering Indicators 2010. Arlington, Teach Outdoors in an Ecological Gar-
Hurd, J. (2013). Lack of interest in sci-
VA: National Science Foundation. den. Journal of Science Teacher Educa-
ence is hurting the economy. The Var-
tion, 20(3), 245-262.
sity, 134(9). Found at http://thevarsity. Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2007).
ca/2013/11/04/lack-of-interest-in-science- A call for qualitative power analyses. Twillman, J. (2006). Science for Fun? Try
is-hurting-the-economy/ Quality and Quantity, 41, 105-121. a high school Science Club! Science
Teacher, 73(1), 49-52.
Ipsos Reid (2010). Canadian youth sci- Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research
ence monitor: Final report. The Canada & evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, Variano, E., & Taylor, K. (2006). Inquiry in
foundation for iInnovation. Found at CA: Sage. Limnology Lessons. The Science Teacher
http://www.ipsos-na.com/download/ Primary Science Teaching Trust, (2014). 73(6), 36-39.
pr.aspx?id=9583 What is a Science Club? AstraZeneca Webb, H. A. (1931). Practical problems of
LeDee, O., Mosser, A., Gamble, T., Childs, science teaching trust. Found at http:// the Science Club. Science Education,
G., & Oberhauser, K. (2007). A Science www.pstt.org.uk/ext/cpd/science-clubs/ 16(1), 6-12.
Club takes action. Science and Children, what-is-a-science-club.html Watermeyer, R. (2012). Confi rming the legit-
44(9), 35-37. Reusser, W. C. (1934). A science club to imacy of female participation in science,
Martin, R., Sexton, C., & Franklin, T. vitalize science teaching. Science Edu- technology, engineering and mathematics
(2009). Teaching science for all chil- cation, 18(2), 82-86. (STEM): evaluation of a UK STEM initia-
dren: Inquiry methods for constructing Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Quali- tive for girls. British Journal of Sociology
understanding. Boston: Pearson. tative interviewing: The art of hearing of Education, 33(5), 679-700.
Moore-Hart, M.A., Liggit, P., & Daisey, P. data. LA: Sage.
(2004). Making the science literacy Science Clubs of South Africa (2014).
Marc Behrendt, PhD, is a visiting assis-
connection: After school science clubs. What are Science Clubs? Science Clubs
tant professor at Ohio University, Athens,
Childhood Education 80(4): 180-186. of South Africa. Found at http://sci-
Ohio. Correspondence concerning this ar-
enceclub.saao.ac.za/information/
National Research Council (2009). Learn- ticle should be sent to: Dr. Marc Behrendt.
introduction/
ing science in informal environments: Biological Sciences 065 Irvine Hall, Ohio
People, places, and pursuits. Washington, Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study University, Athens, Ohio 45701. Email:
DC: The National Academies Press. research. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage. [email protected]
WINTER 2017 VOL. 25, NO. 2 87