caise

News & Announcements

News from NSF's Informal Science Education program

NSF's Informal Science Education (ISE) program expects to post a new solicitation in March, with the deadline for proposal submission following in June or later. A total of 199 proposals were submitted on the December 18, 2008, deadline; 470 letters of intent had been submitted for that round. Altogether, 330 proposals were submitted to the ISE Program in 2008.

National Research Council report: Learning Science in Informal Environments

The National Research Council (NRC) has released Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits, the report of a committee cochaired by Philip Bell of the University of Washington and Bruce Lewenstein of Cornell University. In releasing the report, the NRC noted that “tens of millions of Americans, young and old, choose to learn about science in informal ways—by visiting museums and aquariums, attending after-school programs, pursuing personal hobbies, and watching TV documentaries, for example. There is abundant evidence that these programs and settings, and even everyday experiences such as a walk in the park, contribute to people's knowledge and interest in science."

"Informal learning is a field that is maturing after a period of rapid expansion," says David Ucko, deputy division director for NSF's Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings, which funded the study. "Whether we're talking about science museums, television and radio programs, large-format films, or citizen science projects, opportunities for informal learning are available to people all over the country. This is an excellent moment to synthesize the research that's been done and help researchers and practitioners build on it and share their knowledge and experience."

In its report, the committee outlines six "strands" of science learning that can happen in informal settings and points to the need for more professional development and a common knowledge base among scholars and educators in the field—including a more widely shared language, values, learning theories, and standards of evidence. "There's a lot of good research and practice out there," said committee co-chair Bruce Lewenstein. "Now we need to find better ways to bring that work together and continue extending it."

Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits, as well as the commissioned papers that informed this report, are available from the National Academies Press.

Intersections workshop: call for applications

Apply by February 16 to participate in Intersections, a community-building workshop to be held August 6-7 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for researchers in the learning sciences who study informal learning and practitioners in STEM-related informal learning environments (ILEs). Leaders from both fields will speak, and attendees will work in small groups to draft white papers, which will later be expanded into a follow-up book. The workshop's two main themes: (1) building models of learning in ILEs that respond to issues and opportunities raised by researchers and practitioners and (2) connecting methods of research and methods of ILE practice to support iterative design and evaluation of STEM learning environments. Attendees will be selected by a committee composed of learning sciences and ISE advisors in order to ensure broad participation from diverse areas, including science museums, media, community organizations, technology developers, public television, universities, and nonprofit agencies. Travel, lodging, and meals will be covered. Both new and experienced professionals are encouraged to apply. The workshop is organized by Pennsylvania State University (PSU), University of Washington (UW), and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) with the support of NSF. Details: Sandra Toro Martell (smartell@uwm.edu) or Heather Toomey Zimmerman (heather@psu.edu).

CAISE update

Over the coming months, we'll be posting reports and hosting online discussions about the first round of CAISE Inquiry Groups, which are now concluding their work: Web Communities for Professional Development, Public Engagement with Science, Sustaining Access to ISE for Persons with Disabilities, and Public Participation in Research. We will also be starting up a new series of inquiries, around a framework that grew out of what we've heard through many conversations with you and other colleagues across our broad, diverse field. The central focus is an examination and synthesis of evidence for the contributions of informal science education: its support for learning across the lifespan; the scope and scale of the widespread and diverse set of institutions and practices that support ISE; and the policies and funding patterns that currently and potentially enable ISE to do its work well. Co-PIs Alan Friedman, Kevin Crowley, and John Falk will be helping to lead these inquiries and facilitate online discussions open to all members of the community. Conversations will be drawn together at an ISE Summit in Washington, D.C., in early 2010. Watch for updates in future editions of briefCAISE and in the News & Comment area of the CAISE website.

Another turning point for CAISE is the departure of Director Ellen McCallie, who is leaving to pursue other opportunities, as well as to to complete her Ph.D. at Kings College, London, and the Center for Informal Learning and Schools (CILS). Also departing is Manager John Baek, who will be joining John Falk at Oregon State University as Assistant Professor in Free-Choice Learning. To both of them, for their contributions to CAISE's start-up and first ISE Summit, heartfelt thanks and best wishes. Center staff are being reorganized to support this new phase of work, and we are recruiting for a project director. If interested in bringing your skills and experiences to this next phase of CAISE's work, please contact me.—Wendy Pollock, CAISE PI