The Office of Education has supported assessments, literature reviews, and other studies to inform the development and implementation of education programs run by NOAA and its external education partners. These studies contribute to objective 5.4 in the NOAA Education Strategic Plan, which states that "NOAA and partner organizations use effective evaluation, performance monitoring, and evidence-based approaches in the design and management of educational programs, products, and services."

NOAA Education Partnerships Portfolio Review - 2013

Portfolio Review: Final Report

This Partnerships Working Group study responds to recommendations from the National Research Council’s NOAA’s Education Program: Review and Critique (2010) for NOAA to better understand how NOAA Education partnerships are formed, fostered, sustained, and evaluated.  From this analysis, the group identified important elements of successful partnerships that can be used to evaluate existing partnerships and inform the development of future partnerships. The lessons learned from this review inform a set of actionable recommendations for the Council to consider.

National Environmental Literacy Assessment (NELA) - 2011, 2008

NELA Phase 1 Report

The National Environmental Literacy Assessment is a national baseline study of middle school student understanding of the environment. Completed over the last 18 months, this study creates an understanding of how much middle school students in the United States currently understand about the environment. Phase 2 of the National Environmental Literacy Assessment comprised a purposeful sample of middle school students who had experienced some kind of exemplary environmental education programming during their school year. Their levels of environmental literacy were measured and compared to the national baseline of middle school student understanding of the environment established during Phase 1 of this study (see above).

NOAA's Education Program: Review and Critique - 2010

NRC Report offsite link

The National Research Council report provides a summary of the national education context for NOAA's role in education which is twofold: first is to advance the environmental literacy of the nation, and second is to promote a diverse workforce in ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, atmospheric and climate sciences. The book also describes the strengths and weaknesses of the education strategic plan, the education evaluation approach of the agency and strategies for improving the evaluation process.

1990-2010 Research Abstracts on Marine and Aquatic Education - 2010

Research Abstracts

A compilation of research abstracts in marine and aquatic education from 1990-2010. This report, compiled by Dr. Rosanne Fortner (Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence Great Lakes, Ohio Sea Grant), includes 51 thesis abstracts and nearly 150 article abstracts from over 40 journals. Articles range in content from studies of visitor responses to whale watch programs, to baseline surveys of audiences' marine knowledge and attitudes, to evaluation of specific methods for tracking media impacts. The work was supported by NOAA's Office of Education through the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

America, the Ocean and Climate Change: New Research Insights for Conservation, Awareness and Action - 2009

Executive Summary and Key Findings offsite link

America, the Ocean, and Climate Change reports on a comprehensive survey of more than 22,000 American adults, the most extensive communications research ever undertaken on any environmental issue. It provides critical insights into who, what, when, and how to target for maximum efficacy in communicating for conservation action.

Educator House Call: On-Line Data for Educators' Needs Assessment Summary Report - 2009

Educator House Call - Summary Report

The purpose of this focus group study was to advise NOAA and its partners on the ways to make NOAA data available to educators through online delivery. There was also an emphasis on inquiry-based education.

Revolutionizing Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century: Report and Recommendations from a 50-State Analysis of Earth Science Education - 2007

Revolutionizing Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century - Report with high resolution images
Revolutionizing Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century - Report with low resolution images

This 2007 study evaluated K-12 Earth science standards and frameworks of all fifty states, plus the District of Columbia, how well they addressed six Earth science content, and pedagogical criteria.