Project RISE (Role of Informal Science Education) Pilot Study: Addressing Methodological Challenges in Longitudinal Studies of Informal Science Education Outcomes

EDC is conducting a two-year pilot study to address critical methodological challenges inherent in doing longitudinal research linking informal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences and school achievement: first, addressing selection bias through careful selection of a comparison group that is comparable to the intervention group, and second, developing a qualitative design that both complements and extends the quantitative data collected. The pilot study will lay the groundwork for a future longitudinal study looking at the role of informal science education in youth persistence in STEM courses.