Informal Educational Settings Research Articles

The Impact of a Summer Camp-Based Science Methods Course on Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Teaching Science as Inquiry

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this research is to examine the effect of a summer camp-based science methods course on elementary pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching science as inquiry. The science camp was offered to K-6 students as part of the 4-week, 3-credit science teaching methods course over the summer. The preservice teachers were asked to teach camp children for two weeks for their practicum requirement. This study utilized a mixed-methods design using both qualitative and quantitative data collected with 55 participants over four years. The TSI (Teaching Science as Inquiry) was administered at the beginning and end of the course to estimate participants’ self-efficacy. We only measured PSTEB (Personal Science Teaching Efficacy Belief) using 34 items out of the TSI to reduce test fatigue. We also conducted semi-structured interviews at the end of the course to investigate sources for their self-efficacy. The paired samples t-test of the pre- and post-course survey indicates that preservice teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching science as inquiry increased significantly as a result of participating in the course (p < .001). Analysis of the interview data revealed eight main sources of self-efficacy and each one’s relative significance compared to other sources. The findings of this study imply that the camp-based course increased pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy by providing not only various mastery experiences, but also unique experiences that afforded reflection and mentoring, and drew camp participants’ positive reactions. This study highlights the potential of informal science education settings as field experience sites especially for elementary science methods courses.

A Study of Rural Librarians’ Self-Efficacy in Facilitating and Developing Adult Science Programs

Rural libraries are central hubs for their communities and for sharing knowledge. For these reasons, they are an essential component of community science literacy. As part of the “Rural Gateways” project, researchers examined the science attitudes and self-efficacy of rural librarians and how these variables relate to librarians’ identity as science program developers. From across the United States, 110 rural librarians filled out a questionnaire measuring their science self-efficacy. Although most librarians reported high levels of science self-efficacy, some statistically significant differences existed between subgroups. On average, librarians with above-average science self-efficacy were significantly more likely to view themselves as developers of adult science programming. In many cases, librarians previously were involved in creating adult science programming within their rural communities. We discuss our findings in relation to current understandings of self-efficacy and library practice, as well as implications for learning in informal science education settings more broadly.

DEMAND OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION BY ALPHA GENERATION ON EDUTAINMENT LEISURE IN THE CITY

There had been increasing number of child-centred destination established in the city with the concept of edutainment as to fulfil the needs of alpha generation. Emphasizing on three combined elements of personalized learning, fun and play, edutainment concept is seen as new approach. This is to enhance lifelong learning for the future generation who heavily depending on the advancement and incorporation of technologies to cultivate their intelligent growth. Consequently, the establishment of demand from the preschool operators can be seen through the growing number of excursion and field trip activities organized for children. However, less was examined as to what extend the concept of city edutainment fit into the needs of the educational purposes programs. Therefore, it is important to understand as to how the existing informal educational settings should transform to meet the needs of the alpha generation either by city population or outbound tourist. Hence, the understandings by the city governance is a must in developing and evaluating policy related to edutainment as to ensure the preferences for education-based infrastructures and learning meet the needs. Thus, this paper will discuss the fundamental ability of the city that makes it qualify as edutainment destination with the specific reference to the demand from preschool education in presenting the alpha generation. This including the characteristics of alpha generation, the needs from the preschool education and the city prospects as edutainment informal learning setting. In this case, edutainment facilities are important elements for both urban planning and education which indirectly contribute to the opportunity to explore real learning experience beyond the classroom and shape a better quality of life for future generation.

Learning with the AppInventor programming software through the use of structured educational scenarios in secondary education in Greece

The continuous technological development nowadays acts ancillary and supportively in student-centered learning, in both formal and informal education settings. Effective learning environments, such as the AppInventor software, could spark the students’ interest and allow them to develop programming skills and strengthen their algorithmic capabilities. In this paper, we present a study on the use of eight educational scenarios for the use of the AppInventor software into a secondary education lesson’s context. These scenarios were initially evaluated by secondary education informatics teachers. After that, they were implemented in two public Lyceums in Greece gathering teachers’ and students’ opinions. The results were very positive for the use of AppInventor during the teaching and learning process through the structured educational scenarios that were provided. According to the students’ and teachers’ opinions the content of these educational scenarios is presented with clarity and helps in learning the lesson’s content without being related with any previous knowledge of programming languages or environments.

Fighting invisibility: indigenous citizens and history education in El Salvador and Guatemala

ABSTRACTEl Salvador and Guatemala underwent civil wars that severely impacted both countries’ most marginalized citizens, including indigenous peoples. Today, teaching and learning the violent past remain challenged in each country, with implications for indigenous and non-indigenous citizens alike. This article examines the impact of democratization in El Salvador and Guatemala in the educational sphere, documenting narrative trends on the topic of the civil wars and indigeneity in formal and informal education settings. We argue that distinct democratization and transitional justice processes have created opportunities and challenges for teaching and learning about indigenous peoples’ roles and experiences in the civil wars in each country. Methodologically, the article draws on analyses of educational policy and formal curriculum in both contexts, supplemented by ethnographic data. We situate the study within democratization, transitional justice, and education literatures to document how teaching and learning the violent past is a highly politicized act with long-term implications for democratic quality in each country.

SUSTAINING INNOVATIVE INFORMAL EDUCATION THROUGH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Various technological innovations in ICT have brought about profound changes in major aspects of education, namely the content delivery or pedagogy, and the structure or management of both formal and informal education. Current technology has also offered the ease of copying or reusing new innovation without the need to acknowledge or compensate the creators. New books, and methods or techniques can easily be copied and digital resources may speedily be scanned and forwarded without much regard to the creators’ effort or investment. These actions would potentially discourage creations of new innovations that would be useful for public lifelong learning. Understanding cultural perspectives in the relationship between the intellectual property system and religious works is significant since it analyzes the intersection of belief and culture with the application of the law. This paper explored the development of creativity and innovation in an informal education setting, specifically looking at Quranic teaching offered by private enterprises in Malaysia as a case study. This paper examined (a) to what extent the Quranic teaching and learning have been innovatively developed and (b) to what extent developers of new innovation in Quranic teaching and learning deem it necessary to protect their creations under intellectual property rights protection. This study utilized qualitative research, by way of document analysis gathered from reports, brochures, journal articles, newspapers, the Internet, websites and mass media focusing on the creativity and innovation in informal religious education. It also conducted semi-structured interviews with several companies that used new innovative methods in teaching the Quran. The findings revealed that although intellectual property protection is seen as a valuable business asset which provides legal recognition and acts as quality control, intellectual property protection plays a minimal role in encouraging innovation or the spread of Quranic teaching.

Exploring One School District’s Tool for Assessing Family-Friendly Schools

As formal, nonformal, and informal educational settings work to improve participant involvement, understanding perceptions of physical and digital spaces can add insights for improving specific aspects of any educational setting. This exploratory study examines the use of the Washoe County School District [WCSD] family-friendly school assessment tools for gauging the extent to which school environments welcome families. The WCSD family-friendly school assessment tools consist of the walk-through rating scale (17 items), the website rating scale (11 items), and the phone survey (10 items). Metrics of inter-rater reliability (IRR) included percent agreements and Cohen’s kappa. Results from the walk-through rating scale and website rating scale reported good agreement. Inter-rater reliability for phone survey items was lower than for walk-through and website categories. Implications for this study focus on applicability of these tools within formal, informal, and nonformal educational settings.

Munir's Socioecoethical Model (MSEEM) of Human Rights Education

MSEEM is an enactment of sense of self, embodiment and commitment of HR Educators towards HR values. According to Munir Moosa Sadruddin (2020), HRE is conscious incessant socio-cognitive learning process that empowers individuals towards the rights of self and others. It is a preparedness toward taking rational decisions, and act through the conscious filter of HR keeping in light the sociocultural context and political will. It develops a sense of openness to embrace multiculturalism, pluralism and diversity (Sadruddin, 2020). Munir’s socioecoethical model of human rights education is an integrative approach to the applicability of HRE for teachers, educators and learners. It applies to formal, informal and non-formal educational settings in developed, developing and third world countries. This model emerged by applying grounded theory from learners and practitioners’ viewpoints, gathered from across 39 countries. It is the result of 10 years of author’s human rights practices, documentation and observation of HR practices across a range of teaching and learning settings particularly in the developing and the third world countries.

Critical Issues in Islamic Education Studies: Rethinking Islamic and Western Liberal Secular Values of Education

This paper examines two sets of interrelated issues informing contemporary discussions on Islam and education that take place within both Muslim majority and minority contexts. The first set of issues concerns the academic conceptualisation of the study of education within diverse historical and contemporary Islamic cultural, intellectual, political, theological and spiritual traditions. After a critical examination of the current literature, the paper suggests that ‘Islamic Education Studies’ offers a distinctive academic framing that incorporates an interdisciplinary empirical and scholarly inquiry strategy capable of generating a body of knowledge and understanding guiding the professional practice and policy development in the field. Lack of conceptual clarity in various current depictions of the field, including ‘Muslim Education’, ‘Islamic Pedagogy’, ‘Islamic Nurture’ and ‘Islamic Religious Pedagogy’, is outlined and the frequent confusion of Islamic Education with Islamic Studies is critiqued. The field of Islamic Education Studies has theological and educational foundations and integrates interdisciplinary methodological designs in Social Sciences and Humanities. The second part of the inquiry draws attention to the lack of new theoretical insights and critical perspectives in Islamic Education. The pedagogic practice in diverse Muslim formal and informal educational settings does not show much variation and mostly is engaged with re-inscribing the existing power relations shaping the society. The juxtaposition of inherited Islamic and borrowed or enforced Western secular educational cultures appears to be largely forming mutually exclusive, antagonistic and often rigid ‘foreclosed’ minds within contemporary Muslim societies. The impact of the educational culture and educational institutions on the formation of resentful Islamic religiosities and the reproduction of authoritarian leadership within the wider mainstream Muslim communities have not been adequately explored. The study stresses the need to have a paradigm shift in addressing this widely acknowledged educational crisis. The formation of a transformative educational culture remains the key to being able to facilitate reflective and critical Muslim religiosities, and positive socio-economic and political change in Muslim majority and minority societies. This inquiry explores a significant aspect of this crisis by re-examining the degree to which Islamic and Western, liberal, secular conceptions and values of education remain irreconcilably divergent or open to a convergent dialogue of exchange, reciprocity and complementarity. The originality of the paper lies in offering a critical rethinking of Islamic Education through mapping the main relevant literature and identifying and engaging with the central theoretical issues while suggesting a new academic framing of the field and its interdisciplinary research agenda.

Theorizing Feminist Tinkering with Science Methodologies

In this paper, I combine feminist, decolonial scholar Maria Lugones’ theory on playfulness and world-traveling with feminist science studies scholar Deboleena Roy’s work along with some other core feminist science studies concepts to define feminist tinkering as an explicitly politically motivated “playing” with the epistemic power of science. I lay out three concepts integral to feminist tinkering—playfulness, hands-on engagement, and iterative experimentation. I contrast these definitions with those driving a mainstream embrace of tinkering, to caution against assuming that tinkering itself automatically creates a better, more just science practice. By tinkering with ideas from feminist science studies, decolonial studies, and popular activism together, I suggest tinkering as a feminist methodology towards rethinking concepts of the knower, objects of study, and their relationship. This approach to tinkering can be employed in formal and informal STEM education settings as a way of doing research differently.

Teaching Engineering Design Through Wearable Device Design Competition (Evaluation)

The Wearable Device Challenge was developed at the Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST). The Challenge is rooted in the research and innovation ecosystem of the Center and its vision: to have a transformational impact on the way doctors and patients manage wellness through wearable, self-powered health and environmental monitoring systems. At its core, the program teaches middle and high school teachers and students how to apply the engineering design process to solve real-world problems through a project-based approach. The program impacts several hundred students in North Carolina annually through real-world, relevant, hands-on engineering design challenges. Teachers are empowered to introduce engineering design into a variety of both formal and informal educational settings, and students are given the opportunity to explore exciting, cutting-edge applications of science and technology that will inspire them to continue in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

