Evaluation Policy Frameworks
Welcome to Insights & Opportunities: A Hub for Informal STEM Education! Insights & Opportunities is a twice-monthly newsletter for educators, administrators, legislators, and advocates who recognize the importance of informal STEM learning.
This newsletter is brought to you by me, Sarah Dunifon, and my team at Improved Insights. I’m a long-time STEM educator, researcher, and equity advocate. Along with my team, I now work on cutting-edge informal STEM learning research and evaluation.
Each edition of this newsletter offers exciting insights, resources, and opportunities for informal STEM learning professionals, including funding, jobs, professional development, informal STEM learning research, evaluation tips and resources, and so much more! We hope you find it valuable. Now, let’s get started.
Evaluation Policy Frameworks
In an earlier piece, we explored evaluation policies and how they influence informal STEM education. Now, let’s dig deeper into how major players in the field are thinking about evaluation policies for themselves and their grantees. In this piece, we’ll explore evaluation policy frameworks from two notable organizations: the American Evaluation Association and the National Science Foundation.
Evaluation policy is an increasingly important consideration for large organizations and federal agencies. The American Evaluation Association, a national professional organization for evaluators, has created an Evaluation Policy Taskforce to assist the organization “in developing an ongoing capability to influence evaluation policies that are critically important to the practice of evaluation in the federal government.”
Evaluation policy points that the Taskforce informs include things like requirements of evaluation (e.g., “When are evaluations required? What programs or entities are required to have evaluations? How often are evaluations scheduled? What procedures are used to determine when or whether evaluation takes place?”), evaluation methods (e.g., “What approaches or methods of evaluation are recommended or required by legislation or regulation; for what types of programs or initiatives?”), and evaluation budgets (e.g., “What are the standards for budgeting for evaluation work?”).
While there has been work to establish these frameworks for developing evaluation policies, less has been conducted on assessing evaluation policies in the informal STEM education space specifically. Informal STEM learning organizations can take inspiration from these frameworks when considering their own processes and evaluation policies.
To read the full article, check it out in our Insights.
60-Second Suggestions
Here are a few of my favorite things this month, usually pertaining to informal STEM education and evaluation, but occasionally some fun personal stuff, too.
A recent press release from the STEM Next Opportunity Fund announced they have been awarded a $3.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Youth Workforce Pathways program to support the launch of its Exploring Career Connections in STEM (EC²) Initiative. The grant aims to integrate out-of-school STEM programs with workforce development, focusing on underserved youth in rural Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, and South Dakota. STEM Next aims to expand the effort to additional states by the end of the project period.
The 2024 Youth Outdoor Policy Trends Report by the Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership highlights key policy trends and legislative efforts aimed at increasing equitable outdoor access and environmental education for youth across the U.S. With 47 states proposing over 350 bills, the report underscores a growing national commitment to outdoor accessibility, health, and youth leadership.
Looking for novel ways to engage students with AI tools? Check out this activity guide from We Are Teachers. These four short activities are designed to help younger students (ideal for grades 3-8) learn about AI models, understand their advantages and limitations, and think about the ethical use of AI tools.
Opportunities
Check out these new opportunities for the informal STEM learning community.
Funding:
2025 NOAA Hawaii Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, up to $150,000. The 2025 NOAA Hawai'i Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program is currently accepting applications. The program supports locally relevant environmental education programs for students and teachers in grades K-12. These programs engage youth in meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs) that provide memorable hands-on, experiential learning and that positively impact coastal, marine, and watershed ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands. An informational webinar will be held November 21, 2024, from 6:00-7:00 PM ET. Applications are due January 31, 2025.
Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL), National Science Foundation (NSF), up to $3.5 Million over 5 years. NSF's Advanced Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Program is seeking project submissions from informal STEM learning organizations. Grants will be awarded to five project types: (1) Synthesis; (2) Conference; (3) Partnership Development and Planning; (4) Integrating Research and Practice; and (5) Research in Support of Wide-reaching Public Engagement with STEM. The program seeks proposals that center engagement, broadening participation, and belonging. Up to $3.5 million in funding over five years is available in certain project categories. Program officers will host office hours November 18, 2024, from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Submissions are due January 8, 2025.
Environmental Education Grant Program, Chesapeake Bay Trust, up to $40,000. Maryland nonprofits, community associations, school districts, and more are invited to apply for funding to support programs and initiatives that advance environmental literacy and increase students' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and motivation to take informed and responsible actions to protect and improve the environment. These aims can be achieved via two tracks: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Implementation; and Environmental Literacy Capacity Building. Applications are due December 12, 2024.
