This comprehensive study explores the experiences of underrepresented students who have participated in informal science education programs at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Using qualitative methods, including interviews and participant observations, the research uncovers transformative insights shaping the educational landscape.…

Informal learning experiences can provide valuable visitor-to-staff interactions that require skilled staff--often volunteers--to adjust to the needs of each visitor group. These experiences are often less regimented to provide increased flexibility for both the museum and the volunteer, allowing for more diversity of volunteer support. This…

Museums frequently default to simple attendance measures to define success, measures that fall well short of the mission impact these institutions seek to have. Mixed methods studies can integrate quantitative and qualitative findings to paint a robust picture of the impact a museum's educational programming is capable of having, although this…

This exploratory research study examined how three South Korean families in the U.S. conceptualize museum-based science learning by exploring varied contexts in which they are embedded. In applying a sociocultural perspective, I investigated the families' backgrounds, views of school and museum learning, in conjunction with their virtual museum…

The nation is embroiled within intense debate regarding the existence of monuments, markers, and online museums as vestiges of racism and White privilege. Many argue those symbols should be removed from the public square. The essential question of this research is what are social studies methods teachers' perspectives about using monuments,…

This article reports a local study of the presence of history as a subject in the kindergartens of Kristiansand, a municipality in southern Norway. There is no syllabus for history in the national curriculum; nevertheless, the research sought to find historical content in the kindergartens. The research method was informed by a precept of history…

This article highlights the development and outcomes of a visual art educator community of practice (CoP) cultivated in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, known as the MOCA PD Lab. Participating researchers were interested in examining how to bring visual art teachers together outside of schools and districts to pursue…

In 1999, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education identified interpersonal and communication skills as key attributes of effective physicians, and therefore a core competency to cultivate in medical training. "Connections" is a community-engaged course in which undergraduate students train to facilitate therapeutic…

There is a growing need for science educators and communicators who can support public understanding of complex science issues. Furthermore, little is known about how to nurture career aspirations for teaching science. This study examined the influence of youth volunteer experiences on career aspirations through a lens of science identity.…

It was widely expected that the academic year 2020-2021 would be a different experience for all involved in educational processes. Everybody had to readjust and reimagine their practice in order to respond to the new reality of teaching university courses online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article focuses on the challenges and opportunities…

Supportive community contexts are critical to positive youth development. Out-of-school time (OST) programs serve as supportive community contexts, and participation in OST programs is associated with a host of positive outcomes for youth. Cultural centers, such as museums, have been identified as potentially supportive community contexts for…

This research aims to analyse the progression of 13-14 year-old students' ideas regarding the concept of energy transfer by means of heat in three biological mechanisms of thermal regulation. The outputs of 270 students, grouped in 77 cooperative groups, are analysed by comparing their explanations before and after conducting an experimental…

Many girls believe they have little natural ability in computer science and girls' perception of self-efficacy beliefs for programming is generally low. Offering engaging hands-on programming activities could be a beneficial strategy to increase girls' self-efficacy beliefs for programming since it has the potential to offer them exposure to…

This article proposes that participatory museum theatre can provide a platform through which learners studying history can engage a troubled past, specifically looking at South African history, to generate a more complex understanding of it. Through the use of performance, object-work, and creative arts-based responses, such as poetry and drawing,…

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way many schools and museums operate. Using a case study of a collection of digital resources for kids and families, the authors share their recipe for successful collaborations both in and outside of their museum. With a practitioner focus, the authors highlight the importance of not forgetting the…