Most research on virtual reality (VR) for learning has focused on young populations in formal learning contexts. Little research has been conducted on how adults engage in informal learning using VR. This study examined adults' informal learning experiences in high-immersion VR, focusing on the aspects of VR they enjoyed and the challenges they…

This report explores policies and practices on validation of non-formal and informal learning in the ETF's partner countries and presents the results of studies carried out in 16 countries in the period 2021-23. Countries increasingly invest in validation schemes (also known as recognition of prior learning) in an effort to give visibility to all…

The aquatic husbandry field, historically dominated by White males, is a unique amalgamation of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) disciplines. This article presents insights from one of the few aquatic husbandry Managers of Color, who also co-founded Minorities in Aquarium and Zoo Science (MIAZS) to address racial disparities…

The rapid advancement of technology in recent years has brought about profound changes in every aspect of our lives. Such technological advancement has impacted children in a digital age where technology permeates every facet of their existence, from education to entertainment and communication to socialization. The younger generations today…

This study investigated parents' and siblings' knowledge use during naturalistic teaching episodes in the home. Thirty-seven middle-class families were observed for six 90-minute sessions (siblings aged 4 and 6 years). Parent and sibling teaching sequences were coded for knowledge type (conceptual, procedural), conceptual subcategories (social…

Through a landscape analysis and content analysis, this study investigated informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education funding and evaluation policies. The primary objectives of this study were to identify informal STEM education funding organizations, and to examine funding priorities and evaluation policies…

The purpose for this study was to investigate and compare the numerical skills of fifth grade students signed up for non-formal two types educational institutions of Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) and feeder schools of the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD). The fundamental objective of this study was to research and…

This case study explores effective practices within a district's early care and education model. Interviews were conducted with eight parents of high-performing students and seven district ECE partners from Promise City. The results of this case study lead to the development of a model that comprises best practices within the (a) informal ECE…

This article explores the ways in which popular musicians in Malaysia learn the craft of Western popular music-making in comparison to those in the United Kingdom. Literature that studied popular musicians and their practices had largely focused on communities within Anglosphere regions, and there are insufficient understandings of the journeys of…

The theoretical framework of communities of practice (CoP) is often used for framing research into online communities. However, there is an absence of measures and empirical work that evaluates knowledge-sharing within such communities. This represents a substantial gap in our understanding of informal learning for diverse people and in the case…

The COVID-19 pandemic had far-reaching effects on school-going children. With the indefinite closure of schools in many parts of the world, many children found themselves with limited avenues for play and interaction. The current qualitative study, anchored on social capital theory, aimed at investigating the informal learning that took place as…

This article considers the way that intergenerational familial settings have functioned as counterspaces where deficit narratives are challenged and youth identities are affirmed. These counterspaces support minoritized young people in particular as they learn in socio-spatial and cultural historical contexts, especially during the pandemic. We…

In times of disasters and adversity, children are among the most vulnerable. The "United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child" (1989) highlights the importance of protecting children from harm and making decisions in their best interests--matters that become heightened in an adverse context. From 2020 to 2023, the government of…

This meta-analysis explores the impact of informal science education experiences (such as after-school programs, enrichment activities, etc.) on students' attitudes towards, and interest in, STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The research addresses two primary questions: (1) What is the overall effect size of…

Purpose: This paper aims to depart from the premise that human capital investments and human capital outcomes are often tacit -- an aspect, which is often neglected in the current literature on entrepreneurial human capital. The idea of this conceptual paper is to shed light on the social process of how human capital investments and human capital…