This white paper is the product of the CAISE Public Engagement with Science Inquiry Group. It describes how public engagement with science (PES) in the context of informal science education can provide opportunities for public awareness of and participation in science and technology. The term engagement is characterized by mutual learning by publics and scientists rather than a one-way transmission of knowledge from experts to publics.
This white paper is the product of the CAISE Public Participation in Scientific Research Inquiry Group. It describes how public participation in scientific research (PPSR) through informal science education can provide opportunities to increase public science literacy.
Inclusion, Disabilities, and Informal Science Learning, a report by the CAISE Access Inquiry Group, sets forth a framework for changing this inequity. This white paper offers a theoretical framework for thinking about inclusion of people with disabilities in informal science education (ISE), then reviews current practice in museums (broadly defined), in media and technology, and in youth and community programs. While "investigations located a number of projects, initiatives, and organizations that have sought greater inclusion of people with disabilities in ISE," the report concludes, "these
The goal of the CAISE Policy Study Inquiry Group (PSIG) was to inventory and comment on policies which affect the capacity of informal science education to have an impact. The issues discussed in this white paper are intended to spark conversation and awaken us to the policy contexts around us.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE)Lisa Craig BrissonAlan FriedmanSaskia TraillArthur EisenkraftIra FlatowJeffrey KirschMaritza MacdonaldEric MarshallEllen McCallieTrevor NesbitRebecca Nesbit ProsinoCharles PetitJerry SchubelDan WhartonSteven WilliamsJoe Witte
There are a number of places evaluators can share their reports with each other, such as the American Evaluation Association’s eLibrary, the website informalscience.org, and organizations’ own websites. Even though opportunities to share reports online are increasing, the evaluation field lacks guidance on what to include in evaluation reports meant for an evaluator audience. If the evaluation field wants to learn from evaluation reports posted to online repositories, how can evaluators help to ensure the reports they share are useful to this audience? This paper explores this question through
The overall objective of this planning project was to examine the potential effectiveness of the Signing Science Pictionary (SSP) in increasing the ability of parents and their deaf and hard of hearing children to engage in informal science learning. To achieve this objective, research and development included four goals. 1) Design several SSP-based activities to help family members engage in informal science learning. 2) Examine the potential effectiveness of the SSP in increasing family member’s signed science vocabulary. 3) Find out about the potential effectiveness of the SSP in
The role of informal science institutions in supporting science learning and engagement is becoming increasingly recognised. However, research in this area is published in a variety of journals and can be challenging for practitioners to access and apply. Indeed, it appears that the informal science sector lacks a process by which research can be usefully integrated into practice, and by which practice can inform research. In this paper, we argue that there is a need for research and practice to work together to produce practically relevant and academically credible research. We outline the
This Resource Guide, developed by the California Endowment, was designed to assist foundation staff with evaluations of initiatives and programs working with diverse communities. It has been developed as a “how-to” manual for incorporating a greater multicultural focus when commissioning an evaluation, and also as a resource of ideas for those interested in learning more about the topic.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Traci Endo InouyeHanh Cao YuJo-Ann AdefuinChristina JohThe California Endowment
The Open University's "Innovating Pedagogy Report" is an example of exploring innovative topics while giving oneself permission to be a bit less academic. In the report, authors choose 10 topics and write several pages on each, deliberately avoiding citing papers and supporting each individual point. This third report proposes ten innovations that are already in currency but have not yet had a profound influence on education. You can see a summary of each innovation at the menu on the right. Please contribute your comments on the report and the innovations.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Mike SharplesAnne AdamsRebecca FergusonMark GavedPatrick McAndrewBart RientiesMartin WellerDenise Whitelock
Summative evaluations of museum exhibitions are generally conducted with the aims of measuring whether an exhibition met its goals, identifying areas for improvement, and assessing impact. In many cases, evaluation studies also serve to advance the field by providing lessons for funders, policy makers, or practitioners beyond the project. This report includes details from summative evaluations that included recommendations, particularly those that might be useful for lessons learned and suggestions for improvements to the exhibitions that were evaluated. Using a bottom-up method of review, the
The aim of this study was to explore 22 Web site evaluation reports, or sections of larger evaluation reports centering on a Web site, to identify, define, and provide examples of the range of evaluation focus areas to inform the design of Web site evaluation studies. The sample included a group of reports contributed to the Informalscience.org online database. Prior to this study, staff members at the Science Museum of Minnesota organized and coded the database of evaluation reports as part of the Building Informal Science Education (BISE) project funded by the National Science Foundation
To address the Informal Science Learning for Indigenous communities raises a number of issues. What is “informal” and how does this notion influence the everyday lived lives of Indigenous peoples? Can we separate the informal from the formal, and is the nexus of the two a productive place from which to explore, teach, and pursue science in Indigenous communities? This commissioned paper attempts to begin addressing these questions.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Bryan Mckinely Jones BrayboyAngelina Castagno