Out-of-school science learning environments enrich classroom education in many countries around the world. Numerous studies have been conducted on the effects of such learning environments, particularly their ability to promote interest. As different theories of interest were used in these studies, so far, no overview of this field of research…

Interest is a complex interplay between affective and cognitive components that drive motivation. Over decades of work in the educational psychology community, a theoretical framework has emerged that explains this complex interplay. Interest is initially externally triggered (triggered situational interest), which, through support, can become…