Stories from the field
The 95 Percent Solution
Informal Science Education Policy: Issues and Opportunities describes, various policies, internal and external, written and implicit, now encourage or constrain informal science education. The issues discussed in this CAISE Inquiry Group report are intended to spark conversation and awaken us to the policy contexts around us.
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Learning in Science Centers and Museums: From a Review of the Evidence
Visits to science centers and museums can elicit powerful emotions, which help create memorable learning experiences, reinforce existing knowledge, and encourage positive attitudes toward learning and careers in science. This was the conclusion of a review of the evidence undertaken in 2006 by Ecsite, the U.K. Network of Science Centres and Museums. This article summarizes the evidence reviewed in Ecsite-uk's full report.
Lessons from an English Summer
In 1970 my wife and I made a vacation trip to England, the first time we had traveled outside the United States. I was a brand new assistant professor of physics and was sure my career would always be in physics research and teaching. In a few days, a series of museum experiences taught me three lessons that completely changed my views of what museums could do, and eventually changed my career choices.