Proceedings of a Convocation

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. The Status of Informal Science and Engineering Education: Proceedings of a Convocation. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/29291.

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PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE CONVOCATION ON THE STATUS OF INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

KIRSTEN ELLENBOGEN (Chair), President and CEO, Great Lakes Science Center

SUE ALLEN, Co-Director, Clean Conferencing Institute

RALPH BOUQUET, Director of Education and Outreach, NOVA at WGBH

KEVIN J. CROWLEY, Professor of Education, Senior Scientist at the Learning Research and Development Center, and Co-Director of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments (UPCLOSE), University of Pittsburgh

CECILIA GARIBAY, President, Garibay Group

PREETI GUPTA, Senior Director for Children, Family, and Youth Programs and Research, American Museum of Natural History

JOE E. HEIMLICH, Lead Research Strategist, Center of Science and Industry (COSI)

ANITA KRISHNAMURTHI, Senior Vice President for STEM & Youth Civic Engagement and President of the Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society (CYESS), Afterschool Alliance

RABIAH MAYAS, Program Director in the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Environments (DRL), National Science Foundation

SCOTT PATTISON, Research Scientist, TERC

Staff

TIFFANY E. TAYLOR, Project Director

LUCY OLIVEROS, Senior Program Assistant

LAUREN RYAN, Senior Program Assistant

HEIDI SCHWEINGRUBER, Director, Board on Science Education

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Reviewers

This Proceedings of a Convocation was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published proceedings as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this proceedings:

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the proceedings nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this proceedings was overseen by JOSEPH L. POLMAN, School of Education, University of Colorado Boulder. He was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this proceedings was carried out in accordance with standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the rapporteurs and the National Academies.

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Acknowledgments

This Proceedings of a Convocation reflects the invaluable contributions of many individuals who provided their time and expertise to the planning and execution of the Convocation on the Status of Informal Science and Engineering Education. We would first like to express gratitude to the members of the planning committee who volunteered their time and worked diligently, thoughtfully, and very quickly to create a robust and engaging agenda. We are grateful for their time, dedication, creativity, and commitment to constructing conversations and developing activities that tapped the collective wisdom of every participant at the convening. Thanks are also due to the staff of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine who worked alongside the committee to ensure that the planning stayed on track and that the convening was executed with fidelity to both the charge and the committee’s vision. We also want to thank each of the panelists for their insights and rich contributions to the discussions, and for their own work toward advancing informal science and engineering education. To all of the participants who attended the convocation whether in person or online, thank you for your engagement, which truly enriched the discussions, and for your individual and collective efforts as thought leaders to strengthen the field of informal science and engineering education. We also thank the participants who developed and submitted a poster; your reflections and impact stories made it possible for us to look back and celebrate the many contributions of

the field over the past 15 years. Finally, we wish to thank the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Overdeck Family Foundation for their generous support of this convening.

Kirsten Ellenbogen, Chair
Planning Committee for the Convocation on the Status of Informal Science and Engineering Education

Tiffany E. Taylor, Senior Program Officer
Board on Science Education

Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviations

1 Introduction

GOALS OF THE CONVOCATION

ORGANIZATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS

2 The Changing Landscape of Informal Science and Engineering Education

FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER LSIE: PROGRESS AND PROMISING NEXT STEPS

GOALS FOR INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING LEARNING

INSIGHTS FROM THE FIELD ON THE NOTABLE IMPACTS OF INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

3 Workforce and Policy Needs for Building and Sustaining Capacity in Informal Science and Engineering Education

THE WORKFORCE IN INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

THE ROLE OF POLICY IN ADVANCING INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

REFLECTIONS ON DAY 1: ILLUMINATING KEY TAKEAWAYS AND INSIGHTS

4 New Insights for Supporting Learners and Learning in Informal Settings

NEW INSIGHTS ABOUT LEARNING SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IN INFORMAL SETTINGS

THE ROLE OF ECOSYSTEMS IN ADVANCING INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING LEARNING

5 Digital Media and Innovations for STEM Learning and Engagement in Informal Settings

DIGITAL MEDIA AND INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

CUTTING-EDGE INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

6 Highest Priorities for the Field

PRIORITIES FOR THE FIELD OF INFORMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION

PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH

PRIORITIES FOR PRACTICE

PRIORITIES FOR POLICY

FINAL REFLECTIONS

References

Appendix A Public Meeting Agenda

Appendix B Biographical Sketches of Convocation Planning Committee Members, Staff, and Presenters

Boxes, Figures, and Table

BOXES

1-1 The Six Strands of Learning

1-2 Statement of Task

3-1 Trends and Themes in STEM Education Policy and Funding (2015–2025)

4-1 Five Core Elements That Support Understanding of Learning Infrastructure

6-1 Highest Priorities of the Field Suggested by Meeting Participants

FIGURES

3-1 The ratio of part-time to full-time staff across institutions of different sizes (based on annual operation expenses)

3-2 Median annual salaries across different roles in institutions for informal STEM learning

3-3 Response data in the areas of professional learning, occupational health, and compensation from staff working in the youth fields

3-4 Informal STEM Learning Professional Competency Framework

3-5 Diverse sources of funding support for ISEE

3-6 A comparison between relative percentage of waking hours that people spend in formal education environments and relative focus of education policy

4-1 Elements of an enhanced learning ecosystem

TABLE

2-1 Key Infrastructure Centers, Networks, and Organizations in Informal STEM Education (mentioned by participants)

Acronyms and Abbreviations