White Papers & Literature Reviews

Selected Projects Include

  • Photo courtesy of Maryland GovPics via CC licensing.

    Oakland Unified School District Salad Program

    REA conducted an evaluation of the impact of a salad bar implementation at 5 schools within the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). Project evaluation included pre-implementation student surveys and interviews, lunchroom observations, and post-implementation interviews with key project stakeholders (students, teachers, and administrators). The evaluation focused on three key areas: 1) Implementation (training, staffing, promotion, availability, methods for sustainability, curricular connections), 2) Participation (methods of adoption/education, level of participation, parent/teacher/food service worker roles) and 3) Attitudes (changes in diet/nutrition-related knowledge, behavior, impact of cultural differences, food likes/dislikes, expectations, influences on food selection, etc.).

  • Photo courtesy of Wesley Fryer via CC licensing.

    Media-Based Learning Science in Informal Environments

    Rockman et al was commissioned by the National Research Council to write a paper on adult’s media-based learning in informal science. The paper includes a comprehensive review of evaluation reports and articles on informal science education media and applicable learning theories. Specifically, we looked at different types and examples of evidence of learning from informal science education media and explore whether they were different from other types of media or other types of informal science education experiences. We also examined differences in the impact that media has on people at different points during the lifespan. Finally, we reported on the challenges that face researchers and evaluators as they seek to determine the impact of media on learning.

    Report: Media-Based Learning Science in Informal Environments Commissioned Paper
  • Photo courtesy of spacedust2019 via CC licensing.

    California Academy of Sciences

    Over a 4 year period, Rockman et al has conducted more than a dozen evaluation and research projects with the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco using onsite and online surveys, visitor intercepts, interviews, focus groups and observations with members and visitors. Evaluation projects include formative and summative evaluation of exhibits, planetarium shows, museum websites, and K-12 school field trip programs, as well as summative evaluation of teacher professional development programs, curriculum kits and evening programs for adults. REA has also delivered research studies on capacity building, institutional partnerships, and organizational development.

  • Photo by Lisa Marie Gonzalez: https://www.pexels.com/photo/national-mall-14608571/

    National Museum of the American Indian Distance Learning

    The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) undertook a study to help them identify directions for their future virtual programming. REA assisted the museum by interviewing staff on internal strengths and opportunities, talking with educators about their wants and needs for distance learning, and conducting a literature review and landscape study of what other institutions have tried. We also facilitated discussions between the NMAI and potential program partners and analyzed popular program formats and their associated costs and benefits. Findings helped the museum make a plan for their future online programming.

  • Photo courtesy of Julie Lindsay via CC licensing.

    Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Project

    In collaboration with Grunwald Associates, REA conducted a market research literature review to explore and forecast the role of entrepreneurship pathways in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming.