Trends and Priorities for ISL Professionals in 2022: A Field Scan

This field scan, conducted between October 2022 and January 2023, examines professional competency frameworks, job postings, and academic curricula in the ISL field. The results informed the development of an updated Framework for professional competency in the ISL field.

This research was part of a broader project, Professional Pathways in Informal STEM Learning (ISL), which supports professional learning for anyone who works in the ISL field. Science and technology centers and museums, natural history museums, children’s museums, zoos, aquariums, nature centers, botanical gardens, planetariums, and other types of museums and cultural organizations play a vital role in stimulating public interest and engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Each year, hundreds of millions of people explore and learn about STEM topics through exhibits, educational programs, and community events. The success of those experiences depends on a skilled and knowledgeable ISL professional workforce.