Search Results – Repository and Website Combined

This presentation is one of three focus point presentations delivered on day one of the Citizen Science Toolkit Conference (at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York on June 20-23, 2007) as part of the opening session titled “Citizen Science Challenges and Opportunities.” Phillips describes two interconnected citizen science project by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, both of...

The world is facing an unprecedented situation in health management as fast transport and travel lead to spread of diseases at a rate that has not been seen before and into countries that had once conquered them. This is even more evident with infectious diseases which do not respect geopolitical barriers or economic progress. It is becoming increasingly clear that...

Social network analysis of a local afterschool ecosystem in Dallas County, Texas, reveals programs’ relative isolation from one another and their dependence on just a few funding sources. Considerable opportunity exists for programs to collaborate to build a more cohesive system of afterschool programming....

Museums and galleries collect more visitor data today than ever before. But how much of it gives us real insight into visitors motivations, behaviour, experiences and responses? And how much of it simply ticks a box on a funding form? Commissioned by some of the UK’s leading institutions, including Tate, The British Museum, V&A and the Imperial War Museum North,...

We recently added a number of articles from the current issue of Afterschool Matters to the informalscience.org collection. Afterschool Matters is a peer-reviewed publication of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST). The journal serves professionals who are developing, managing, and/or researching programs for youth that take place during the out-of-school time hours. Here’s a ... Read more

The newest NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) solicitation is now available. The Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research ... Read more

The Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE) convened a one-day “Edit-a-Thon” on May 25, 2016 as a follow up to the Research Meeting on Making and Learning meeting held at the Children’s Museum of  Pittsburgh on May 23 & 24.  Building on the momentum and generative discussions at the maker research meeting, participants ... Read more

In this article, Kristine Westerberg discusses the Shedd Aquarium's new initiative for audience research and development and shares some preliminary findings from their initial efforts....

Since 2010, partners at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out of School Environments (UPCLOSE), Science Museum of Minnesota, and Visitor Studies Association, with support from the National Science Foundation, have been collaborating on the Building Informal Science Education (BISE) project. The team aims to review existing evaluation reports catalogued on informalscience.org to ... Read more

MIT Press recently published a new book on assessment in informal learning environments. Produced with support from the MacArthur Foundation, Documenting and Assessing Learning in Informal & Media-Rich Environments provides a new model called the Outcomes-by-Levels Model for Documentation and Assessment. The model identifies as least ten types of outcomes that can be assessed at ... Read more

The Citizen Science Association has launched a new open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by Ubiquity Press. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice focuses on advancing the field of citizen science by providing a venue for citizen science practitioners and researchers to share best practices in conceiving, developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining projects that facilitate public participation in ... Read more

Nearly two-thirds of the adult population in the United States own a smartphone (Pew Research, 2015) and three-quarters of smartphone owners regularly use location-based apps on their devices (Pew Research, 2013). Given the ubiquity of smartphones and how familiar it is to use location-based apps, it is not surprising that museums would be eager to ... Read more

The InformalScience.org calendar lists conferences, workshops, meetings, and other professional development opportunities in the informal science education field. Some conferences added this month include: World Congress of Science and Factual Producers (WCSFP) Annual Conference in Montreal, Quebec Euroscience Open Forum in Copenhagen, Denmark 2014 Cyberlearning Summit in Madison, Wisconsin STEM Education and Our Planet: Making ... Read more

The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has announced a new opportunity for library students, as well as those already in the profession. The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program provides opportunities for early career research in libraries, as well as the professional development of librarians and library staff. Applications are due September ... Read more

In this report, noted scholar James Paul Gee discusses the evolution of digital media and learning (DMAL) from its infancy as an ""academic area"" into a more organized field or coherent discipline. Distinguishing among academic areas, fields, disciplinary specializations, and thematic disciplines, Gee describes other academic areas that have fallen into these categories or developed into established disciplines. He argues...

This book describes the process of retrofitting a diorama exhibit, using principles of universal design and engaging people of all ages, with various disabilities to assist in the project....

A new editorial board is guiding JCOM through a period of change and here opens out the discussion on what JCOM has become and what it could or should become in the future. The journal's readers are invited to make their contributions....

The New Directions in Audience Research Initiative, initially funded by IMLS in 2009, is a special initiative of the University of Washington Museology Graduate Program. New Directions aims to train graduate students in Audience Research & Evaluation within informal learning settings through laboratory style coursework that integrates the strengths of professional and peer mentoring, fieldwork, academics and client-centered experiences. Audience...

This project launches the creation of a new class of playground apparatus based on an emerging understanding of how students learn mathematics and science concepts. The equipment will be highly interactive and instrumented, providing opportunities for thoughtful, planned actions that children can evaluate with the aid of instrumentation. The design principles used are applicable to many mathematics and science topics,...

The Twenty-first Century Learning in Natural History Settings Conference at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (2012) has been more influential than similar conferences, resulting in new work streams and international collaborations for the Learning Research and Evaluation team at the Natural History Museum, London ( NHM). The conference offered a rare opportunity to discuss issues relevant to our unique workplace...

The University of Washington’s Museology Program, in partnership with the Woodland Park Zoo and the Learning in Informal and Formal Environments Research Center is developing a model of university-community collaboration where students work with client museums, zoos and aquaria to evaluate exhibits and programs under the guidance of a research mentor. Students will gain experience in audience research and evaluation,...

This special issue of the Lusophone Journal of Cultural Studies (LJCS) highlights the consolidation of the “citizen science” movement, which stems from different forms of direct participation of citizens in scientific projects. This issue also features contributions to the debate on the “open science” movement. ...

This planning grant is for developing a PBS television series focusing on dramatic but little-known geologic stories tied to world-famous cultural and historic sites in places such as Greece and Rome. The full project would consist of four broadcast television programs, an interactive web site, DVD's and outreach activities. The planning grant would support preparation of television program treatments, front...

Goodman Research Group, Inc. (GRG) conducted front-end evaluation of New Earth Explorers, a four-part science documentary series developed by Earth Images Foundation. The project's goal was to create a series that would target prime time PBS viewers with an aim to present information about earth science and relevant current research in a way that is engaging for viewers. In addition...

The New Ecological Paradigm Scale-Revised (NEP-R) is an updated version of the 1978 New Ecological Paradigm Survey. This updated version reflects current environmental terminology, as well as tests a single construct. The NEP-R is suitable for use in the general adult population....