Скачать или смотреть Joanne Vakil: Exploring the Ways Informal and Formal Science Learning Can Enhance Each Other

This presentation will share the findings of a new study that explores the ways in which informal education experiences impact teacher pedagogy. The study analyzes the ways in which accessible, informal science settings frame teacher identity and influence their attitudes and behaviors. This project studies pre-service elementary teachers and undergraduates completing a non-licensure program preparing them to work with children, youth, and/or families in community settings. Analyzing the affordances of rich, engaging science-learning opportunities in informal settings, this research seeks to capture how these experiences influence the teaching methods and mindsets of pre-service educators. The study attempts to encapsulate the informal setting’s influence on the attitudes and confidence of educators and examines the impact that these experiences have on undergraduate student decisions towards the education field. Findings offer critical perspectives in light of the current national shortage of STEM teachers and suggest a re-conceptualization of teacher education that explicitly connects formal with informal learning.