This study examined characteristic attributes of non-formal education and the non-formal pedagogy directing its teaching and learning processes. Data were collected on organizational and pedagogical characteristics in several out-of-school organizations (youth movements, youth organizations, community centers, bypass educational systems, local…

This document describes the Exploratorium Framework project which is a model initiative demonstrating the vital role science museums play in science education reform. Contents include: (1) "The Four Thematic Exhibit Experiments (An Overview)"; (2) "Themes (Looking at the World through Theme-Colored Glasses)"; (3) "Creating…

Describes a seminar in adult education held by Dr. Alan Knox, Professor of Adult Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, at the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, Long Island. The objective was to increase the participants' competence in the development of informal educational programs for adults. (Author/DR)

Golden Age 4-H Clubs provide opportunities for older persons to remain curious and creative. They can become vehicles for communication between the generations both in the family and in the community. Their development requires careful planning, incremental development, and clear participant motivation. (Author/SK)

Research on conceptual change emphasizes the importance of factors in the cognitive domain. This research argues that models of conceptual change learning should also encompass issues of affect, conation, and self-esteem. The use of these expressions is explained via four case studies on members of a rural village concerning informal learning…

Children's activities related to science, nature, and technology were studied via structured interviews of parents and students in pre-school through upper-elementary grades. Interviews can be used to construct profiles of students to be used as a platform upon which to build instruction. Describes how interviews were developed, what type of…

Outlines changes that have taken place in research methods that addressed the informal learning of science, particularly in the museum sector. Addresses perspective shifts, examines current issues, and suggests future directions for research. (Contains 63 references.) (SOE)

Connection to place drives people to protect the environment. One population that has demonstrated enormous dedication and reverence for the land--outdoor educators--may ironically have little sense of place because of the transient nature of their work. Individuals can build their sense of community and place by getting to know their local…

The stories of two British students in transition to postcompulsory education show how one reflected upon and was transformed by actions in the new environment. Learning and work experiences were a form of cultural apprenticeship, a social learning process that transcended relationships in formal educational institutions. (Contains 40 references.)…

Investigates the development of park visitors' knowledge, values, and beliefs during their visit to the Midway Geyser Basin. Draws on prior work in the areas of museum and informal education, and public understanding of science and cognitive psychology. Interprets the results in terms of park visitors' knowledge systems, how the experience…

This history of Jamaican vocational education reviews informal education (1494-1834), legislation and social policy (1673-1835), and conflicts about education's role (1835-55). It concludes that vocational education suffered from lack of coherent policy and funding and was politically subverted to maintain the status quo. (SK)

Evaluates a teaching initiative that aimed to teach about the Holocaust through a traveling exhibit on Anne Frank. Data from 10 case study schools show the success of the approach and some ways in which the teaching relevance might have been strengthened. (SLD)

Lifelong learning has evolved from the UNESCO concept in the 1960s-70s of democratization through education to the 1990s' economic competitiveness arguments. Current economic and social conditions demand a broader conception that encompasses changes in work, technology, and demography and environmental sustainability. Focus should shift to…

Too many contemporary standards-based tests mischievously represent evidence of "preparation" for subsequent school levels and courses. School leaders must not acquiesce to facile answers, bureaucratic mandates, and slogans asserted to be both "preparatory" and essential. Living richly and learning informally are appropriate…

The renowned teacher, writer, and psychiatrist discusses the influences on his life; the importance of helping students develop morally and emotionally as well as cognitively; the importance of connecting ideas to our own lives or the lives of others; and how children, through their stories related, remembered, and conveyed, teach us as we teach…