Development of educational stations for the Acoustical Society of America outreach activities

Abstract

One of ASA’s outreach activities is hands-on exploration workshops for local school groups and girl scouts troops held during our semiannual conferences. In general, outreach programs have three main purposes: (1) public service, (2) generate enthusiasm and interest, and (3) supplement learning. Despite the good work that has been done in the past, it is apparent that the goals of the current ASA outreach activities could be better achieved through increased efficiency. This project continues the development of the ASA outreach programs held in conjunction with our meetings to better meet the above goals. Specifically, we have developed a structure in which demonstrations are grouped into five-minute stations each pertaining to a different physical system. To increase the ease with which volunteers can assist with the stations, one-page summaries and reference posters outlining the basic principals of each station have been prepared. Volunteers are encouraged to be guided by the interests of the students in their interactive discussions. In addition, we have created a brief introductory presentation for the workshops to explain what can be done in the field of acoustics. These improvements not only provide opportunities to excite student interest but also increase the efficacy of the outreach efforts.