Metrics Monitor Activity on ARM Education Website

 
Published: 31 March 2004

The overall goal of the ARM Education and Outreach team is to develop basic science awareness and increase critical thinking skills in environmental science and climate change for K-12 students located near ARM sites at the North Slope of Alaska, Southern Great Plains (Oklahoma), and Tropical Western Pacific. One of the tools the ARM education team uses to promote student interest and involvement is the “Ask a Scientist” feature on the ARM website (http://education.arm.gov/studyhall/ask/). To capture the demographics of those using this feature and to generate feedback for improving other areas of the education web pages, the team recently added metrics to the “Ask a Scientist” web page.

In just a few weeks of collecting metrics, over 160 questions were received. Questions came mainly from students between grades 3 through 12, with the majority from students between grades 7 and 10. A small percentage of questions came from graduates and teachers. ARM education staff will incorporate the information gained from the metrics as they refine outyear planning to deliver on their goal. Planned activities in the next one to two years include (1) kiosk updates and development of new kiosks, (2) continued development of lesson plans for teachers at existing ARM sites, and (3) considering the development of a mobile kiosk that could accompany the ARM Mobile Facility.