Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2022, Instructional Technology (Education)

This qualitative case study explores how the LGBTQ+ community is included in informal STEM learning environments (ISLEs) such as museums and science centers. One science center was chosen as a case study to identify how ISLEs may broaden participation to the LGBTQ+ community, how institutional stance impacts LGBTQ+ community members, and how the systemic power structures of ISLEs affect inclusive practices. Through semi-structured interviews, exhibit and signage audits, and document analyses, the researcher examines how practices and policies welcome or exclude diverse identities in informal STEM education (ISE) by adapting Dawson's (2014a) equity and access framework. Findings from this analysis include a need to remove barriers to broaden LGBTQ+ participation; to implement policies and procedures to improve institutional stance towards the LGBTQ+ community; to increase queer representation in ISLEs; and to acknowledge LGBTQ+ individuals as agents of social change.

Committee: Greg Kessler (Committee Chair); Jesse Strycker (Committee Member); Krisanna Machtmes (Committee Member); Susan Burgess (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Gender Studies; Glbt Studies; Museums; Science Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, ED Teaching and Learning (Columbus campus)

Partnerships between museums and schools never have been more important than they are today. Schools, especially urban schools, are facing challenges, including low student achievement and difficulty obtaining funding. Partners can help schools overcome these challenges by sharing educational and financial resources. Nearly 11,000 American museums spend more than $1 billion annually to provide over 18 million instructional hours for k-12 educational programs such as professional development for teachers, guided field trips, and staff visits to schools. Museums would seem like natural partners for challenged urban schools. Yet museums and schools struggle to establish and maintain effective partnerships. This study examined a partnership between a science center and an urban elementary school to provide additional knowledge and resources for those in the field to overcome these challenges in order to create relationships that help students. Using qualitative methods with interpretive descriptive purposes (Erickson, 1986; Glesne, 1999; Lincoln & Guba, 2000), the research design is based on several methods of data collection, including face-to-face, semi-structured interviews; observations; written text; and field notes. Participants in this study included students, parents, teachers, school administrators and museum educators. In addition, adult representatives of community organizations were interviewed to determine the impact of the partnership on the community. The study found that an effective partnership will have four basic elements: mutual goals, communication plan, key leader support, planning and research, and four interpersonal elements: personal responsibility, honesty, communication at the intimate level, and trust. Partners may have difficulty developing these to their fullest extent due to time limitations. No partnership is perfect. By creating strong interpersonal relationships, partners can mitigate challenges caused by limited basic elements and in (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Barbara Seidl PhD (Committee Chair); Joseph Heimlich PhD (Committee Member); Rebecca Kantor-Martin PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Museums

Master of Environmental Science, Miami University, 2009, Environmental Sciences

This paper details my experiences and activities at the Wild Bird Center (WBC) in Mason, Ohio from August 2007 through April 2008. During my first six months at the WBC I served as the staff Environmental Scientist and Store Manager. The purpose of this report is to summarize the contributions I made to the WBC as well as the impacts this position provided to my previous training in the environmental science field.

Committee: Sandy Woy-Hazleton PhD (Advisor); Donna McCollum PhD (Committee Member); David Russell PhD (Committee Member); Steven Elliott PhD (Committee Chair) Subjects: Environmental Science

Master of Environmental Science, Miami University, 2008, Environmental Sciences

Included in this paper are accounts of my two internships undertaken in the fulfillment of my Master of Science degree from the Institute of Environmental Sciences; the first with Global Vision International (GVI) and the second with Imago Earth Center. As part of my GVI internship I conducted field research on the Meso-American coral reef and taught English in a small Mexican community, with emphasis placed on environmental education. The internship at Imago provided me with the opportunity to work as a naturalist educator with local Cincinnati school children in Price Hill. Further work at IMAGO included research on the energy efficiency of the IMAGO building, presenting my recommendations for increasing the energy efficiency to Imago's leadership, and then implementing those ideas.

Committee: Dr. Sandra Woy-Hazleton PhD (Advisor); Dr. R. Hays Cummins PhD (Committee Member); Dr. Mark Boardman PhD (Committee Member); Dr. Adolph Greenberg PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science