650 Let's talk about sex(uality) in the medical curricula

It has been difficult to introduce Sexology in Portuguese medical faculties' official curricula. The use of a parallel curriculum in Congresses organized by the students can promote teaching/learning sessions on these issues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a workshop more focused on the sexuality topics not often conveyed in Medical faculties: gender identity and diversity of sexual development (often known as intersexuality). Approximately 60 Medical students attending 4 optional workshops on Sexuality. Four 2 to 3 hours workshops were organized in different International Medical Students Congresses in Portugal during 2017 with a student-centered approach to learning, and in an informal education setting, centered in a role-playing medical consult to discuss and explore biopsychosocial sexuality myths. Questionnaires were filled out anonymously and privately by the students immediately after the workshop. Students’ on the spot evaluation acknowledged the workshop as being very important for their future practice, expressing the lack of discussion of these subjects in their medical faculties, emphasizing the need for further discussion of other sex-related topics (possibly in multiple sessions included officially in the medical curriculum). The medical curriculum in Portugal lacks a transversal and systematic approach to human sexuality issues and the population of medical students evaluated understand the usefulness of these problem-based workshops in the medical curricula.

An Empirical Study of Visitors’ Experience at Kuching Orchid Garden with Mobile Guide Application

This empirical study was conducted to measure visitors’ experiences with a mobile guide application at Kuching Orchid Garden (KOG). A between-group experimental design with 114 participants was conducted to test three groups;(1)a group using the mobile guide application as an information aid,(2)a control group (with no information aid), and(3)a group using pamphlets to explore the KOG. The Museum Experience Scale (MES) was used to evaluate visitors’ experience for all participants, whilst the Multimedia Guide Scale (MMGS) was used to evaluate the visitors’ experience with the mobile guide group. The most notable result from the Museum Experience Scale (MES) showed an impact on the visitors in terms of knowledge and learning when using the mobile guide application. However, the study found that enhancing visitors experience goes beyond simply providing interactive technologies in public settings to aid with information delivery. A limitation was providing relevant information in a timely and seamless manner due to inaccuracies of mapping between physical and digital environments. Future works should consider beacons and other Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology to address the issues with location based devices. It is also important to highlight that the use of one’s own device had a significant impact on learnability and control of the device, thus suggesting that the BYOD concept should be widely used in informal educational settings implementing mobile guide applications. The use of MES and MMGS informs future researches with an understanding of the different dimensions of visitors’ experiences with mobile guide technology in public spaces to inform mobile application development that may further boost visitors’ engagement, emotional connection, and meaningful experience.

Applications of Augmented Reality in Informal Science Learning Sites: a Review

The importance of increasing interest in the STEM disciplines has been noted in a number of recent national reports. While many previous studies have focused on such efforts inside of the formal classroom, comparatively few have looked closely at informal learning environments. We investigate the innovative use of technology in informal learning by reviewing research on the incorporation of augmented reality (AR) at exhibit-based informal science education (ISE) settings in the literature. We report on the common STEM-focused topics that are covered by current AR applications for ISE learning, as well as the different devices used to support these applications. Additionally, we report on the prevalence of positive learning outcomes and engagement factors commonly associated with the use AR applications in informal environments. This review aims to foster continued development and implementation of AR technology in exhibit-based ISE settings by informing the community of recent findings and promoting additional rigorous research for the future.

Dynamic, Playful and Productive Literacies

This paper reflects on recent projects in a variety of media forms, in both formal and informal educational settings, discussing ways of expanding our notions of literacy practices which reflect their place in the wider lived experience of digital culture. We have collected these reflections under three headings. The first of these, Dynamic Literacies, presents an overarching view of literacy as both ideological, following the ‘new literacy studies’, and dynamic, incorporating both semiotic and sociocultural versions of literacy in ways which reflect the changing nature of lived experience in the digital age. The second strand, Productive Literacies, constructs an argument around digital making practices with younger learners which views these as media crafting, critique and artistry. The third strand, Playful Literacies, explores recent projects which are located in games and game-authoring practices as a specific example of connecting pedagogy to contemporary media forms and learner agency in formal and informal settings. Taken together, the three perspectives allow for common ground to be established between multimodal production practices, whilst providing suggestions for framing literacy pedagogy in response to the pervasive use of media and technology in contemporary digital culture.

A pilot study on the effectiveness and acceptance of an educational game for teaching programming concepts to primary school students

Educational games are increasingly used in informal and formal educational settings for promoting active learning and gaining students’ interest in cognitively demanding subjects, such as programming. However, empirical studies that investigate the true impact of educational games on teaching and learning programming, especially to small aged students, are limited. This article presents the results of a pilot study that utilized the educational game Run Marco for teaching basic programming concepts to primary school students. Students’ performance was studied through specially designed worksheets, while their acceptance of the intervention was evaluated through a questionnaire that was based on the principles of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The results of the pilot study showed that the educational game supported students in comprehending basic programming concepts, while the results regarding the acceptance of its usage in the learning process were quite positive. However, the game did not succeed in raising students’ interest as expected and further research is necessary in order to study the reasons for this fact and make informed choices on designing and utilizing such games.

