briefcaise

Alan J. Friedman

It’s a safe bet that everyone reading this already believes that informal science education (ISE) has an impact on society and that impact serves a public good. Many of us have been working in that belief our entire careers. But time and money are finite, and when we as a society have to allocate those resources, sometimes belief is not sufficient. We are asked for harder evidence that resources devoted to informal science education will be a better investment than, say, the formal education system, or hospitals, or poetry, or law enforcement.

CAISE in general, and this newsletter in particular, have as one of their missions arming those of us who believe in informal science education with more evidence of the impact ISE is having. Some of that evidence will be in the form of serious, hard-nosed research. Some of it will be in the form of careful and thorough case studies. And some of it will be anecdotes, including the following personal essay, in a series of “Impact Sightings.” I know the “tyranny of the anecdote” is a danger of which we must all be wary. A single great story can make people believe something that has yet to be established, and it can even overpower painstakingly assembled statistical evidence, as fad diets and various dangerous medical treatment fallacies show.

But anecdotal evidence has positive roles to play as well. Before the hard data is in, anecdotes can steer us toward promising new fields for inquiry and then help us shape our research and evaluation questions. And after the hard data is in, anecdotes can illustrate the findings in a more colorful and memorable way, especially for nonspecialists, than a table of figures or a bar chart. Of course, there are also moments when we need to back away from those cherished anecdotes that are contradicted by the hard evidence. We can still learn why they were not indicative of more general behavior, but it would become unethical to keep using them without qualification.

I’m launching this series, and then it is up to you, dear reader, to become a contributor, too. What tales can you tell about the impact of ISE? They could be personal stories like mine or brief reports on work you have done or your institution has undertaken, or a call to attention for someone else’s activities that you find noteworthy. Hard data, case studies, and compelling anecdotes are all welcome. Praise the field, and pass the ammunition.

Alan J. Friedman is Co-PI of CAISE, Past-President of the Visitor Studies Association, and currently a consultant on museum development and science communication.

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Impact Sightings: Lessons from an English Summer

Alan J. Friedman

CAISE Co-PI Alan J. Friedman writes of informal science experiences many years ago that changed not only the way he taught but his whole career.

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.

As we planned our trip, I knew in advance some of the things I wanted to see. Among my interests were astronomy, ships, and clocks. So we planned to visit the Old Royal Observatory at Greenwich, the Cutty Sark clipper ship, and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, which I’d heard had many ship models and old clocks. I had noticed that in fact these three attractions were within walking distance of each other, but I hadn’t wondered why an observatory might be close to a maritime museum. I knew that there was a connection between astronomy and sailing (something to do with navigation), but it wasn’t a particularly important connection for science, I thought.

In one day, visiting the clocks, telescopes, and ship models at the National Maritime Museum and the Old Royal Observatory, I discovered a whole world of connections I had not known existed. Astronomy was indeed part of navigation, but astronomy alone told sailors only half of what they needed to know to survive. It could give them latitude but not longitude. Clocks turned out to be the missing key that, combined with astronomy, revealed longitude and thus let sailors navigate the world’s oceans. A system of navigation was a life or death matter for sailors, but it was also what spurred the funding of both astronomy and precision timekeeping. The justification for having a Royal Observatory in the first place was not a royal family’s love of fundamental science; it was the Royal Navy and the merchant marine’s need for a complete system of navigation.

Somehow, in all my courses, readings, and television watching, I had never realized this vital connection among astronomy, sailing, and clocks—subjects that individually but independently fascinated me. The story was told independently in those two museums, the Old Royal Observatory and the National Maritime Museum, and it changed my view of the history of science and how it works.

Lesson 1: Museums not only have simple data to impart, such as the age and appearance of rare and historic artifacts. Museums can also put artifacts in a context, making exciting connections with other parts of a visitor’s own world. Simply the juxtaposition of objects can tell important stories and make sense out of apparently disparate facts.

Read more…

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ISE PI Summit 2008: July 25–26

At the request of NSF, CAISE is organizing a meeting for NSF ISE Program principal investigators (PIs), July 25–26, in Washington, D.C. ISE PIs should check with their NSF program officers to learn more about how their grants may support participation. The ISE PI Summit 2008 will provide PIs of active NSF ISE grants the opportunity to discuss the state of ISE with other leaders in the field and to get updates on the latest directions in NSF funding. ISE PI Summit 2008 will be held at the National Zoo and the nearby Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. Further information is available at insci.org.

