A Report on the Evaluation of the National Science Foundation’s Informal Science Education Program

This report summarizes the findings of an evaluation of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Informal Science Education (ISE) program. The program provides support for a variety of informal science education activities, including museum exhibits; television series and programs for youth or the general public; films on science and mathematics topics; exhibits or educational programs at science and natural history museums, science-technology centers, aquaria, nature centers, biological gardens, arboreta, zoological parks, and libraries; and educational programs and activities at community and youth centers. NSF awarded a contract to COSMOS Corporation and its subcontractors, Educational Testing Service, and Westat, Inc., to evaluate the impact of the ISE program. The evaluation was conducted and prepared for the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), Division of Research, Evaluation and Communication. Mary Sladek, the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) for the study, provided general direction and oversight. Using a question-and-answer format, the report defines informal science education, presents an overview of the ISE evaluation conducted by COSMOS Corporation, and summarizes its major findings and recommendations. The narrative analysis of the data presented in the report draws on results of site visits, focus groups, interviews, and surveys of people with science-related careers and those receiving ISE funds.