Inspire! Grants for Small Museums, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), up to $75,000. Small museums of all disciplines, through the Museums for America program and IMLS, are invited to apply for grants in three project categories: Lifelong Learning, Institutional Capacity, and Collections Stewardship and Access. The application deadline is November 15, 2024.
National Leadership Grants for Museums, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), $50,000-$750,000.Museums of all disciplines are invited to apply for grants designed to support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public. Applications are open through November 15, 2024.
Jobs and Fellowships:
Adult Education Program Manager, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay, ME), $58,000. The Adult Education Program Manager oversees adult education, including certificate and botanical arts programs, focusing on inclusion, conservation, and horticulture. Responsibilities include curriculum development, program evaluation, community partnerships, and budget management.
Director of Education, Riveredge Nature Center (Saukville, WI), $60,000. The Director of Education will oversee Riveredge’s educational programs throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, providing leadership to staff and developing curriculum for school, community, and family-based nature programs. Responsibilities include supervising a team, managing the education budget, evaluating program impact, and developing partnerships with local organizations. Applications are due November 15, 2024.
Senior Writer and Editor, Ideas and Impact, Rita Allen Foundation (Princeton, NJ), $120,000. The Senior Writer and Editor will shape and communicate the Foundation’s civic science and discovery initiatives through compelling narratives and storytelling. They will collaboratively develop a wide range of materials to enhance partnerships and engage diverse audiences, craft program stories, refine key communications, and capture insights from partner meetings to guide strategy and inform stakeholders. Applicants should have at least seven years of experience in editorial or communications roles.
STEM Educator, North Country Children’s Museum (Potsdam, NY), $60,000. The STEM Educator will design and teach engaging STEM programs for children up to age 12 and their families, fostering curiosity and hands-on learning. This role also includes mentoring high school and college science interns and participating in professional development.
Urban Conservation: Chicago Region Program Director, Field Museum (Chicago, IL), $115,000. The Program Director will lead interdisciplinary efforts to enhance conservation and community well-being in the Chicago area. Working with social scientists, ecologists, and engagement specialists, this role will shape strategic priorities, support partnership development, and promote conservation initiatives. The Director will also oversee budgeting, reporting, and fundraising while collaborating with key community and government partners.
Professional Development:
2025 IMLS Museum Grant Application Reviewer, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Office of Museum Services is seeking grant reviewers for the 2025 Institute of Museum and Library Services funding cycle. Selected reviewers will be eligible to receive an honorarium of either $300 or $500 for their service, depending on the type of review. On average, each reviewer will receive 7-12 applications, which will take an average of 1 hour each to review. Reviewer applications are due December 6, 2024.
Call for Chapter Abstract Submissions, Bloomsbury Publishers. Professor Eva Ärlemalm-Hagsér (Mälardalen University, Sweden), Professor Victoria Carr (University of Cincinnati, United States), and Dr. Sue Elliott (University of New England, Australia) have been invited by Bloomsbury Publishers to be lead editors of the first handbook on early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS). The final handbook will be an edited volume of 25 chapters, focused on research, theory, and practice from international perspectives. Chapter proposals are due November 30, 2024.
Diversity in STEM Education Summit: Building a Coalition for Attracting and Retaining a Diverse STEM Teaching Workforce, The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), 2025 (Washington, D.C.). The SSEC invites leadership teams to submit applications for the 2025 Diversity in STEM Education Summit in Washington, D.C. The Summit will engage leaders in addressing problems of practice related to attracting and retaining a diverse STEM teaching workforce. The outcome of the Summit will be district-specific "action plans" for addressing this problem, with support from SSEC mentors, coaches, and advisors. Informational webinars will take place November 19, 2024, from 3:30-4:30 PM ET and November 20, 2024 from 4:30-5:30 PM ET. Team applications are due December 13, 2024.
Mission Patagonia, Mission Patagonia Nature Guardians, February 2025 (Southern Chile). Mission Patagonia is an immersive environmental education program designed to foster a deep connection with nature while promoting an ecosystemic approach to conservation. Participants will engage in hands-on conservation activities and explorations of ecosystems in Castro City and the Melimoyu Elemental Reserve in southern Chile. The program will take place in February 2025. Applications must be submitted by November 31, 2024.
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