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Opportunity: CAISE Fellows Program

The CAISE Fellows Program is designed to support the development of ISE professionals from all sectors who show potential to propose and lead NSF ISE grants. The program seeks applicants who are from underrepresented groups and underrepresented geographical regions. We ask for help identifying potential candidates and encouraging them to apply. The program supports 10 Fellows to participate in the ISE PI Summit 2008 and in mentoring opportunities structured toward designing and submitting their own NSF proposals. Further information about the program is available at insci.org. Application materials will be available April 1, 2008, and the deadline for 2008 applications is May 12.

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NSF ISE Evaluation Framework Available Online

The NSF ISE Program announces a new report, Framework for Evaluating Impacts of Informal Science Education Projects (pdf), intended to advance knowledge and practice of ISE. The report, which grew out of a March 2007 ISE-funded workshop, aims to help PIs use summative evaluation to identify and document project impacts on target audiences and the field. It identifies five key categories of impacts, which are to be applied both to public and professional audiences. These include: (1) awareness, knowledge, understanding; (2) engagement or interest; (3) attitude; (4) behavior; and (5) skills. Those submitting proposals to the NSF ISE Program are now being asked to use these categories to identify the intended impacts of their projects, and grantees are asked to use these categories when reporting on their projects. One goal of the report is to make it possible to identify the results of all projects funded by the NSF ISE Program in order to build a knowledge base of summative findings.

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National Academies Study Group Seeks Case Studies

Thomas Keller

The National Academies Study Group on Learning Science in Informal Environments invites case studies that provide rich, detailed portrayals of science learning and educational practices in informal settings for a forthcoming publication aimed at ISE practitioners. The cases should help illustrate the commitments and practices of science education in informal environments. Currently in preparation is volume one, a consensus study that draws together the disparate informal science education literatures, synthesizes the state of knowledge, and articulates a common framework for the next generation of research on informal science learning. A second practitioner’s resource interprets the consensus study’s findings and conclusions for practitioners (those who work in informal education at mid-level positions and up), using accessible language and detailed cases from the field. The first volume will be in pre-publication by July 2008; the second is due out in February 2009.

We are looking for cases from science centers, zoos, aquariums, nature centers, national parks, after-school programs, out-of-school programs, everyday learning, and other experiences from small, medium, and large places and programs. These could be case studies from research studies, case studies that have been directly evaluated or researched but are not in the research literature, or cases that extend existing research to other domains. Case studies might include understanding and embracing learner diversity; building on learners’ interests, prior experiences, and identities; recognizing and harnessing the strong social component of informal learning; providing learners with direct experiences with phenomena; supporting a broader view of science learning to include motivation, emotion, and identity as a science learner; accessing multiple experiences across settings; and facilitating and supporting science learning for adults, including senior citizens. Uses of embedded or stand-alone media  would also be appreciated. We will seek permission from authors for any material we wish to use.

At this point we are being very inclusive, so please send your thoughts, ideas, leads, or cases to info@caise.insci.org. Should you have any questions, please contact Tom Keller at tkeller@nas.edu. We would appreciate receiving these by March 31.

Thomas Keller is the Study Director for the Learning Science in Informal Environments—Practitioner’s Resource.

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NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2008

In the latest edition of NSF’s biannual report on the state of science and engineering in the United States, Chapter 7, "Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding," reports on participation in informal science education:

“Involvement with S&T [science and technology] outside the classroom in informal, voluntary, and self-directed settings such as museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums is an indicator of interest in S&T. By offering visitors the flexibility to pursue individual curiosity, such institutions provide a kind of exposure to S&T that is well suited to helping people develop further interest. Professional scientists and engineers often stress the role of their informal S&T experiences in motivating them to pursue S&T careers.”

Citing studies by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Pew Internet and American Life Project, the report says that “about three of five American adults visited an informal science institution in the year preceding the survey.” Television, newspapers, and radio are the most commonly consulted news sources, according to the report, while “the Internet, magazines, and books or other printed material loom larger as primary information sources for S&T.”

