Social media has been recognized as a promising online communication environment that supports self-directed informal learning activities outside educational institutions. Development of metacognition is necessary for self-directed learning. Nevertheless, most studies have focused on the use of social media for formal learning. To fill this gap,…

We investigated what students learnt about biodiversity, a broad and multi-dimensional concept, challenging to understand, following a visit to a nature reserve. Acknowledging the individual nature of informal learning, we explore Personal Meaning Maps (PMMs) coupled with semi-structured interviews to investigate learning among 13 scouts aged…

Carefully designed evaluations of informal science events are key to gaining insights into their efficacy and impact on audiences. However, traditional approaches to evaluation, such as interviews and questionnaires, can be disruptive to the audience experience of science events. There is therefore a need to develop and implement new evaluation…

In order to build a better understanding of the conditions needed for religious and non-religious coexistence in Europe, to support values and practices of peaceful co-existence, and to promote and enhance mutual dialogue and understanding the European Union research programme Horizon2020 launched a call for the development of innovative…

The article investigates how linguicism, racialisation and ethnicisation interconnect in a non-formal adult education setting, a non-governmental integration initiative targeting parents of small children in Sweden. Through ethnographic research at two sites where meetings were held, and a theoretical framework of combining raciolinguistic and…

In 2021, data on Internet usage for those aged 75 years and older in Ireland indicated that almost half of this cohort (46%) had never accessed the Internet. This study examines the role of informal peer learning in the digital lives of older adults in Ireland. A mixed methods case study methodology was employed. Data were collected from 100…

Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) is associated with willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC). Although affective mediators (e.g. enjoyment and anxiety) have been found to influence the relationship between IDLE and L2 WTC, it is unclear whether cognitive factors influence IDLE's effects on L2 WTC. This study aims to fill…

Science museums are key locations for informal education. They also enable research that explores how families structure their activities and conversations and how these contribute to learning experiences. The aim of this exploratory study, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, was to analyse the process of family interactions during…

Peace museums play an important role in peace education by offering visitors informal and non-formal education. As sites of remembrance, peace museums are rich pedagogical spaces for experiential learning and reflection. Educating children in the spirit of peace, tolerance and harmony between nations has been central to the work of the Museum of…

Academic writing is an important skill in the development of researcher identity yet remains a hurdle to many. In this study, we examine the ways in which the exchange of social capital occurs in a writing group in Australia. We use Bourdieu's theoretical concepts to examine data obtained from open-ended questions in an online survey that asked…

In the state of Queensland, volunteers perform much of the work needed to prevent the extinction of threatened species who are native and unique to this continent. Acting from an understanding of interspecies justice, caring people rescue and rehabilitate hundreds of thousands of wild animals every year. Many of these same people conduct informal…

In Germany and Canada, the integration of immigrants into the labour market is closely related to the various approaches towards the recognition and validation of informal learning. This paper aims to analyse the informal learning measures undertaken by immigrants as well as those offered by employers in the health and information and…

STEM clubs, often located in extracurricular settings, are designed to promote engagement and enjoyment of STEM-related topics and concepts. Given the current policy landscape, a closer examination of STEM clubs is warranted. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges presented by these programs by drawing on interviews with nine STEM…

Combining the inherent strengths of school teaching and museum exhibitions on socio-scientific issues could be a complementary approach to prepare students in a holistic and reasonably time-effective way for major future challenges. However, at present it is not known how effective these exhibitions really are, nor to what extent topic interest…

Purpose: Education can be classified into formal and informal sectors--the first category as a regular schooling system and the latter category as private tutoring. After completing secondary education, students in many countries receive education from private tutoring to get admission into the university. This study examines the effect of private…