Improving the publics" understanding of the scientific enterprise and improving scientific literacy have been identified as critical goals in the United States. Science learning occurs in formal (i.e. classroom) as well as in informal (i.e. backyards) settings and there are likely to be, at least, qualitative differences in outcomes between these learning environments. It is critical that scientists collaborate with professional science educators not only to identify the components of scientific literacy, but also to understand how learning occurs in these different settings and to help provide this information to other scientists and educators who will be ultimately responsible for the education of the population in both formal and informal settings. This proposal seeks funding to continue and complete the important research that I began as a National Science Foundation PFSMETE Fellow and to support the preliminary research and development of two other projects that have resulted directly from my post-doctoral position. For the former, I am proposing to analyze, present and publish my ongoing work on understanding the factors that most affect student attitudes and motivation in an established Student/Scientist Partnership, Forest Watch. The new projects include a study of the effects of a community data collection program called Neighborhood Nestwatch on scientific literacy in participants, and the development and implementation of two environmental education courses at Paul Smith's College that will be the cornerstones for the creation of an environmental science education emphasis within the Natural Resource Bachelor of Science degree.
