Informal Science Education (ISE)

Informal science education generally refers to programs and experiences developed outside the classroom by institutions and organizations that include: children’s and natural history museums, science-technology centers, planetariums, zoos and aquaria, botanical gardens and arboreta, parks, nature centers and environmental education centers, and scientific research laboratories.

“NSTA recognizes and encourages the development of sustained links between the informal institutions and schools. Informal science education generally refers to programs and experiences developed outside the classroom by institutions and organizations that include:

• children’s and natural history museums, science-technology centers, planetariums, zoos and aquaria, botanical gardens and arboreta, parks, nature centers and environmental education centers, and scientific research laboratories
• media, involving print, film, broadcast, and electronic forms
• community-based organizations and projects, including youth organizations and community outreach services

A growing body of research documents the power of informal learning experiences to spark curiosity and engage interest in the sciences during school years and throughout a lifetime. Informal science education institutions have a long history of providing staff development for teachers, and enrichment experiences for students and the public. Informal science education accommodates different learning styles and effectively serves the complete spectrum of learners: gifted, challenged, non-traditional, and second language learners.”

National Science teachers Association
Position Statement on Informal Science Education
July 1999

[return to top]

Out-of-School Time Programming (OST)

Out-of-school time (OST) programs encompass a wide range of offerings for young people that take place before school, after school, on weekends, and during the summer and other school breaks. Categories within the field often include school-aged childcare, after-school programs, and positive youth development activities.

“Out-of-school time (OST) programs encompass a wide range of offerings for young people that take place before school, after school, on weekends, and during the summer and other school breaks. Categories within the field often include school-aged childcare, after-school programs, and positive youth development activities. Some OST programs are topic-specific and focus on categories such as arts and crafts, tennis or basketball, singing and dancing, or math and science. Others integrate a broader selection of disciplines including academic enrichment, physical activities, cultural awareness, and community service.

After-school programs have existed and thrived for many years. Why are they currently the focus of so much local, state, and national attention? In today's society, many children live in households with two working parents or a single parent or guardian. This means that younger children often need adult supervision after school and before dinnertime. Many delinquent activities tempt teenagers between the hours of 3 and 6 PM, creating a need to substitute negative behaviors with positive pastimes. Children could be doing better in school or attaining better employment, and the out-of-school time hours are an opportunity in which to promote these aspirations. The non-school hours are also a period in which to nurture personal and social skills needed to thrive in today's world. All of these considerations have triggered a tremendous infusion of interest, time, money, resources, and research into the field of out-of-school time programming.”

Outcomes and Research in Out-of-School Time Program Design
Nancy Peter
August 2002

[return to top]