Resources

We hope you find the following resources useful. To write a tool review, go to the specific tool.
  1. Allen, S. (2004). Designs for learning: Studying science museum exhibits that do more than entertain. Science Education, 88, S17-S33.
  2. Bang, M., Townsend, J., Unsworth, S., & Medin, D. (2005). Cultural models of nature and their relevance to science education. Northwestern University.
  3. Bekerman, Z., Burbules, N.C., & Keller, D.S. (2006). Learning in places – the informal education reader. New York: Peter Lang.
  4. Bevan, B., Michalchik, V., Bhanot, R., Rauch, N., Remold, J., Semper, R., and Shields, P. (2010). Out-of-School Time STEM: Building Experience, Building Bridges. San Franscisco: Learning and Youth Research and Evaluation Center and Exploratorium.
  5. Blalock, C. L., Lichtenstein, M. J., Owen, S. V., Pruski, L. A., Marshall, C. E., & Toepperwein, M. A. (2008). In pursuit of validity: A comprehensive review of science attitude instruments 1935 – 2005. International Journal of Science Education, 30, 961 – 977.
  6. Bodilly, S.J., & Beckett, M.K. (2005). Making out-of-school time matter: evidence for an action agenda. Washington, D.C.: RAND Corporation.
  7. Brayboy, B.M.J., & Castagno, A.E. (2008). How might native science inform “informal science learning?” Cultural Studies of Science Education, 3, 731-750.
  8. Brody, M., Bangert, A., & Dillon, J. (2007). Assessing the outcomes of informal science learning. Commissioned paper by the National Research Council for Science Learning in Informal Environments Committee, Washington D.C., The National Academies Board on Science Education, Learning Science in Informal Environments, The National Academy of Sciences.
  9. Bransford, J., Barron, B., Pea, R., Meltzoff, A., Kuhl, P., Bell, P., et al. (2006). Foundations and opportunities for an interdisciplinary science of learning. In R.K. Sawyer (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  10. Chen, M. (1994). Television and informal science education: Assessing the past, present and future of research. In V. Crane, H. Nicholson, M. Chen & S. Bitgood (Eds.), Informal science learning: What research says about television, science museums and community-based projects (pp. 15-59). Dedham, MA: Research Communications Limited.
  11. Chen, M. (2010). Education nation: Six leading edges of innovation in our schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  12. Cook, J., & Smith, M. (2004). Beyond formal learning: informal community eLearning. Computers & Education, 43, 35-47.
  13. Corporation., C. (1998). A report on the evaluation of the National Science Foundation’s informal science education program.
  14. Costa, V.B. (1995). When science is “another world”: Relationships between worlds of family, friends, school, and science. Science Education, 79, 313-333.
  15. Crane, V., Nicholson, H., Chen, M., & Bitgood, S. (1994). Informal science learning: What the research says about television, science museums, and community-based projects. Ephrata, PA: Science Press.
  16. Crowley, K., & Galco, J. (2001). Everyday activity and the development of scientific thinking. In K. Crowley, C. Schunn & T. Okada (Eds.), Designing for science: Implications for everyday, classroom and professional settings (pp. 333-356). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  17. Dierking, L.D., Ellenbogen, K.M., & Falk, J.H. (2004). In Principle, in practice: Perspectives on a decade of museum learning research (1994-2004). Science Education, 88, S1-S3.
  18. Dierking, L.D., & Falk, J.H. (1994). Family behavior and learning in informal science settings: A review of the research. Science Education, 78(1), 57.
  19. Dierking, L.D., & Falk, J.H. (1997). Optimizing out-of-school time: The role of free-choice learning. New Directions for Youth Development, 2003(97), 75-88.
  20. Dierking, L.D., Falk, J.H., Rennie, L., Anderson, D., & Ellenbogen, K. (2003). Policy statement of the “informal science education” Ad Hoc committee. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(2), 108-111.
  21. Falk, J. (2004). The director’s cut: Toward an improved understanding of learning from museums. Science Education, 88, S83-S96.
  22. Falk, J.H. (2001). Free-choice science education: How we learn science outside of school. New York: Teachers College Press.
  23. Falk, J.H., & Dierking, L.D. (1997). School field trips: Assessing their long-term impact. Curator, 40, 211-218.
  24. Falk, J.H., & Dierking, L.D. (1998). Free-choice learning: An alternative term to informal learning? Informal Learning Environments Research, 2(2).
