TY - JOUR TI - Zombie brains DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3GB27GT PY - 2018 AB - Informal science institutions like Liberty Science Center (LSC) aim to get learners excited about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by creating fun and interactive exhibits. LSC also offers traveling science programs (TSPs) that bring some of the fun and interactive aspects of the museum to schools. Yet schools often seek programs that are more formal and engage students in the authentic practices outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards. TSPs fall somewhere between informal and formal learning—utilizing a bit more structure than museum exhibits, but are still relatively short (45-minute), one-time events. Thus, the challenge is to design TSPs that engage students meaningfully in authentic science practices while still being fun and exciting, all within a short amount of time. As a Senior STEM Educator at LSC, I designed BRAAAAINS: You & the Zombie (BYtZ)—a TSP to engage students in the difficult practice of constructing scientific explanations. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the effectiveness of BYtZ at engaging students and improving their ability to construct scientific explanations. I used a modified version of the experience sampling method (ESM) to collect engagement data using a clicker voting system. A pre/post-test analysis was used to examine improvements in scientific explanations. A total of eight 7th grade classes from three schools participated in the program. Data analysis revealed that students were engaged with all three major elements of the program, that their explanations improved, and that those who were more engaged with the program were more likely to demonstrate improvements in their explanations. The dissertation document is presented as a portfolio that seeks to make the study findings practical with the following three products: (1) the complete curriculum for the new TSP titled BRAAAAINS: You & the Zombie (BYtZ), (2) an academic journal article reporting on the research study for a science education researcher audience, and (3) a professional development seminar for STEM Educators at LSC so they can learn how to present BYtZ with fidelity to its design intent and about general lessons learned during the design and research of the TSP. KW - Design of Learning Contexts KW - Science--Study and teaching LA - eng ER -