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Resources & Links

• InformalScience.org – Supporting the field of informal science learning by providing resources to build knowledge, share outcomes, and improve practice.
• ExhibitFiles.org – An online community of exhibit practitioners building a shared collection of exhibition records and reviews.
• CAISE website, insci.org – An ISE resource identifying the impacts of NSF ISE-funded work, synthesizing relevant research, and reporting on diverse issues and trends across the ISE spectrum.
• ISE conference calendar at InformalScience.org – Find a listing of annual conferences related to informal learning environments, the advancement of science education, and the use of technology/web environments.
• NSF ISE Program solicitation at nsf.gov – Find due dates for letters of intent and full proposals.

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CAISE Leadership

Supported by a cooperative agreement with NSF, CAISE is a partnership among the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), Oregon State University (OSU), the University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments (UPCLOSE), and the Visitor Studies Association (VSA). Inverness Research Associates serves as the evaluator. The center is housed at ASTC's offices in Washington, D.C.

ASTC is an international organization of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering public understanding of science among increasingly diverse audiences. Since its founding in 1973, ASTC has served as an advocate and meeting place for the ISE field. Its publications and professional development programs, including an annual meeting attended by 2,000 ISE professionals, work to improve ISE practice and advance equity and diversity. ASTC was a 2006 recipient of the National Science Board’s Public Service Award. Wendy Pollock, PI of CAISE, represents ASTC in CAISE’s work. 

Oregon State University (OSU) brings to the work of CAISE its expertise in free-choice science learning and a deep understanding of the ISE community. John H. Falk, Co-PI of CAISE, was founder of the Institute of Learning Innovation (ILI) and is now a member of the faculty in OSU’s Department of Science and Mathematics Education. Over the past 25 years, Falk has built a reservoir of knowledge about the intersection of ISE theory and practice, in particular how to support the needs of institutions and professionals striving to improve the quality of ISE. Through its partnership with CAISE, OSU is building closer connections among research on communities of practice, the creation of learning organizations, professional training and development, and ISE practice.

University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments (UPCLOSE) is a group of researchers and educators dedicated to building and applying a practical theory of learning and teaching in informal environments. Through creative partnerships with museums and other nonprofits, such as CAISE, UPCLOSE explores new ways to conceptualize and evaluate informal learning. UPCLOSE’s website, InformalScience.org, seeks to promote and advance the field of informal learning in science and other domains. It is a place to share knowledge and support a community of learners to inform informal science learning standards and practices. Kevin Crowley represents UPCLOSE as CAISE Co-PI.

Visitor Studies Association (VSA) is a premier professional organization focusing on all facets of the visitor experience in museums, zoos, nature centers, visitor centers, historic sites, parks, and other informal learning settings. VSA is committed to understanding and enhancing visitor experiences in informal learning settings through research, evaluation, and dialogue. VSA’s common vision is of a world where lifelong learning is embraced, and where learning in informal settings benefits individuals, communities, and society at large. VSA brings to its partnership with CAISE best-practice strategies for how to attract, educate, and serve public audiences. Alan J. Friedman represents VSA as CAISE Co-PI.

Inverness Research is a research and evaluation group with the mission of studying investments made in the improvement of education. Inverness founder and principal Mark St. John and his colleagues have studied science and mathematics education initiatives ranging from the evaluation of individual science exhibits to the study of large national initiatives. Inverness is currently serving as the external evaluator for CAISE, providing formative feedback and documenting the contributions of CAISE to the ISE field. In addition, the evaluation effort will provide information to the NSF ISE Program officers that will help inform their future grantmaking.

CAISE Steering Committee

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Contact CAISE

• Ellen McCallie, Director, (202) 783-7200 x137, emccallie@caise.insci.org
• John Baek, Manager, (202) 783-7200 x139, jbaek@caise.insci.org
• For general inquiries, info@caise.insci.org
• Mailing address: CAISE, 1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20005-6310, USA

Photo Credits

• Forces of Nature: Photo courtesy of National Geographic, Washington, D.C.
• Van de Graaff generator: Photo courtesy of Museum of Science, Boston, Massachusetts.
• Giant pandas: Photo courtesy of Ann Batdorf, NZP photographer, National Zoo, Washington, D.C.
• Science and Engineering Indicators 2008: Courtesy of National Science Foundation. Credit, ice cave: Zenobia Evans, National Science Foundation (NSF). Credits, images right to left: Josh Landis,NSF; Katrin Iken and Bodil Bluhm, University of Alaska, Fairbanks; The Hidden Ocean, Arctic 2005 Exploration; Ariana Owens, NSF; Patrick Smith; Ken Ryan, NSF; Jerry Marty, NSF.

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