The Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM)--in collaboration with scientists at the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy and Academic Health Center; the Minnesota Department of Health, and the Minnesota Antibiotic Resistance Collaborative--requests a Phase 1/11five-year SEPA grant of $1,250,000 to develop a traveling museum exhibition and web site that highlight the fascinating science behind the outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that are changing and shaping our way of life in the 21st century. Topics to be covered will include the emergence of new illnesses like SARS and Avian Influenza and the re-emergence of drug-resistant infections that were once curable but now can be fatal. An Infectious Disease Advisory Panel and Content Experts representing the collaborating institutions listed above and others will guide museum staff in the development of these exhibits and programs. EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES will be a 1,500 square-foot special exhibition to be installed in SMM's Human Body Gallery in spring 2007. After an 18-month presentation, it will begin a tour to five medium size science centers over two years. In addition to the exhibition and its complementary web site, special programming will be targeted to reach specific audiences, including: K-12 school groups visiting the museum (a user guide with on-line pre- and post-visit activities aligned with state and National Science Education Standards); K-12 classroom teachers (Curriculum Enhancement Institutes); and outreach programs serving after-school programs for children in under-served inner-city neighborhoods. A focus on areas of ongoing research will be used to highlight how far we have come in understanding the complex world of infectious diseases and how far we must go in treatment or elimination of present day health threats.
The resources on this handout were shared by participants of the “Bridging the practice-research gap” forum, which took place on InformalScience.org from July 6-17, 2015.
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Association of Science-Technology CentersGrace Troxel
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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Traci Endo InouyeHanh Cao YuJo-Ann AdefuinChristina JohThe California Endowment
The underrepresentation of non‐White students and girls in STEM fields is an ongoing problem that is well documented. In K‐12 science education, girls, and especially non‐White girls, often do not identify with science regardless of test scores. In this study, we examine the narrated and embodied identities‐in‐practice of non‐White, middle school girls who articulate future career goals in STEM‐related fields. For these girls who desire an STEM‐related career, we examine the relationships between their narrated and embodied identities‐in‐practice. Drawing on interview and ethnographic data in
As providers of informal STEM education, including libraries, grapple with the issue of offering inclusive programs and meeting the needs of their specific communities, potential program facilitators seek knowledge and guidance to develop and deliver effective STEM programming for underserved populations. Key questions that might be asked include: Have best practices been identified for effectively engaging underserved audiences? What key strategies, if any, have emerged from previous informal science education efforts that can inform new program development? Over the past 10 to 20 years
Today, policy makers, funders, and government agencies alike are grappling with the need to use resources efficiently and effectively in order to make a measurable difference in addressing some of today’s pressing significant social, cultural, and educational challenges. When dealing with such complex and “wicked” problems as global warming, hunger, substance abuse, education and skills development (including competencies in STEM disciplines), it’s not enough for an organization to deliver results that contribute only to its bottom line. Increasingly, civic and philanthropic leaders are
America’s public libraries can play an important role in furthering STEM education. However, this will be true only if STEM learning efforts focus on librarians and librarians acting as facilitators. Any effort to transform librarians into STEM experts will have limited success given the increasing number of roles librarians are being asked to take on. At the same time, the current belief among many librarians that they can only offer programming in which they feel comfortable or have expertise will strongly constrain STEM programming in libraries. Librarians must instead create platforms
The Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums program was launched in 2011 by a public-private partnership between the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in response to President Obama's Educate to Innovate initiative. Through two cycles of national competitions, libraries, museums, and other community partners at 24 sites were funded to create innovative teen spaces that followed the principles of the emerging Connected Learning Framework. Learning Labs often involve partnerships and collaborations between libraries and other
There is a revolution occurring in how, when, where and even why people learn science. Learning today is continuous and on-demand. Learners of all ages seek science educational experiences from myriad sources and across multiple platforms – while at home, on weekends and even while on vacation. Unlike in the past, most science learning today is free-choice, driven primarily by an individual’s needs and interests. In fact, research indicates that much of the current disparity in a person’s science literacy derives from inequities in access to quality out-of-classroom learning opportunities
This bibliography was created for the 2015 Public Libraries & STEM Conference in Denver, CO. It lists resources related to STEM learning in a library setting.
The United Nations Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 is a key initiative within global efforts to halt and eventually reverse the loss of biodiversity. The very first target of this plan states that "by 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably." Zoos and aquariums worldwide, attracting more than 700 million visits every year, could potentially make a positive contribution to this target. However, a global evaluation of the educational impacts of visits to zoos and aquariums is entirely lacking in