Building Supports Memo Report: Takeaways from Listening Sessions

The Building Supports Towards a Useful, Usable, and In-Use Framework of Professional Competencies in the Informal STEM Learning Field (AISL #2215274) project is working toward creating professional learning and development tools for those who engage the public in informal STEM learning (ISL). This work builds on the prior funded project, Collaborative Research: An Evidence-based Informal STEM Learning (ISL) Professional Framework (AISL #1514815, #1514884, #1514890, #1515315), which developed the Informal Science Professional Learning Framework (hereafter, Framework). The Framework is a tool for individuals, organizations, and academic programs to understand, plan, and advance their skills, knowledge, and capabilities.

Eight Listening Sessions were conducted between April and July 2023, and a total of 71 ISL professionals participated. The sessions each focused on one of the four Framework domains, and were split between ISL professionals representing Level 1 & 2 roles (e.g., coordinators, managers) and those in Level 3 roles (i.e., executive leadership). The purpose of the Listening Sessions was to hear from ISL professionals’ reactions to the Framework and suggestions for supports. Participants reflected a range of job roles, institution types, institution sizes, demographic profiles, and lived experiences.

This memo report shares findings from the sessions including general responses to the Framework and reaction to the specific Framework domains.  To conclude, the report looks ahead to how these findings will inform future work on the project.