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Engaging the Next Generation Through Collaborations and Partnerships
August 15, 2022

Evaluating Outcomes and Impacts of Xplorlabs in Georgia Middle Schools with Kennesaw State University

OREE launched an Xplorlabs evaluation project in 2022 in collaboration with the Interactive Research Methods Lab (IRML) at Kennesaw State University, Cobb and Cherokee County fire departments and school districts, and the Cobb County Safety Village.
OREE launched an Xplorlabs evaluation project in 2022 in collaboration with the Interactive Research Methods Lab (IRML) at Kennesaw State University, Cobb and Cherokee County fire departments and school districts, and the Cobb County Safety Village.

The Office of Research Experiences & Education (OREE) launched a new collaboration to understand the outcomes and impacts of Xplorlabs implementation in Georgia’s Cobb County and Cherokee County middle schools. This study will be conducted by the Interactive Research Methods Lab (IRML) at Kennesaw State University. The evaluation will focus on Xplorlabs Fire Forensics: Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning to provide an understanding of outcomes for participating teachers, students, community partners, and the local fire service, as well as inform our community education strategy.

A responsive evaluation process will be implemented using the Evaluand-Oriented Responsive Evaluation Model developed by Dr. Iván Jorrín-Abellán and Dr. Robert E. Stake. Jorrín-Abellán is the founder of the IRML and is one of three evaluators conducting the Xplorlabs evaluation.

The technology, research practices, and team at the Kennesaw State University IRML are innovative by nature and grounded in high-quality educational science. Because of this, the lab is an ideal partner with which to collaborate on the Xplorlabs community model evaluation.