Informal Learning & Synergies with Formal Education: NSF Perspective

1. Informal Learning & Synergies with Formal Education: NSF Perspective David Ucko Division of Research on Learning in Formal & Informal Settings Directorate for Education & Human Resources National Science Foundation

2. Independent agency Supports basic research & education Uses grant mechanism Low overhead; highly automated Discipline-based structure Cross-disciplinary mechanisms Use of Rotators/IPAs National Science Board NSF in a nutshell Ucko

3. NSF Strategic Plan: Learning goal • To cultivate a world class, broadly inclusive science & engineering workforce & to expand the scientific literacy of all citizens Ucko

4. NSF directorates Ucko

5. Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) Division of Graduate Education (DGE) Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) EHR organization chart Ucko

6. EHR thematic framework STEM Research, Policy, and Practice Broadening Participation to Improve Workforce Development Furthering Public Understanding of Science and Advancing STEM Literacy Enriching the Education of STEM Teachers Promoting Cyber-enabled Learning Strategies to Enhance STEM Education Promoting Learning Through Research and Evaluation Disciplinary Change Sites Departmental Change Sites Ucko

7. Division of Research on Learning in Formal & Informal Settings (DRL) • R&D: learning & teaching • All STEM disciplines • Both formal and informal • Advance knowledge & practice Ucko

8. DRL core programs • Research & Evaluation on Education in Science & Engineering (REESE) • Discovery Research K-12 (DR-K12) • Informal Science Education (ISE) • Information Technology Experiences for Students & Teachers (ITEST) • Others: Presidential Awards for Mathematics & Science Teaching (PAEMST)… Ucko

9. Research & Evaluation on Education in Science & Engineering (REESE) • Core scientific questions about STEM teaching & learning • Discovery & innovation: all ages, all settings • Supports interdisciplinary research Program solicitation #: 08-585 Letter of Intent deadlines: October 09, 2009 Full proposal deadlines: November 12, 2009 Ucko

10. Discovery Research-K12 (DR-K12) • Development, implementation, & study of STEM resources, models, & technologies • Address both immediate needs & longer-term challenges Program solicitation #: 08-609 Full proposal deadline: January 7, 2010 Ucko

11. Informal Science Education (ISE) • Design, implement, & study exhibits, models, resources, & programs • Expand professional capacity • Advance knowledge through research & evaluation Program solicitation #: 09-553 Preliminary proposal deadline: June 24, 2010 Full proposal deadline: November 19, 2009; November 2010 Ucko

12. Innovative Technology Experiences for Students & Teachers (ITEST) • Encourage K-12 students to consider & prepare for careers • Build knowledge on approaches that increase capacity in STEM workforce Program solicitation #: 09-506 Letter of intent deadline: January 19, 2010 Full proposal deadline: February 12, 2010 Ucko

13. DRL R&D investments Ucko

14. DRL cycle of innovation scale up & study effectiveness REESE ITEST ISE implement, study efficacy, & improve synthesize & theorize ITEST DRK-12 REESE ISE ITEST DRK-12 hypothesize & clarify design, develop, & test ISE ITEST REESE DRK-12 Ucko Division of Research on Learning, NSF

15. 11 PM 7:00 PM 3:00 PM 11:00 AM 7:00 AM TIME College K-12 2 4 6 8 10 12 MONTHS 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 LIFE SPAN Lifelong learning John H. Falk, Oregon State University, 2001 Ucko

16. Characteristics • Voluntary, self-directed • Prior knowledge, experience • Personal needs, interests • Social/cultural mediation • Cumulative, lifelong Playful Invention and Exploration Network, MIT Ucko

17. Growth of field Association of Science-Technology Centers Ucko

18. Informal STEM education community Falk, Randol, and Dierking, 2009 Ucko

19. Role of NSF STEM professionals Knowledge building: research & evaluation Informal STEM education orgs Public(s): STEM learning $ $ $ Ucko

20. Infrastructure Professional Planning Development $6,149,908 $1,115,657 2% $18,237,253 0% FRTV 7% Research $79,148,004 29% $25,628,658 9% Technology $38,041,518 14% Youth&Community $54,016,215 Exhibit 20% $53,434,712 19% ISE portfolio Ucko National Science Foundation

21. Exhibitions • >50% of traveling exhibitions toured by Association of Science-Technology Centers • Ex: CSI: The Experience • Hands-on forensics based on TV show Ft. Worth Museum of Science & History Ucko

22. TV, radio, & giant-screen film • Established as vehicles for educational STEM programming • Ex: PEEP and the Big Wide World • Science-readiness for preschool-age children • Emmy, Parent’ Choice Gold Awards Ucko WGBH

