Informal Science Centers provide educational experiences for people across the country daily. While the terminology is often similar, there are differences between institutions, often determined by mission, organizational structure, and experience. The purpose of this study was to identify shared experiences and unique characteristics of eight…

The three missions of universities are education, research, and knowledge/technology transfer. At the micro-level of the research and knowledge/technology transfer mission, we position researchers, as individuals who decided to pursue a scientific career in academia, with the PhD as the starting point. While existing literature acknowledges the…

This study explores transformative experiences in university physics education and their potential to contribute to Bildung through a case study based on interview data of six Norwegian master's physics students. The results show that the students experience becoming more skeptical and critical in different ways, and while not solely ascribing…

Purpose: This paper exemplifies Search for SEAMEO Young Scientist (SSYS) project-based programme that was initiated since 1997 with themes reflecting sustainable development and were in line with SDGs. Method: Qualitative research with 'dominant model' of 'mixed-research design matrix' was implemented with mixed-mode of data analysis and reports…

The US Forest Service has a long history of youth conservation education. We investigated U.S. Forest Service citizen science programs that involve secondary school students in field collection of monitoring data to understand (1) how the programs integrated science and environmental education and (2) whether these programs advance ecological…

This dissertation utilized a qualitative collective case study (Stake, 1995) to examine four Black adolescent girls' science identities within the context of an afterschool science program featuring a culturally sustaining science curriculum. Employing a qualitative research design, the study utilized semi-structured interviews, video…

In this article we studied how community educators' designed for equity in an after school science program. Building from discussions of equity in out-of-school-time (OST) science, this case study offers insight into the role of pedagogy in organizing for dignity and belonging in an after school program. This case study focused on the practices of…

This case study examines after school programming in citizen science from the perspective of Critical Race Theory. During the course of enacting community outreach projects this data was used to examine the positioning of experts, student, and teachers within the program. This study explores the role of race and ethnicity, and the ways in which…

This edited volume brings together a state-of-the-art collection of leading and emergent research on the burgeoning topic of science identities. It sets out how science identity can be productively used as a lens in understanding patterns and inequalities in science participation across different educational and international contexts. Its…

In this article, the authors showcase 1) how they used assessment and evaluation strategies to determine the efficacy of field-based experiences in biology and 2) how they used this data to develop a new field--based course into a departmental intervention to foster inclusion of marginalized student populations in the life sciences. The authors…

Real-world applications can be potent tools in chemistry teaching, fostering highly beneficial learning for students. By involving students in real-world phenomena, we not only alter their perceptions of chemistry but also cultivate crucial chemistry competencies, preparing them for the future as scientists and citizens. In this report, we…

Limiting case analysis (LCA) is important to practicing physicists. Yet, there is little concrete guidance for physics educators, and a lack of consensus in the research community about how to help students learn, and learn from, limiting case analysis. In this study, we first review existing literature to find commonalities and variations in how…

Purpose: This paper aims to describe the results of a qualitative case study of three beginning elementary teachers' knowledge-in-practice of multicultural science education. Design/methodology/approach: Data included interviews, focus group discussions, audio-recorded lessons and daily field notes through the course of a month-long summer science…

Homeless families are a vulnerable population not often engaged with directly by science centers. In 2019, the Museum of Life and Science formalized and strengthened a partnership with Families Moving Forward, the largest temporary homeless shelter serving families in Durham County, North Carolina. This partnership aimed to engage families in a…

Creating critical mass has become a cornerstorne of science policy on both national and transnational levels. It suggests that once a certain size is reached, exponential growth or accelerated change will occur. In reconstructing theories, policies and practices associated with critical mass, the paper traces the image of critical mass as a size…