St. Louis Center for Learning and Teaching in Informal Settings: Developmental Phase

St Louis Science Center, Saint Louis MO

Investigators

Abstract

This development grant is a collaborative effort of three informal science education institutions (St. Louis Science Center, The Missouri Botanical Gardenand the Saint Louis Zoo), Washington University in St. Louis and St. Louis Public Schools. The project will build on and learn from elements of informal settings and free-choice learning to enhance learning and teaching in formal settings. Specific goals for the developmental period are to (1) strengthen the collaboration among the institutions; (2) test and refine ideas related to the focus on informal science institutions as a primary vehicle for SMT education in an urban setting; (3) identify strengths and barriers to existing and proposed professional development models; and (4) evaluate the models. To accomplish the goals, the collaborating institutions will conduct a series of focus groups, identify and bring together other potential partners, commission a case study by the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University for a supply warehouse to circulate hands-on science supplies for classroom use, and develop a model for reciprocal internships between schools and the informal sites. They will continue to refine their research goals of identifying the most appropriate combination of informal science institution and formal institutional attributes which will result in the most effective science and mathematics learning for students and professional development for teachers. The developmental project will also allow for the further development of graduate level courses focused on the effective use of informal science institution resources in formal settings.