The Pascagoula School District in southern Mississippi is partnering with the National Audubon Society (Audubon Mississippi), Chevron-Texaco, Mississippi Naturalists, NASA and the University of Southern Mississippi to extend its existing science curriculum by involving 135 students and 9 teachers from three middle schools in grades 6-8 in out-of-school time scientific investigations of local coastal wetlands. Approximately 50 percent of the students in the district are students of color and/or economically disadvantaged. Project goals are to (1) increase students' understanding, appreciation, attraction and interest in STEM fields and prepare them for high school course work and post-secondary study in science, math and engineering; (2) improve teachers' "content knowledge and pedagogical skills through collaborative experimentation and rich industrial and academic experiences with researchers in STEM fields;" and (3) "establish a sustainable and replicable model for development and implementation of an integrated in- and out-of-school curricular program." The project is conducting research on the impact of the program on student and teacher learning and attitudes, parental involvement and partnership development.
Project WetKids (www.projectwetkids.net) was funded by the National Science Foundation from 2006-2012. The National Science Foundation recognized Project WetKids as a highlight research program and it is used in communicating NSF’s successes to national stakeholders. This out-of-school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program provides teachers, students, and families on the Gulf Coast wetland, estuary, watershed, and career exposure experiences with regional scientists, engineers, and naturalists. The extensive partnership includes: the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, NOAA Fisheries Laboratory, Chevron Pascagoula Refinery, Northern Gulf Institute, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, John C. Stennis Space Center, Huntington Ingalls Industries, and the Live Oak Alliance. The integration of industry, non-profit research organizations, informal science centers, and academia has provided diverse resources and opportunities in Alabama and Mississippi’s coastal counties. The middle grades provide a critical window to inspire students and spark interest in STEM career paths. Project WetKids has repeatedly documented STEM educational success and is a replicable model that teachers embrace and students and their families enjoy. Intellectual Merit A university based research team of STEM educators and educational and social psychologists documented and analyzed Project WetKids’ impact on students’ science content knowledge, scientific aspirations, and views of science learning in experimental and quasi-experimental studies. Cwikla, J. & Barry, C. (2011). Project WetKids: An out-of-school program fostering citizen scientists in the middle years. In R. Oxford & J. Lin (Eds.) Transformative Eco-Education for Human Survival: Environmental education in a new era. Cwikla, J. Wilner, S, & LaSalle, M (2009). "My Two Boots . . . A Walk through the Wetlands." An Annual Outing for 700 Middle School Students. The American Biology Teacher, 71 (5), 274-279. Davis, A; Cwikla, J. & Barry, C. (2008). Project WetKids: An interdisciplinary investigation of integrated science and cultural arts learning along the Gulf Coast. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 3 (9), 63-68. Cwikla, J. (July 2010). Eco-Education on the Gulf of Mexico: Out-of-School wetlands program for the middle grades. International Conference Education, Econnomy, and Society. Barry, C. Cwikla, J. & Zeigler-Hill, V. (April 2010). Project WetKids: Findings and plans for an out-of-school program that improves student interest in science. American Education Research Assocaition. Denver, CO. Cwikla, J. (March 2010). Project WetKids: Community Partnerships for Out-of-School STEM Learning. Engaging America’s Talent. NS Education Outreach Conference. Little Rock, AR. Cwikla, J. (February 2010). Project WetKids: Eco-Education Along the Gulf of Mexico. Oceans Science Meeting Portland, OR. Cwikla, J. & Barry, C. (April, 2009). Project WetKids Community Partners Champion Interdisciplinary Out-of-School Learning. AERA – American Education Research Association. San Diego, CA. Broader Impacts Our student participants are from the coastal counties in Alabama and Mississippi serving communities with poplutions ranging from 50-95% African-American with 60-100% students eligible for free and reduced lunch. Based on quantitative and qualitative data, Project WetKids has significantly impacted these under privileged students’ understanding, appreciation, attraction, and interest in the science, engineering, and mathematics fields. Further, and perhaps most important, it is expected that the long-term effects of this program will raise the proportion of students (minority included) entering advanced secondary science course work and consequently impact plans for pursuit of postsecondary study in the areas of chemistry, engineering, environmental sciences, mathematics, physics, and marine biology as a result of this project. Wetlands exist not only on our nation’s shores, but in every state. Communities across the country need to become more aware of the fragile nature of our wetlands, how we can protect these habitats, and the STEM career fields of study involved in investigating, analyzing, understanding, and co-existing with the habitats on our nation’s shores. "Through Project WetKids, students become more knowledgeable about the environment they live in and therefore work harder to protect it," said Dr. LaSalle. "These children will become ambassadors and help promote good environmental stewardship." Interviews with students reflect that their participation in Project Wetkids has presented opportunities for them to serve as ambassadors to other students about their learning experiences. One student noted that "… when we show others what we’ve done, it kind of makes us more like scientists. That’s what we do on field trips, and they listen to what you know." When surveyed nearly 75% of students reported a STEM-related career (e.g., marine biologist) when asked about the types of careers in which they had become interested as a result of Project WetKids. This high level of interest in STEM-related careers appears to have been due, at least in part, to increased knowledge about science in general and wetland areas in particular. However, 25% of the students also reported being "inspired" by one of the scientists or experts they met during WetKids events. These results suggest that the Project WetKids out-of-school experiences have increased student self-efficacy regarding science and that community partnerships served the important function of increasing engagement and interest in STEM-related careers.
