Reflections of an NSF International Informal Science Education Fellow

Dr. Sai Pathmanathan (Ignite!, Nottingham, United Kingdom)

Ignition* a four-year programme of creative science activities and events in the East Midlands aimed at creating and nurturing young champions of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ignition

International ISE Fellow, NSF

Four months in EHR/DRL (LLC) Valuable Professional Development opportunity Knowledge-sharing and Network building Finding out more about ISE projects funded (and how) Offering a non-U.S. perspective Comparisons made between U.K. and U.S. Areas interested in: sci-art projects (STEAM)/creativity in learning, edutainment, science communication/public engagement, learning science through cultural/traditional stories

What is informal science education/learning?

Anything learnt outside of the formal curriculum whether in or outside of school premises

AND/OR

Learning in out-of-school environments?

Where do children learn?

School may be the obvious answer, but although schools may be good at delivering a prescribed curriculum, learning doesnt stop when the bell goes at 4pm: children go home and play, read books, watch television, play computer games and socialise on the internet. All that time theyre learning things that arent necessarily in the National Curriculum. That spontaneous, unstructured learning what the Institute of Education academic Frank Coffield describes as fundamental, necessary and valuable in its own right is often referred to as informal learning.
Its learning but not as we know it. Vision, January-June pp. 9-12 (2009). Bristol: Futurelab.

Informal Science Education

U.S.: Covers afterschool programs, multimedia, museums and science centers, public engagement, science communication
U.K.: Informal science education; Public engagement; Science communication all very separate

Involved in/attended
Meetings/talks at NSF (DRL, LLC, Advisory Committee for EHR) ASTC conference (Baltimore): Outreach Live!, NSF session, Art-Science session, (Steve Spangler) Wireless EdTech conference (D.C.) live-tweeting: cross conference Citizen Science tweets with New Orleans Biodiversity conference Strengthening Science Education - Change the Equation National Education Association meeting Smithsonian - National Science Resource Center's STEM Networking Reception and Dinner

Involved in/attended
Ballston Caf Scientifique Gaming/Creativity/Informed decision-making conversations: (introductions to U.K. contacts) Women's Equality Day Dr. Julianne Malveaux CAISE Mini Network Meeting Intersection of Science, Art and Humor

Expanded Learning Time

National Museum of the American Indian

Now Showing Updates OLPA

LiveScience.com OLPA
CRPA (Connecting Researchers and Public Audiences): Two articles Green Fluorescent Protein; Merging of Black Holes Citizen Science: Science Through Astronomical Research of Stars (STARS); Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS); The Lost Ladybug Project Cyberchase

Art/Science and Creativity

ASTC - The Art and Science of Programming Science Through Art Office of Polar Programs (Art of Science Group) DASER event (National Academy of Sciences) DCAC Decathlon

Phillips Collection - Art to learn about science Young Artists Scheme

Edutainment

Webinar

Animation and Live action sequences

Penguin Science

NSF Library
Filmmakers collaborating with scientists Accuracy vs. entertainment Authenticity

GK-12 - DGE
STEM Ambassadors Scheme - STEMNET Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme

Partnering Scientists and Teachers: Priming the STEM Pipeline

(Royal Society Partnership Grants, Beau Lottos paper co-authored with elementary school pupils, Teacher-Scientist Network, Researchers in Residence in U.K.)

Panel discussion. Was invited to contribute about schemes in the U.K.

http://collectivememory. britishscienceassociation.org

Lemelson Center

Being in Washington, D.C.

Headquarters of most national/international educational organisations Smithsonian Institutions National Geographic, Discovery Channel British Embassy British Council

Places visited

Baltimore D.C./Virginia/ Maryland New York Oklahoma San Antonio Hawaii

Hawaii International Conference on Education

Coconut Island

Judging Grade 9-12 Physics projects at Science Fair

TeachPlus Event Arne Duncan

Key players in the UK

British Science Association Wellcome Trust Informal Learning Review; Games in Learning Royal Society Royal Institution of Great Britain Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry, Society of Biology Royal Academy of Engineering and Engineering UK Research Councils UK Science Council STEMNET Science Learning Centres Nuffield Foundation (Nuffield Curriculum Centre) Association for Science Education Centre for Science Education (Sheffield), Institute of Education (London) and Kings College (London)

International collaborations
Researchers speaking with each other, but funders often not Wellcome Trust, NESTA, Research Councils UK social science and humanities funding as well opportunities for collaborations with EHR More International Fellows Difficulties: working for U.K. whilst being based here (time difference), judging X-Prize essays, illustrating an astronomy book, mentoring young science communicators

What next?
Networking (and follow up): over 90 business cards, with more links through phone/e-mail introductions, LinkedIn and Twitter Reporting back to Ignite! and organisations in the U.K. (following up on reports/papers/links given, ~200-page document)

Fun stuff

Columbus Day Hallowe'en Veteran's Day Thanksgiving Day Black Friday Christmas Day New Year's Eve MLK Day

Biscuits Crackers/Cookies Scones Biscuits Lemonade Sprite!

National Cathedral

Shenandoah National Park

Thank you so much

Monya, Sylvia LLC Dennis, Al, Sharon, Valentine, Wyn Einstein Fellows (Kisha, Cindy, Tim) and AAAS Fellows

THANK YOU.

sai@ignitefutures.org.uk
Reports and information about UK organisations, events, contacts etc. with Monya/Dennis/Sylvia

Photos: tinyurl.com/saipathphoto