The impact of active learning through cooperation on science fair projects on elementary school students

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show that outside the classroom, active learning through science fair projects with assistance from RAMP-UP Fellows can positively impact fourth graders. A comparison of the students' third grade End-of-Grade (EOG) math scores to their fourth grade EOG math scores, after they have worked with RAMP-UP Fellows on science fair projects, is presented to assess the impact. RAMP-UP assisted fourth graders in 2007 had a 2.96% and an 11.43% improvement in their development scale score and achievement level respectively as compared to 1.99% and 3.59% improvement by their peers. The 2008 and 2009 assisted science fair students did not perform as well as their peers on the development scale score and regressed on the achievement levels. RAMP-UP, a GE Foundation and National Science Foundation funded GK-12 Outreach Program at North Carolina State University, assists fourth grade students at a local, inner-city elementary school with their science fair projects. A RAMP-UP Graduate Fellow with assistance from RAMP-UP Undergraduate Fellows and Teachers works with 12-16 economically disadvantaged African-American, Latino and Caucasian students per year. The Fellows guide the students from conception to completion of the project that is then entered in their school's science fair. All projects are experimental so the student is guided through the experimental research, design, execution and presentation by the RAMP-UP Fellow. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2010.