This mixed-methods study examined the technology integration learning activities of four teachers throughout one year using weekly quantitative surveys and a series of three qualitative individual interviews. Through the teachers' own voices an illustration of their learning processes is presented, and the gap between what is supported by their…

In this study, while the definition of informal education, which displays the main features of lifelong learning, is made, it is also attempted to identify the contributions of the local newspapers, through which the society can reach its own unique and necessary information, to the lifelong learning of their readers. In the research, within this…

This article identifies the main social contributions of Open Educational Resources (OERs), their impact and the results of several initiatives related to them. Based on a theoretical and reflexive framework, we analyze the evolution of business models around OERs, their contribution to open knowledge and the common educational policies related to…

Advocates for the use of story in science education assert that it can bolster understanding of science concepts in classroom settings and enhance interest and engagement. However, only a handful of classroom studies confirm these claims, and many of them use story as an introduction, not the primary method of content delivery. Reasons for this…

Informal learning in blended and online settings plays an increasingly important role in the continuous professional development of individuals. Yet, how do individuals engage into these types of activities? We argue that social capital theory can provide valuable insights into how people behave and decide to take part in (in)formal learning.…

This article seeks to develop a critical perspective on silence, dialogue, and oppression in out-of-school education, in dialogue with Freire. It also shows how my classroom experiences or fieldwork incidents mediated this dialogue. Freire's concept of problem-posing education has been chosen as the central theoretical framework; that further…

Theoretical and practical implications of incorporating Quick Response (QR) codes in a traveling international art exhibition are addressed in this paper. Blending the physical and virtual dimensions, the exhibition undergirded a pilot study of the integration of technology into traditional museum settings in both China and the United States. The…

Teachers' innovative work behavior and professional development is receiving more attention lately. More precisely, it is argued that teachers' formal and informal learning is crucial to anticipate and deal with continuous changes and innovations in technology and didactics, for example. Therefore, this study researches the teachers' innovative…

This study was conducted for the purpose of determining the impacts of out-of-school learning environments on 6th-grade students' attitudes towards science course. In the study, the quasi-experimental model and pretest-posttest control grouped experimental design was employed. The experimental process step of the study was carried out on 6th-grade…

Data-rich activities provide an opportunity to develop core competencies in both science and mathematics identified in curricular standards. Perhaps even more importantly work with data puts learners in the position to use data to ask and answer questions, a potentially empowering capability. Research on work with data has focused on cognitive…

Middle school (G5-8) students' cognitive engagement, motivation, and future aspirations in science were quantified within informal contexts (week-long summer camps) with self-reported measures of cognitive strategies, self-regulation, value, self-efficacy, and future aspirations over the course of two phases (N = 152, N =140). The participating…

In this chapter, the authors discuss the potential, value, and barriers to supporting PCK in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines through collaborations across learning settings, with special attention to the role of informal science learning institutions in preservice teacher preparation. Particular focus is provided…

This study examined (a) the availability of basic science materials in children's home environment, (b) the frequency of parents' involvement in informal science activities with their children, (c) the level of opportunities parents offered their children for learning basic science subjects, and (d) the effect of grade level on parental support…

How can we transform places where people gather or wait into hubs for interaction and playful learning? Bus stops offer one setting in which to test this idea. Urban Thinkscape reimagines an everyday bus stop in an under-resourced area as an interaction zone instead of merely a place to wait for a ride. Results suggest that embedding playful…

In the past decades, society in general has become strongly diverse. This change also affects schools. As a result, learning groups cannot be seen as homogeneous and taught in this way. One of the challenges is students' linguistic skills. Dealing with different linguistic competencies should not only be a focus of formal education in schools but…