Facilitating design thinking: A comparison of design expertise

Design thinking – as a problem-solving approach – has been taught in informal and formal education settings across various disciplines globally (within both academia and industry), yet little research has focused on what level of design expertise facilitators require to educate non-design students. This paper analyses two informal immersive learning experience case studies from Australia and the Netherlands to explore the role of the facilitator in the teaching of design thinking to non-designers. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the level of design expertise of the facilitator, as well as the complexity of the problem being addressed and how these impact the value of the learning experience of design thinking for a non-design audience. Fifteen (15) student group projects were observed across the two international case studies i) Brisbane, Australia (Morehen, Wright, & Wrigley, 2013) and ii) Utrecht, The Netherlands (Dijksterhuis, 2016) with some variances of learning experiences as well as some notable similarities. The results show in addition to design expertise levels, problem complexity impacts the facilitation of informal design thinking workshops.

Entrepreneurial efficacy and orientation in Greece: exploring the gender gap

The aim of this article is to observe the expected 'gender gap' in entrepreneurship in Greece. Drawing upon entrepreneurial literature which has revealed certain differences between male and female entrepreneurs, or prospective entrepreneurs and the wide fostering of the entrepreneurial mindset through formal or informal educational settings during the last years, the survey seeks to examine persistent gender differences. The survey analysed responses to a questionnaire from local graduates and practitioners of a Greek region. The prevalence of male entrepreneurs, or nascent entrepreneurs, was verified along with the elimination of gender differences regarding self-confidence in entrepreneurial tasks as a result of educational interventions. Nonetheless, the expected higher need for independence than financial rewards for females was not verified, indicating a homogeneous entrepreneurial orientation between the genders. The study revealed gender differences in normative beliefs, competitiveness and entrepreneurial identity that could be attributed to the Greek culture. The latter characteristics are the most resistant to change through educational interventions compared with entrepreneurial self-efficacy and knowledge. The implications of the findings concern policies and educational interventions towards empowering female entrepreneurship.

Integrated STEM: Focus on Informal Education and Community Collaboration through Engineering

This article showcases STEM as an interdisciplinary field in which the disciplines strengthen and support each other (not as separate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines). The authors focus on an open-ended, complex problem—water quality—as the primary teaching and learning task. The participants, middle school female students (aged 9–15 years), interacted in an informal educational setting (i.e., Girl Scouts) on a research project investigating river quality following the river’s restoration. The community, including Girl Scout participants, leaders, parents, university faculty, graduate students, and others, utilized an action research (AR) approach when interacting with the participants. Methods such as observational field notes, focus groups, and collected artifacts were commonly employed. The authors describe the history of STEM and AR leading to authentic science research projects through eight engineering skills/practices (incorporating science, technology, and mathematics) and showcase participant interactions, implementation, and community engagement in the STEM water quality river project. Findings indicate that informal engineering based projects can serve as opportunities for participants to connect with integrated STEM. Implications include the need for engaging participants in informal authentic science to support traditional school STEM learning and encouraging community engagement in integrated STEM to support traditional K-12 classroom instruction.

Teachers of secondary school as Democracy Coaches: Study of their conceptions during their initial formation

This study has been developed within the framework of a European Erasmus + project called ELEF†. The aim of this project is to develop, implement, evaluate and replicate innovative democratic learning environments. With this purpose, the Democracy Coaches are trained as agents of citizen participation and generators of democracy, both in educational centres and in informal educational settings. In this context, and during various training sessions, the Democracy Coaches work with the knowledge and skills they need to acquire. This paper focuses on the study and analysis carried out on the concepts expressed by these teachers of secondary education during their training. In order for them to become democracy coaches in the formal educational field, we address concepts such as democracy, citizenship and the most appropriate teaching-learning methodology for illustrating these concepts and competences, bearing in mind that they should educate citizens with full awareness of their rights and duties.