1. Exploration Connection Evaluation Update (Oct. 31, 2017)
Status of Project-Defined Metrics for SMD’s Top Level Goals
NASA SMD Exploration Connection; Award Number: NNX16AD79G S01; PI: Linda Elkins-Tanton (transitioning to Ariel Anbar); Evaluators: Hilarie Davis, Chris Mead
In support of Goal #1: Enable STEM Education
Project Outcome: Produced and disseminated the digital learning experiences: “Where are the small worlds?” “Eclipse 2017,” “The Mystery of Blacktail Canyon,” and “Celestial Jukebox.” Produced the soon-to-be-released “Red Rocks.” Each learning experience includes educator resources to support formal or informal settings. These learning experiences each have an authentic science experience at their core, make use of NASA content, and were produced in consultation with NASA science experts.
Output Metrics: These new Infiniscope learning experiences provide authentic science learning by combining active learning techniques with NASA SMD content in a digital learning environment that adapts and responds to specific student actions. These resources are available to the general public through the Infiniscope portal, with educator resources available to the members of the Infiniscope teaching network. In this pilot and ramp-up phase, “Where are the small worlds?” and “Eclipse 2017” have been used by 1385 and 716 times, respectively, either through the Infiniscope portal or through user testing. The highlight of evidence-based impact (slide 5 of this deck) provides a detailed look at what our platform analytics tell us about learner success within these learning experiences.

2. Exploration Connection Evaluation Update (Oct. 31, 2017)
Status of Project-Defined Metrics for SMD’s Top Level Goals
NASA SMD Exploration Connection; Award Number: NNX16AD79G S01; PI: Linda Elkins-Tanton (transitioning to Ariel Anbar); Evaluators: Hilarie Davis, Chris Mead
In support of Goal #2: Improve US Scientific Literacy
Project Outcome: This project supports Goal 2 in two ways. First, through improving learners’ content knowledge in Earth and Space science. Our analyses show that Infiniscope learners increase their content knowledge and scientific skill level as a result of our learning experiences. Second, through advancements in assessing scientific literacy made possible by our computer learning environment. Development in the past year demonstrate our capacity in this area.
Output Metrics: A comparison study at the undergraduate level shows significantly improved learning in an immersive virtual field trip (iVFT) compared to an in-person field trip.
Virtual and in-person experiences taught The Great Unconformity using The Grand Canyon
Pre-/post-experience testing showed that the iVFT group had significantly higher gains in visual representation and geologic interpretation than the in-person group
Using the “Where are the small worlds?” experience, we have developed a protocol for assessing learners’ use of systematic thinking using platform analytics.
Results show most learners do take systematic approaches
Results also show improvement in speed and strategy with each new object, indicating learning
Future work will compare learner behavior on this metric across multiple learning experiences

3. Exploration Connection Evaluation Update (Oct. 31, 2017)
Status of Project-Defined Metrics for SMD’s Top Level Goals
NASA SMD Exploration Connection; Award Number: NNX16AD79G S01; PI: Linda Elkins-Tanton (transitioning to Ariel Anbar); Evaluators: Hilarie Davis, Chris Mead
In support of Goal #3: Advance National Educational Goals
Project Outcome: Consistent with the CoSTEM goals of increasing the use of authentic STEM experiences by U.S. youth, we have produced and disseminated the digital learning experiences: “Where are the small worlds? “Eclipse 2017,” “The Mystery of Blacktail Canyon,” and “Celestial Jukebox,” and produced the soon-to-be-released “Red Rocks.” These experiences employ “education through exploration,” meaning that learners are expected to explore an environment and to answer questions through that exploration. This approach is fully aligned to the CoSTEM conception of an authentic STEM experience. Additionally, each learning experience includes educator resources to support formal and informal settings.
Output Metrics: Infiniscope portal has had 22,516 unique visitors in the reporting period. This project currently has a Teaching Network of 500. We have also now formed a thirty-member educator advisory board. Infiniscope has already been presented or shown booths at six national conferences. We expect continued growth in the use of Infiniscope learning experiences in the remainder of this school year.

4. Exploration Connection Evaluation Update (Oct. 31, 2017)
Status of Project-Defined Metrics for SMD’s Top Level Goals
NASA SMD Exploration Connection; Award Number: NNX16AD79G S01; PI: Linda Elkins-Tanton (transitioning to Ariel Anbar); Evaluators: Hilarie Davis, Chris Mead
In support of Goal #4: Leverage Through Partnerships
Project Outcome: Four activated partnerships. Our collaboration with Eyes on the Solar System led to the “Eclipse 2017” digital learning experience. Partnerships to increase dissemination are on- going with WGBH, Earth to Sky, and Science Museum of Minnesota .
Output Metrics: The “Eclipse 2017” product exemplifies the synergies the NASA SMD Exploration Connection team can generate within the SciAct Collective. In this case, an existing visualization tool (Ranger/Eyes) was combined with the Smart Sparrow adaptive platform and “education through exploration” learning design to produce a final product that would not have been possible for either team to produce independently.

5. Exploration Connection Evaluation Update (Oct. 31, 2017) cont.
Highlighted Evidence-Based Demonstration of Impact
NASA SMD Exploration Connection; Award Number: NNX16AD79G S01; PI: Linda Elkins-Tanton (transitioning to Ariel Anbar); Evaluators: Hilarie Davis, Chris Mead
Our first Infiniscope digital learning experience, “Where are the Small Worlds?” exemplifies the benefits of the adaptive education through exploration design and we are proud to be able to highlight several dimensions of its effectiveness.
Learners tested from grades 5–8 enjoyed the experience; 83% would like to do more similar experiences (n = 582)
Learners had similarly high ratings for whether the experience was interesting and fun
The platform analytics demonstrate learners’ progress locating unknown small worlds
The average learner takes about 5 attempts to locate the first object they find within each class of small worlds
They take only 2.2 attempts for their second and 1.7 attempts for their third within that same class
Data from a pilot comparison study shows that learners using the Small Worlds experience ask twice as many questions afterwards than learners receiving a lecture on the same content (n = 78)
Because question-asking is at the core of science, we are excited to see that our learning experience may be inspiring learners to actively explore in the future, both in and out of school.
In addition, the learner quotes below illustrate some of the positive feelings Small Worlds inspires:
“What I liked about this activity is all the experience it gives you like your actually in space. I also really like how you make it  little hard because then it is more fun when you finish.”
“I really loved it and I am going to show my mom and dad because I want to show the really cool experience. I also liked how it got more challenging in the end.”
“I liked that we had to use our eyes in order to find the small worlds. It was really challenging and I like challenges. It also tells u to use our brains.”