Improved Insights Newsletter - January 2022
Hello subscribers! Welcome to the Improved Insights Newsletter: a newsletter for folks in informal STEM learning spaces who want to learn more about how to measure and communicate the impacts of their work.
I’m Sarah M. Dunifon - a long-time STEM educator, evaluator, and equity advocate. After spending time working in museums, nonprofits, and higher education, I now work on cutting-edge informal STEM learning research and evaluation with my team at Improved Insights. We specialize in informal STEM learning evaluation and youth programs evaluation.
This monthly newsletter will focus on tips, resources, and news on informal STEM learning evaluation. We hope you find it valuable! Now, let’s get started —
What can we measure in informal STEM learning?
This month, I’m chatting about what informal STEM learning is, where and how it operates, and what we can measure to better understand our work. To read the full article, check it out in my Insights. Here are some highlights:
When you think of informal STEM learning, what do you think of? Field trips programs at the aquarium? Cooking in the kitchen with your grandfather? Listening to a science podcast?
The truth is that informal learning happens across many contexts and times. It can happen when you’re on your own or when you’re with a group. The possibilities are endless. If you haven’t seen this image before, take a moment to breathe in how vast our informal learning opportunities are in our lifetimes. As depicted in the image below, while formal education takes up a structured place in our lives, informal learning is life-long, life-wide, and life-deep.
Figure 1: The LIFE Center Lifelong and Lifewide Learning Diagram
What do I mean by life-long, life-wide, and life-deep? You might hear these terms thrown around in informal learning contexts.
Life-long: informal learning occurs throughout our entire lives. As children, we might experience informal learning through play, when we taste a chunk of grass, or experiment with slime.
Life-wide: informal learning occurs in all areas of life. Even in formal education settings (think: K-12 schools), informal learning might occur when you’re investigating plants during recess or counting the number of steps you take between classrooms. Informal learning can happen in planned situations (like a visit to a museum) or in completely unexpected ways (like you catch a clip of Science Friday on the radio at the doctor’s office).
Life-deep: informal learning relates to the social, religious, and moral experiences and beliefs that we hold. How we interact with the world and our communities will influence how and what we learn.
So now that we know how and where informal learning occurs, let’s talk about what we can measure to understand the impacts of this learning. […]
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.
STEM Advocacy Institute is a super cool nonprofit accelerator for STEM education and outreach initiatives, led by Founder Fanuel Muindi. I so happen to serve as Evaluation Officer for this organization, but would recommend them anyways - check them out.
Nonprofit AF is a blog by Vu Le dedicated to “exploring the fun and frustrations of nonprofit life.” Vu always manages to cut through the noise and deliver messages that the sector desperately needs to hear.
The Ethical Rainmaker is a podcast by Michelle Shireen Muri about nonprofits and philanthropy which explores “some of the practices that undermine our missions and navigate the way forward with today’s resisters, reimaginers, and the re-creators of the Third Sector.” I’m always eager to learn from Michelle and her guests when a new pod pops up on my feed.
Hot tip: All three organizations take donations. If you enjoy their content, feel free to donate via Patreon (like I do) for NonprofitAF and The Ethical Rainmaker, and directly on the STEM Advocacy Institute site.
We’re just getting started, so if you enjoyed this edition of the newsletter, please let us know! We’d love to hear from you and learn about what you’re hoping to see more of.
Until next time - thanks!