This paper investigates rationality and its relationship to trust in science in the context of three proposed spaces of science education: the formal, informal and casual. It begins with the place of science as a trusted institution and its role in formal and informal education across the world. Through educational systems, we have come to trust…

Physicists, physics students, and community members engage with each other through a variety of informal physics programs. These programs differ in format, such as after school programs, public lectures, planetariums, summer camps, and other non-formal classroom environments. These programs also differ in the physics topics they cover, activities,…

the learning environment has become a focus of research and evolved the sectors of academics inquiry within elementary, secondary and postsecondary research (Barry J. Zimmerman, 2013). The relationship between the environment and learning reflects the combination of system of education, environmental psychology, campus ecology cycle, and…

Background and context: Researchers have been investigating ways to demystify machine learning for students from kindergarten to twelfth grade (K-12) levels. As little evidence can be found in the literature, there is a need for additional research to understand and facilitate the learning experience of children while also considering the African…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how digital technologies at work serve as environments for informal workplace learning in knowledge work. Design/methodology/approach: Digital ethnography was used to investigate the digital environments of one public sector workplace. The data included observations, interviews and participant…

In recent years, out-of-school learning has become more and more important, thus creating new learning environments for students. Out-of-school learning enables students to discover new information both by having fun and by experiencing. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the perceptions of secondary school students about…

This study explored STEM program quality prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, including differences based on learning setting. Program quality data was drawn from a national database consisting of 1259 program quality observations conducted between 2013 and 2021. Using the Dimensions of Success (DoS), an observation tool focused on informal…

There is a growing emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education focused learning spaces vis-à-vis science education in the US public schools. These STEM learning spaces mostly take place in informal learning spaces such as STEM makerspace, coding academies, and STEM camps. With this emphasis, teachers teaching…

Introduction: This dissertation focuses on how informal educators learn through conversations during meetings, planning sessions, and other discussions with colleagues. These on-the-job learning experiences remain relatively understudied, and this dissertation aims to illuminate the dynamics of informal educator relationship-building within…

Adult science entertainment events (ASEEs) constitute a new mode of engagement with science defined by their focus on adult audiences and the use of social venues to create low-stakes environments for learning. ASEEs vary widely in format, ranging from science-at-the-bar events, where patrons can enjoy a drink while listening to presentations, to…

In this paper we consider the issue of formality in learning. Both formal and informal learning appear to be well-defined in educational discourse, in contrast with non-formal learning which is less clearly articulated. This lack of clarity around non-formal learning has consequences for its recognition by teachers and learners. To contribute to…

Purpose: Systematic efforts to study students' use of informal learning spaces are crucial for determining how, when and why students use such spaces. This case study provides an example of an effort to evaluate an informal learning space on the basis of students' usage of the space and the features within the space. Design/methodology/approach:…

This qualitative case study explores how the LGBTQ+ community is included in informal STEM learning environments (ISLEs) such as museums and science centers. One science center was chosen as a case study to identify how ISLEs may broaden participation to the LGBTQ+ community, how institutional stance impacts LGBTQ+ community members, and how the…

Given the worldwide shortfall of engineers that threatens innovation and global stewardship, educators and industry must find ways to engage and prepare the next generation of engineers. To attract and train candidates to fill global needs, researchers need to expand engineering career pathway perceptions for students of all ages. Engineering…

The purposes of this study included conducting a meta-analysis and reviewing the study reporting quality of math interventions implemented in informal learning environments (e.g., the home) by children's caregivers. This meta-analysis included 25 preschool to third-grade math interventions with 83 effect sizes that yielded a statistically…