UEN Wins Digital Media Award for Work on Research Quest

UEN has won a Public Media Award for Digital Media recognizing its work with the Natural History Museum of Utah on the innovative science education program Research Quest.

The Utah Education Network (UEN) has won a Public Media Award for Digital Media from the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA), one of the nation's leading service organizations strengthening and amplifying public media's education mission. The honor recognizes UEN’s collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) on the science education program Research Quest.

This innovative program enhances critical thinking skills for learners Grades 6 - 8 by immersing them in authentic scientific inquiries that mirror the work of NHMU researchers. In the last school year, Research Quest garnered 135,000 logins from 600 teachers and their students. This activity represents a 20% increase in teacher use and a 24% increase in student use over the previous year. The program’s expansion into new topics, such as biodiversity and ecosystem function, has been supported by funders including the National Science Foundation.

UEN played a crucial role developing the Research Quest website, crafting the interface to be visually appealing and user-friendly. UEN also helped bring to fruition 14 in-depth investigations covering topics such as dinosaurs, fungi and bats, which includes interactive, hands-on learning activities and hundreds of web pages of content.

“UEN’s dedicated team has provided essential leadership and support at every phase of the program’s development, from rapid prototyping to the production and ongoing maintenance of the website,” Madlyn Larson, Associate Director of Education Initiatives at NHMU explained. “By enabling students to engage directly with the same complex, real-world questions that drive scientific inquiry, UEN has helped foster a deep connection to the scientific process, empowering students to develop the critical thinking skills necessary for success both in and out of the classroom.”

The Public Media Award winners were announced on September 15; the award specifically honored UEN team members Michelle Dumas, Jessica Anderson, Justin Reed, Tim Stack and Katie Garrett as well as Madlyn Larson of NHMU. UEN’s COO Laura Hunter said, “Being associated with such a high quality, innovative and effective project is something our organization takes great pride in. UEN’s role in promoting and supporting Research Quest through eMedia access has been vital in reaching a wider audience and enhancing the program’s effectiveness.”

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