Search Results – Website Pages

Resources » STEM Identity, Interest, and Engagement Interviews Overview What is STEM Identity? What is STEM Interest? What is STEM Engagement? In informal STEM education, thinking about engagement has evolved from a focus on innovative ways of attracting the initial attention of science center/museum visitors or media consumers to strategies for designing environments and activities ... Read more

Resources » STEM Identity, Interest, and Engagement Interviews Overview What is STEM Identity? What is STEM Interest? What is STEM Engagement? In everyday language, one might define “identity” as the way that people answer questions such as: “Who do I think I am, or who can I be, where do I belong, and how do ... Read more

Resources » STEM Identity, Interest, and Engagement Interviews Overview What is STEM Identity? What is STEM Interest? What is STEM Engagement? The landmark National Research Council consensus report Learning Science in Informal Environments (2009), which was based on a review of the literature to date, posited that learners in informal environments “experience excitement, interest, and motivation to ... Read more

This research brief has been made available by Relating Research to Practice (RR2P). RR2P provides short synopses of current peer-reviewed research relevant to informal science education (ISE). This study, conducted in New Zealand, is an analysis of the questions that students in their final year of school were anticipated to ask, and actually asked, during ... Read more

With the redesign and re-launch of InformalScience.org in May 2013, the Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE) created a “one-stop shop” of resources for informal science education (ISE) professionals–people who are conducting or wishing to conduct ISE activities, research or evaluation, or to collaborate with others who are. The site builds on several ... Read more

Proposals for the NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program are due on November 6, 2017 at 5 pm in the submitter’s local time. As you begin to prepare your proposals, here is a quick overview of some of the changes in the solicitation from previous years. To read the complete solicitation, visit the NSF ... Read more

You may have experienced occasional confusion between the terms Design-Based Research (DBR) and Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR). These two approaches, springing from the field of the learning sciences, share a common goal and common history. But there are key distinctions. The common goal of DBR and DBIR is to guide education beyond traditional models of ... Read more

What makes for a compelling story? How can you start constructing your own stories from the ground up? How can you fit science into your story without lapsing into Scientist Voice? In this fast-paced interactive lecture, you’ll learn the fundamentals of story structure and composition, brainstorm the building blocks of your own personal stories, and ... Read more

This Building Informal Science Education (BISE) series blog post was co-written by Kris Morrissey and Anna Johnson. Kris Morrissey (morriss8@uw.edu) is Director of the Museology Graduate Program at University of Washington and founding editor of the journal Museums & Social Issues. Anna Johnson is the Portal to the Public Network Specialist at Pacific Science Center ... Read more

As part of the Champions of Change event and award series, the White House honored 12 individuals who lead citizen science projects around the country. Amateur participation in science research has a long history — according to the White House blog post announcing the call for nominations, Many of our country’s most prominent scientists got ... Read more

On Wednesday, June 18, President Obama will host the first ever White House Maker Faire and meet with students, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch new businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and fuel the renaissance in American manufacturing. The President will also ... Read more

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will host a series of virtual listening sessions to inform the development of the 2023- 2028 Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Strategic Plan. As part of a robust public engagement plan, OSTP encourages input from all interested parties, including students, teachers, administrators, parents, ... Read more

Description An interview with Grant Spickelmeier, Minnesota Zoo: Principal Investigator of WolfQuest. Transcription of Interview with Grant Spickelmeier Introduction Grant: WolfQuest is a 3D, wildlife, simulation game. You are a wolf in Yellowstone National Park, and you have to learn how to survive. You have to learn how to hunt elk, find food, chase coyotes, ... Read more

The Women of Color Summit (WOCS) recognizes that, while critical to STEM fields, Women of Color are often underserved, under-resourced, and undervalued in their respective fields. The WOCS continues to raise awareness of both the common and the unique experiences of Women of Color as they navigate STEM careers while emphasizing the need to disaggregate WoC identities ... Read more

Overview About NSF AISL Applying for Funding Current Funding Opportunities Resources Funded AISL Projects Solicitation Webinars NSF Resource Centers Service Be an AISL Reviewer Work for NSF The National Science Foundation’s mission is to advance the progress of science, a mission accomplished by funding proposals for research and education made by scientists, engineers, and educators ... Read more

Resources » Design Evaluation Overview Working with an Evaluator Developing an Evaluation Plan Evaluation Tools and Instruments Evaluation Reporting and Dissemination Learn More About Evaluation See Also Discover Research A successful evaluation requires a qualified and competent evaluator and a respectful partnership between the evaluator and the project team. Your evaluator will influence the shape ... Read more

Friday, 11/30/12 —Following a dynamic three-day program of informative sessions, rewarding networking opportunities and unforgettable social events, the 2012 World Congress of Science and Factual Producers has officially come to a close. Hundreds of members congregated at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. for an intense conference that brought together science and specialist factual ... Read more

The X-STEM conference will take place in Denver, CO from July 29-August 1, 2014. This conference—the first annual—will explore the many incarnations and benefits of experiential methods in STEM education, showcase programs, and catalyze a community of experiential STEM advocates. Learn more at the conference site and register before July 31 to receive a discounted ... Read more

This past July, a group of educators, researchers, evaluators, and policymakers gathered in Denver for the X-STEM conference, organized by the University of Colorado’s Experiential Science Education Research Collaborative. The term “experiential learning” encompasses a family of similar approaches to learning, including inquiry-based learning, service learning, and discovery learning. A core idea common to these ... Read more

Annual compilations of trends and accomplishments from the ISE field

Raise the Bar: YOU Belong in STEM, the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) signature initiative to modernize STEM education, has a simple message: all students, no matter their background, deserve a world-class education in STEM to prepare them and our country for the future. We have the resources and the vision to make this a ... Read more

Join the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, National Future Farmers of America, and others supporting rural students to learn about how rural schools approach STEM Education. Participants will hear from current members of those communities as well as community and federal partners to bring rigorous, joyful, and relevant STEM learning to their individual ... Read more

Join the U.S. Department of Education to learn from student voices and experts in the field, offering educators, parents, and policymakers concrete strategies to address the challenges and opportunities to support women and girls of color to excel in STEM pathways and careers. The webinar will feature the STEM experiences of three young women of ... Read more

Zoos can diversify and expand their visitors’ experiences by having a dedicated play space for young learners, allowing them to do what they do best: learn through play. Dedicated natural play spaces and programs such as nature swaps in zoos increase physical activity, quiet reflection, and types of play children engage in during play, including ... Read more