caise

Thursday evening, 450 ISE Summit participants gathered at the Carnegie Institution for Science to celebrate release of the National Research Council’s Board on Science Education publication, Surrounded by Science: Learning Science In Informal Environments. The book is based on the National Research Council study, Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits, which synthesized knowledge from many fields of science and education to offer recommendations for the next generation of informal learning research.

Surrounded by Science is a tool that provides case studies, illustrative examples, and probing questions for those working in informal science: Museum professionals, university faculty, youth leaders, media specialists, publishers, broadcast journalists, and many others. This newest report was created with several purposes in mind: to introduce newcomers to the growing body of research, to enhance the knowledge base of mid-level professionals, and to provide seasoned professionals with a source that gathers the body of research together in an accessible format. Throughout the book, practical examples show how the principles and strategies emerging from research on learning can and are being employed by informal science educators across various settings. Also, there is a list of “things to try” that provides suggestions for how to take ideas discussed and begin to apply them. Surrounded by Science is a valuable addition to the field of informal science education and contributes to the growing evidence for the many ways that informal environments can support science learning for people of all backgrounds, ages, and cultures.