This study aims to ascertain academicians' opinions about out-of-school learning, awareness of it, and competency to plan learning activities in such situations for the purpose of teaching in out-of-school learning environments (OSLEs). The research group of this study, which was conducted as a case study, consists of 56 academics in the physics,…

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the applications conducted in the science center within the scope of the science lesson "Solar System and Beyond" unit of the 7th-grade students in the secondary school, on the perceptions of the students about the out-of-school learning environments (OSLEs). In the quantitative part of the…

The purpose of this research is to investigate students' learning experiences in a systematic game development process. The study was conducted at a science and arts center, where gifted students can enroll in after-school activities. Fifteen students and one instructor participated in a 12-week problem-solving implementation. During the last five…

Our museum-based participatory research (PR) project was a collaboration between researchers and educators in an out-of-school time STEM education program for young people that positions STEM as a tool for community social justice. This project drew on literatures on reflective practice in museums and on research-practice partnerships. Yet…

The purpose of this study was to examine the education of gifted children in Turkey during 1923-2020 from an historical perspective and to evaluate the current practices in gifted education. Drawing from the literature review, we first report on the policies and the legal and corporate advancements implemented in the field of gifted education…

Student-scientist-teacher interactions provide students with several advantages. They provide opportunities to interact with experts and professionals in the field, give students a chance at meeting a role model that may impact students' career choices, and increase awareness of available career options combined with an understanding of how their…

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…

Informal learning is often treated as simply an alternative to formal, didactic instruction. This chapter discusses how the organization of informal learning differs across distinct settings but with important commonalities distinguishing informal learning from formal learning: Informal learning is nondidactic, is embedded in meaningful activity,…

This study was aimed to determine pre-service teachers' views about science centers and museums, as out-of-the-school learning environments, through case study. For that purpose, the pre-service teachers were provided to participate in out-of-the-school learning environments which were designed in a structured way, and their attitudes and views…

The Afterschool Alliance is proud to present the first in a series of two issue briefs on afterschool STEM programs, generously supported by the Noyce Foundation. The issue brief topics represent emerging discussions within the afterschool field and are drawn from the two award categories of the 2013 Afterschool STEM Impact Awards: (1)…

Many governors have launched initiatives to raise student proficiency in math and science and encourage youth to pursue careers in STEM fields (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and math). Individuals with strong STEM skills play vital roles in technological innovation and economic growth and are rewarded with more secure jobs and higher…

"Learning in Places" is a concerted effort undertaken by an outstanding group of international researchers to create a resource book that can introduce academic, professional and lay readers to the field of informal learning/education and its potential to transform present educational thinking. The book presents a wealth of ideas from a wide…

Science programs which take place outside the traditional classroom and beyond the usual school hours are listed. The programs (designed for all ages and educational levels and scheduled after school, on Saturdays, evenings, and during summer months) are offered in multidisciplinary science centers located in larger cities, small town museums,…