This paper reports on the results of a research-practice partnership that included a U.S. university research team and a state-funded grants program that supports informal science education. The goal of the 2-year partnership was to develop an empirically-tested model for collaboration and capacity-building (CCB) in support of collective…

An understanding of science concepts is important for living in modern society. Supporting adults' science learning can be particularly challenging because most adults no longer attend formal educational institutions where access and opportunities are facilitated by teachers and school-sponsored programs. Biological field stations (BFSs) are a…

There has been a growing need felt by practitioners, researchers, and evaluators to obtain a common measure of science engagement that can be used in different out-of-school time (OST) science learning settings. We report on the development and validation of a novel 10-item self-report instrument designed to measure, communicate, and ultimately…

The number of science and discovery centres has grown exponentially over the last two centuries. Science and discovery centres are one of the top five stimuli that influence a career choice in science. Their history, growth, impact and role in the public understanding of science are discussed. (Contains 2 tables, 7 figures, and 21 online…

The following dissertation presents findings from a year-long evaluation of informal scientific education programs at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. Science identity, rather than scientific knowledge, was the analytic lens through which the programs' effectiveness was assessed. A goal of the Museum generally, and the…

A range of sources support science learning, including the formal education system, libraries, museums, nature and Science Centers, aquariums and zoos, botanical gardens and arboretums, television programs, film and video, newspapers, radio, books and magazines, the Internet, community and health organizations, environmental organizations, and…

Science centres and other informal learning environments are increasingly becoming venues in which socioscientific issues are presented, sometimes with the aim of influencing attitudes and behaviour. This study investigated the effects of an HIV AIDS science theatre presentation on the behavioural intentions of 697 South African students, a…

The purpose of this study was to examine the exhibition developer role in the context of United States (U.S.) science centers, and more specifically, to investigate the way science center exhibition developers build their professional expertise. This research investigated how successfully practicing exhibition developers described their current…

This study describes how a group of grade 7 and 8 students in South Africa engaged with the notion of spatial scale in the Universe before, during and after a visit to an astronomy science centre. A limited amount of research has been conducted on this concept worldwide. Using a combination of concept maps, observations and interviews, results…

This report aimed to measure the impact of a unique professional development program entitled Project ASTER III (Active Science Teaching Encourages Reform) on teachers' self-efficacy and perceptions about inquiry-based science teaching. Project ASTER III enabled teachers to explore inquiry-based science teaching through exhibit-based…

In 2002, HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) carried out a review of the contribution of the Scottish science centres to formal and informal science education as part of a broader review of all science centres in the United Kingdom. This report identifies many strengths in individual centres and across the network. It is clear that the centres…

This report documents the evaluation of the Bilingual Mathematics and Science Achievement Program (Project BMSA) for students of limited English proficiency. The bilingual program was designed to provide intensive mathematics and science instruction, using mastery level concepts, in the native language and to incorporate mathematics and science…