It seems difficult to suggest that creating an educational software program with 30+ individuals of varying skill sets, spread across the country from Hawaii to Vermont, is an ideal model for others to follow. Yet, in 2008, the Space Science Institute convened eight museums; two professional organizations; advisers from six institutions; software and design firms; plus separate research and evaluation teams for a four-year grant (three years of project development plus one year of follow-up research), funded by the National Science Foundation (award #0714241), to produce a Science Theater
The term ""community of practice"" is of relatively recent coinage, even though the phenomenon it refers to is age-old. The concept has turned out to provide a useful perspective on knowing and learning. A growing number of people and organizations in various sectors are now focusing on communities of practice as a key to improving their performance. This brief and general introduction examines what communities of practice are and why researchers and practitioners in so many different contexts find them useful as an approach to knowing and learning.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Etienne Wenger
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
A slide presentation for a talk given at the 2008 meeting of the Informal Science Education Association (ISEA) (Texas) annual conference that explores the following questions: Is ISEA about informal science education? Or about getting better at informal science education? Or about getting better at getting better at science education?Inverness Research Associates has served as the external evaluator to NISE, TexNET, COMPASS and other networks in both the formal and informal field.
The idea that learning involves a deepening process of participation in a community of practice has gained significant ground in recent years. Communities of practice have also become an important focus within organizational development and have considerable value when thinking about working with groups. In this article we outline the theory and practice of such communities, and examine some of issues and questions for informal educators and those concerned with lifelong learning.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Mark Smith
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
This book was used as a part of the CAISE Convening on Organizational Networks, November 2011. It describes how to contextualize and strategically build communities of practice.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Hubert Saint-GeorgeDebra Wallace
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
Roundable discussions at the 2010 ISE Summit focused on the following topics: Intrinsic Motivation, Defining Goals and ""Educate to Innovate"", ISE Evaluation and Research, Sparking the Imagination, Teacher Professional Development in K-8 Schools, Avatar Effect, Art and Science, Diversity, NASA Education and Public Outreach, and Cosmic Serpent. This report synthesizes main discussion pointsof each topic.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Catherine McEver
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
These conference proceedings summarize work done by the CAISE Inquiry Groups and include presentations from NSF Program Officer Al DeSena and CAISE Co-PI John Falk (Introduction), Falk and Carlos Manjerrez (Infrastructure Inquiry Group), Saskia Traill (Policy Study Inquiry Group), Kevin Crowley (Learning Inquiry Group), and a synthesis and reflection from Sheila Grinell, Bonnie Sachatello-Sawyer, Rob Semper, Julie Johnson, Erik Peterson, Rich Borchelt, Wendy Wheeler, and Kevin Crowley. All meeting documentation was provided by Catherine McEver.
The 2010 ISE Summit opened with remarks from Director Wendy Pollock and NSF Program Officer Al DeSena and included presentations from David Ucko (NSF Influence on Informal Science Education), Tom Kalil (word from the White House), and Bruce Lewenstein (ISE: Who Are We, and How Did We Get Here?). All meeting documentation has been provided by Catherine McEver.