Topic: TV/Radio

Saul Rockman and several of the research staff have backgrounds in media and a history of working on radio and television projects. Our work over the years has included evaluations of public television and radio series for children and adults, educational programs for use in schools, video resources for teacher professional development, and Web site materials related to television programs. In more recent years, we have done work for public television stations that are integrating radio/tv and Web platforms for a comprehensive approach to topics. 

Bill Nye the Science Guy Bill Nye the Science Guy is a high energy, inquiry-based educational television program presenting science content directed at fourth grade students. This nationally syndicated series is funded by NSF and Disney. more» Client: KCTS, Seattle Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Informal Learning, TV/Radio

Burn: An Energy Journal Burn: An Energy Journal, is a 3-part, public radio documentary from the award-winning SoundVision Productions (http://burnanenergyjournal.com/). Hosted by Alex Chadwick, the NSF-funded programs and web resources explore the impact of energy issues on our society. REA is currently conducting the summative evaluation. more» Client: Soundvision Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education Program (ISE) Topic: TV/Radio, Informational Media

DNA Files SoundVision Productions developed a sequel to the award-winning DNA Files radio program. The program was designed to educate the general public on topics related to genetic science. The accompanying Web site provided additional educational resources even after the program went off-air. more» Client: SoundVision Productions Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Web Sites

DragonflyTV Rockman et al developed an impact study for the educational television program: DragonflyTV, a science program for and about 9-12 year old children, during its second season. A controlled classroom viewing protocol was established for schools in Chicago and San Francisco. more» Client: Twin Cities Public Television Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio

EARTH-The Operator's Manual (E-TOM) Evaluation Funded by NSF, Earth – The Operators’ Manual (ETOM) was a users’ guide to current and future energy resources of our planet, and provided “users” with the information, attitudes and tools to make wiser choices about powering homes, schools, businesses and communities. ETOM used a hybrid model of science communication that included television programming, in-person presentations, and Web 2.0 social networking. REA used a mixed-methods approach, including the use of surveys, focus groups, web analytics and outreach event observations to investigate the impact of project resources. more» Client: Passport to Knowledge Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education Program (ISE) Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Informal Learning, Museum, TV/Radio, Web Sites, Technology and Education

Evaluation of the Youth Radio Science and Technology Program In 2006, Youth Radio received funding from the National Science Foundation to create a Science and Technology Program that would substantially increase their students’ interactive engagement with STEM issues and expand the advanced technology training opportunities available to these youths. Researchers from Rockman et al (REA), the external evaluators, were charged with documenting Youth Radio’s efforts over the course of the grant and reporting the program’s achievements. more» Client: Youth Radio Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Technology and Education

Exploring Time Rockman conducted an impact study of the educational, two-hour, television special, Exploring Time, and the value-add of its associated web site, http://www.exploringtime.org. The program’s objective was to increase the public’s understanding of change over time—the multitude of changes that are occurring in the present, but at rates too slow or too fast to be seen. This evaluation explored the extent to which the programs and web site met this overall objective by looking at three impacts of the resources: (1) Comprehension of the program’s content, (2) Knowledge and understanding gained from viewing Exploring Time content, and (3) Further actions and outcomes that emerged after engaging with Exploring Time. more» Client: Twin Cities Public Television (TCPT) Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education Program (ISE) Topic: TV/Radio, Web Sites, Informational Media

Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Adventures REA served as the evaluator of educational outreach activities for a six-part KQED series called Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Adventure. In the program, Jean-Michel Cousteau and his diving teams explored an array of natural phenomena, investigated little known territories and ecosystems hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface, and came face to face with the friendly and ferocious inhabitants of the deep. more» Client: KQED Public Television Funding Agency: The Dow Chemical Company. Additional Major Support from: the William K. Bowes Jr. Foundation, Ann Bowers and The Robert Noyce Trust, the William and Gretchen Kimball Fund, the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Professional Development, Community Outreach, Technology and Education, Informational Media

Media in Informal Science Rockman et al was asked by the National Research Council to write a paper on adults' media-based learning in informal science. The paper included a comprehensive review of evaluation reports and articles on informal science education media and applicable learning theories. more» Client: National Academy of Sciences (NAS)/ National Research Council (NRC) Funding Agency: National Academy of Sciences (NAS)/ National Research Council (NRC) Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Informational Media

Music Instinct The Music Instinct: Science and Song, produced by WNET in New York, was a public television program that explored the connection between music and science. The project also included a website and outreach programming to science museums, music centers, and youth organizations. more» Client: WNET Funding Agency: National Science Foundation Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, TV/Radio, Web Sites, Informational Media

Pathways to Technology The Pathways to Technology project was a multimedia outreach effort created to raise awareness of the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technology Education (ATE) programs, operating at community colleges around the country. Developed by the WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston, the Pathways to Technology project showcased ATE programs to prospective students and the people who influenced them via engaging multimedia resources. more» Client: WGBH Educational Foundation Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, TV/Radio, Community Outreach, Informational Media

Preschool Media Pilot (Ready to Learn) KQED, the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) media organization serving northern California, was one of five national entities piloting “Raising Readers,” an online course on language and literacy for pre-school educators and caregivers. The six-week course is part of the TeacherLine professional development series designed by PBS and is sponsored by Ready to Learn, a federal initiative. The course was piloted with groups of early childhood educators and caregivers by five PBS stations in Fall 2007. more» Client: KQED Funding Agency: Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) Topic: Instructional Materials/Programs, TV/Radio, Web Sites

Science Literacy Project Workshops Over the past decade, SoundVision Productions has offered a series of intensive, five-day science literacy training workshops for mid-career public radio reporters who are involved in reporting the sciences. The goal of the workshops was to enlarge the pool of skilled radio reporters and producers who bring science stories to the public radio audience. The workshops have been held in Boston, San Francisco, and Austin. more» Client: SoundVision Productions Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Energy Topic: TV/Radio, Professional Development, Informational Media

Seeing in the Dark Seeing in the Dark, a documentary film about stargazing directed by Timothy Ferris, is based on Ferris' book (of the same name) that was named by The New York Times as one of the 10 best non-fiction books of 2002. The program is in part personal documentary, as well as profiles the work of amateur astronomers. more» Client: Tim Ferris Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF): Informal Science Education (ISE) Program Topic: Informal Learning, TV/Radio, Web Sites, Informational Media