23. Technology & cyberlearning • Apply new technologies to informal learning • Web, simulations, gaming, PDAs... • Borgman et al., Cyberlearning Task Force • Ex: WolfQuest • game-based learning Minnesota Zoo Ucko

24. Youth & community • Target underserved youth & teens in more intensive science-based activity • Ex: Community Science Workshops • Neighborhood-based after-school programs serving disadvantaged communities Ucko University of Massachusetts, Boston

25. Professional • Increased professionalization of field • Continuing direct impact via research, conferences, publications, PD • Ex: informalscience.org University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out of School Environments Ucko

26. Nanoscale Informal Science Ed. Network NSF $$$ NANOSCIENCE RESEARCH COMMUNITY ISECommunity NISE Network PROJECT EQUITY & DIVERSITY NISE Network CAPACITY CAPACITY Materials, Activities Increased Public Understanding of Nanoscale Science Ucko St. John, 2006

27. Research & evaluation emphasis • Further professionalization • Desire to advance field • Increased accountability • Growing academic interest • Formation of DRL Ucko

28. Evaluation in ISE • Start • Front-end Audience • Middle • Formative Deliverables • End • Remedial Fine-tuning • Summative Impacts Ucko

29. Project impact categories • Awareness/ knowledge/ understanding • Engagement or interest • Attitude • Behavior • Skills • Other Ucko Friedman, 2008

30. CAISE Ucko St. John, 2009

31. caise.insci.org Ucko

32. NRC synthesis study • “The committee found abundant evidence that across all venues—everyday experiences, designed settings, and programs, individuals of all ages learn science.” (ES-2) National Research Council, 2009 Ucko

33. Learning strands • 1. Developing Interest in Science • 2. Understanding Science Knowledge • 3. Engaging in Scientific Reasoning • 4. Reflecting on Science • 5. Engaging in Scientific Practice • 6. Identifying with the scientific enterprise. National Research Council, 2009 Ucko

34. Findings • Impact • Underserved groups • Assessment • Research Ucko

35. Impact • Future research • Practice • Community of practice • Validation Ucko

36. Formal Informal • Compulsory • Curriculum-based • Teacher-directed • “Push” • Extrinsic motivation • Set times • Ages 5 to 18 • Classrooms • Voluntary • Personal interest • Self-directed • “Pull” • Intrinsic motivation • Anytime • All ages, lifelong • Ubiquitous Ucko

37. Formal Informal • Transmission • Cognitive • Favored learning styles • Extended time • Group setting • Assessment • Constructivist • Affective • Flexible learning styles • Intermittent, brief • Individual, family, or group • No tests, grades Ucko

38. Informal as complement to formal • Out-of-school time enrichment • After-school, museums, media… • Cyberlearning • Classroom and teacher programs/resources Ucko

39. Center for Informal Learning & Schools • 90% or more offered at least one program of support for K-12 science education (in addition to one-day field trips) • More than half provided at least one form of teacher professional development • Serve ~73,000 schools, 62% of total • 9,000 districts, 2 m teachers, 36 m students • ISIs and Schools: A Landscape Study (Finkelstein, 2005) Ucko

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41. Types of programs offered • Direct student to student (65%) • Teacher professional development (59%) • Collaboratives & national partnerships (46%) • Classroom materials & curricula (42%) Ucko

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43. Museum-Schools • Formal partnership • Consistent integration of resources • “Students from diverse backgrounds can meet & exceed standards in core academic subjects when provided with access to relevant, object-based, interdisciplinary, experiential, & connected learning opportunities.” • Museum Schools: Hybrid Spaces for Accessing Learning (Phillips, 2006) Ucko

44. Informal-formal collaborations • Dedicated teachers & informal educators • Networks of relationships • Settings dedicated to science learning • Joint, purposeful activities • Sense of innovation • Community of practice Ucko

45. Challenges • Financial • Organizational • Pedagogical • Value • Knowledge • Evaluation Ucko

46. Formal as complement to informal • Standards • Learning progressions • Assessment • Professional development • Equity & access Ucko

47. Learning ecology • Home + school + after-school + community + museums + media +… • “dynamic entity that can be characterized by the diversity and depth of learning resources and activities” (B. Baron) Ucko

48. Informal as STEM education reform • Intrinsic motivation • Relevance • Interdisciplinary • Personalized • Learning to learn Ucko

49. Model of interest development • 1. Triggered situational interest • 2. Maintained situational interest • 3. Emerging individual interest • 4. Well-developed individual interest • Hidi & Renninger, 2006 Ucko

50. College readiness • Key cognitive strategies • Key content • Academic behaviors • Contextual skills & awareness • Educational Policy Improvement Center, 2007 Ucko