  25. Fenichel, Marilyn and Schweingruber, Heidi A. (2010). Surrounded by Science: Learning Science in Informal Environments National Academies Press. ISBN-13: 978-0-309-13674-7
  26. Friedman, A. (Ed.). (2008). Framework for Evaluating Impacts of Informal Science Education Projects. Washington D.C.: National Science Foundation.
  27. Heath, S.B. (2007). Diverse Learning and Learner Diversity in “Informal” Science Learning Environments Paper prepared for National Research Council’s Board on Science Education for diverse learning and learner diversity in “informal” science learning environments.
  28. Hill, C., Corbett, C., & St. Rose, A. (2010). Why so few? Women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Washington, DC: AAUW.
  29. Hofstein, A., & Rosenfeld, S. (1996). Bridging the gap between formal and informal science learning. Studies in Science Education, 28, 87-112.
  30. Institute for Learning Innovation. (2007). Learning Science in Informal Environments Commissioned paper for evaluation of learning in informal learning environments.
  31. Joint Research Centre-European Commission (2010). Assessing the effects of ICT in education: Indicators, criteria and benchmarks for international comparisons. Paris, France
  32. Kisiel, J., & Anderson, D. (2010). The challenges of understanding science learning in informal environments. Curator, 53(2), 181-189.
  33. Korpan, C.A., & Bisanz, G.L. (1997). What did you learn outside of school today? Using structured interviews to document home and community activities related to science and technology. Science Education, 81(6), 651.
  34. Lindberg, C.M., Carstensen, E.L., & Carstensen, L.L. (2007). Lifelong learning and technology. National Research Council.
  35. Liu, Xiufeng. (2010). Using and Developing Measurement Instruments in Science Education: A Rasch Modeling Approach (Science & Engineering Education Sources). Information Age Publishing (April 1, 2010). ISBN-13: 978-1617350047
  36. Martin, L. (2004). An emerging research framework for studying informal learning and schools. Science Education, 88, S71-S82.
  37. Munby, H. (1983). An investigation into the measurement of attitudes in science education. Columbus, OH: SMEAC Information Reference Center.
  38. Navarete, C., Wilde, J., Nelson, C., Martinez, R., & Hargett, G. (1990). Informal assessment in educational evaluation: Implications for bilingual education programs. National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education: Program information guide series 3, summer. Washington D.C.: The George Washington University.
  39. Noam, G.G., & Schwartz, S.E.O. Informal science learning in afterschool settings: A natural fit? (Commissioned Paper). Washington, DC: National Research Council.
  40. Noam, G. G. (2008). A new day for youth: Creating sustainable quality in out-of-school time. New York, NY: The Wallace Foundation.
  41. Nocon, H., & Cole, M. (2006). School’s invasion of “after-school”: Colonization, rationalization, or expansion of success? In N.B.Z. Bekerman, and D. Silberman (Eds.) (Ed.), Learning in places: The informal education reader. (pp. 99-122). New York: Peter Lang.
  42. Osborne, J., Simon, S., & Collins, S. (2003). Attitudes towards science: A review of the literature and its implications. International Journal of Science Education, 25, 1049–1079.
  43. Paris, S.G. (1997). Situated motivation and informal learning. Journal of Museum Education, 22(2), 22-26.
  44. Raizen, S. A., & Schneider, S. A. (2008, Summer). What do you know? Threshold Magazine, 23, 23-27.
  45. Renninger, K.A. (2007). Interest and motivation in informal science learning. Learning Science in Informal Environments Commissioned Paper. Board on Science Education, The National Academies.
  46. Scribner, S., & Cole, M. (1973). Cognitive consequences of formal and informal education. Science, 182(9), 553-559.
  47. Semmel, M. (2010). The LSIE Report and IMLS: Supporting learning in the informal environments of museums and libraries. Curator, 53(2), 155-162.
  48. Shouse, A., Lewenstein, B., Feder, M., & Bell, P. (2010). Crafting museum experiences in light of research on learning: Implications of the National Research Council's Report on informal science education. Curator, 53(2), 137-154.
  49. Yohalem, N. and Wilson-Ahlstrom, A. with Fischer, S. and Shinn, M. (2009, January). Measuring Youth Program Quality: A Guide to Assessment Tools, Second Edition. Washington, D.C.: The Forum for Youth Investment.
  50. Zimmerman, H.T., & Bell, P. (2008). Developing scientific practices: Understanding how and when children consider their everyday activities to be related to science. NARST 2008 Conference Paper.