NRDZ Program Evaluation

Description: Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions conducted an evaluation study to assess the creation, implementation, and outcomes of the Broader Impacts (BI) components of the National Radio Dynamic Zone (NRDZ) project: a high school curriculum; a citizen science project; and an undergraduate-level university course. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) sought to capture the impacts of these National Science Foundation funded programs and determine the effectiveness of the pedagogies, trainings, and other methods used.

Evaluation techniques included:

• Interviews with NRAO staff
• Interviews with NRAO-contracted university module developers
• Online Surveys with Program Participants
• Interviews with Program Participants

An in-depth analysis of all quantitative and qualitative data was conducted, including an analysis of demographics, ratings, scoring, and usage information; and coding of interviews to categorize the data and identify themes and patterns. Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions incorporated findings in a graphically designed final report.

NRAO is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Founded in 1956, NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.