MobiLLab Program Background Investigation: Directions for Program Improvement and Evaluation Research

MobiLLab was designed by faculty at the University of Teacher Education in St.Gallen (German: Pädagogische Hochschule St.Gallen (PHSG)) to spark interest in science in secondary school pupils in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Now in its fourth year of operation, the mobiLLab team would like to evaluate the program’s effectiveness to inform further development. Specifically, we want to better understand how mobiLLab affects pupils’ science and technology interest, attitudes and knowledge development, and how positive changes can be sustained. The background investigation brings together information from observations of and informal interviews with teachers and pupils during 14 mobiLLab school visit, interviews with mobiLLab team members, interviews with representatives from similar programs worldwide and a review of relevant materials. The results paint a picture of how the mobiLLab program operates, its intended outcomes and information about other programs and related research, which point to relevant themes and targets for program evaluation and improvements. Feedback from educators, researchers and others who read this report is very welcome.