One potential asset to science learning that is often overlooked is the presence of learning institutions, other than schools, located in metropolitan areas. These "informal" learning institutions include universities, libraries, museums, science centers, and similar places. These organizations have the potential to provide resources, in the form…

Based on work in media studies, new literacy studies, applied linguistics, the arts and empirical research on the experiences of urban youths' informal media arts practices, we articulate a new vision for media education in the digital age that encompasses new genres, convergence, media mixes and participation. We first outline the history of how…

Education is about learning. But it is not always about teaching. Nor is it always held in formal educational settings. Here we present an example from Mua Island in Torres Strait, where cultural knowledge was recently communicated and passed down to the younger generation through community participation rather than through formal educational…

Profiles nine women's clubs in Buffalo, 1876-1914. Argues that through such clubs, women pressed for personal and educational growth for themselves and then insisted on using their new knowledge and confidence to influence the city to offer more humane and generous services for all its citizens. (CMG)

In Olympia (Washington), the Procession of the Species has been an annual parade and wildlife festival since 1994. By engaging the community in creative workshops and joyful participation, the festival seeks to promote appreciation of and responsibility toward nature more effectively than does traditional environmental education. (SV)

Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) are intended to enable cultural heritage organisations to be aware of the effectiveness of the environment for learning that they provide and to provide quantitative evidence of the impact of museums libraries and archives on learning, nationally. This paper presents a logical critique of their strengths and…

Observation of a kinship and social network among Mexican Americans in a Chicago neighborhood, part of an ethnographic study, revealed a pattern of self-education in literacy among the men in the group who came from one rancho, while the literate men from another rancho were primarily school-educated. Economic forces caused one group to attend…

This article examines the evolving nature of Human Resource Development (HRD) as reflected in changes in one of the component parts often associated with HRD--career development (CD). Recent developments within career development such as a focus on employability, the boundaryless career, and free agent workers are discussed. New directions for…

A Birmingham (England) Museum and Art Gallery program helped visitors view hidden objects in artworks and understand how museum representations depict and interpret culture. More informal learning opportunities were developed as a result of the program. (SK)

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Teatro Runa traveled through Bolivia's rural villages and urban neighborhoods, implementing its "theater and education" project. The project aimed to train teachers to use theater, puppets, and music in the classroom; promote techniques that allow for different ways of learning; and restore…

Artists have a long portfolio tradition. Some start to put together their portfolios before they have had any formal training or even before they have any notion of becoming an artist. They simply begin to collect and organize their work, sharing it from time to time with family and friends, perhaps as an occasional exhibition. Later, in the…

Informal education can augment science classroom instruction and draw students to careers in science. The science and engineering expo, created by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), is a high-impact, inquiry-based, informal-education experience that can be replicated. It engages a broad range of students in…

What is science for a child? How do children learn about science and how to do science? Drawing on a vast array of work from neuroscience to classroom observation, "Taking Science to School" provides a comprehensive picture of what we know about teaching and learning science from kindergarten through eighth grade. By looking at a broad range of…

This document presents an overview of marine education in the United States for 1997. Marine education is defined as education regarding the ocean, coastal waters, and Great Lakes. This report describes the history of marine education, informal education, and discusses its place in elementary, secondary, and higher education. (Contains 16…

Some parks and some artists working outdoors are interacting with the environment and interpreting ecology through artworks in ways related to methodology of interpreters. Several sculpture parks are described. Sculptures include those that interpret local history and ecology, teach about tree function or historic use of stone, or supply habitats…