Research and Evaluation

Research and evaluation help strengthen our programs and improve outcomes for the teachers and students we serve.

Overview

Innovation is key to improving our world with scientific breakthroughs built on collaboration and knowledge-sharing. We also follow these principles when it comes to our societal impact as a corporate foundation. We periodically commission independent evaluation and research to better understand evolving needs and together with evaluation experts, work to define and measure success.

Research and evaluation practices help us assess the effectiveness of our programs, improve their reach, share best practice and inform decisions about future program design, development and implementation. These include judging the quality and value of teacher materials, investigating instructional strategies, listening to feedback and exploring student outcomes, including how it might differ across different regions and demographic groups.

EXPLORE SHAREABLE RESOURCES

Amgen Biotech Experience: Evaluation

In 2016, the Amgen Foundation contracted with WestEd to conduct a rigorous study of student outcomes for the Amgen Biotech Experience Program (ABE) in the United States. This evaluation found that after completing the full sequence of foundational ABE labs, students improved their abilities to interpret experimental results and their knowledge of biotechnology skills. They also gained new ideas about what happens in science laboratories and increased their interest in science and science education.

ABE Student Assessment Study

Amgen Scholars Program: Best Practices

There is no one “recipe” or “checklist” for developing an enriching and successful undergraduate summer research program. Rather, thoughtful collaboration and an overall culture that encourages exploration, communication and risk-taking paves the way. Over the years, we have learned a great deal from students, faculty and program staff about how to develop that collaborative culture. We share these lessons in the following publication.

Best Practices In Summer Undergraduate Research Programs

Khan Academy: Evaluation

A study, published in August 2022, shows that students who use MAP Accelerator, a personalized math tool jointly developed by Khan Academy and NWEA, achieve greater-than-projected gains in math. The initial findings suggest that the supplemental classroom tool may be an effective way to address unfinished learning from the pandemic, according to researchers. The study was conducted in the height of the pandemic during the 2020-21 school year. The sample includes more than 180,000 students in third through eighth grades from 649 US schools.

On average, test-score gains were 19% larger than projected.
Scores increased across all grade levels.
Scores increased across gender, race/ethnicity and poverty level.

Research on the use of Map Accelerator in Schools

Other Khan Academy Impact Research Studies

General Research

Shut-Out: Why Black and Latino Students are Under-enrolled in AP STEM Classes

Two in five Black and Latino students in the United States say they really enjoy STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) courses and aspire to go to college, but less than three percent are enrolling in STEM courses. For this 2022 report, the Education Trust teamed up with Equal Opportunity Schools to look at students’ access to advanced placement courses in STEM.

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Learning Lessons to Build Resilience in Times of Crisis – a STEM Teachers’ View

How well were teachers prepared for distance teaching when schools closed suddenly during the COVID-19 pandemic? What problems did they face and what strategies did they use to cope with these problems? Supported by the Amgen Foundation, this 2022 report from European Schoolnet explores the challenges and strategies of teachers during the pandemic. A total of 54,081 respondents from 49 countries participated in the survey, which was available in 25 languages.

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Teacher Training and IBSE Practice

Teachers tell us that in order to be successful in the classroom, they need a way to learn from their peers and continue to develop professionally. Sponsored by the Amgen Foundation, this 2019 report from European Schoolnet highlights the need for continued teacher support and shows how educators play a vital role in fostering the innovators of the future.

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