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COMMUNITY:
Project Descriptions

Shaping an Infrastructure for the Partnership of Informal Science Education and Higher Education

September 15, 2012 - August 31, 2015 | Professional Development, Conferences, and Networks
Expanding on the encouraging outcomes of an NSF-funded conference, this three-year project led by the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences, will explore and evaluate ways to support new collaborations between professionals in institutions of higher education and informal STEM education around areas of common interest. The primary goal is to develop the educational infrastructure to grow and efficiently sustain multiple cross-organizational partnership activities at the intersection of learning about science, society and civic engagement around such possible topics as energy, environment, genetics, earth resources, computers and ethics, nanotechnology, etc. The initiative is: 1) creating a joint organizing "secretariat" to provide communications and support through low-cost shared services for at least six partnerships around the country; 2) providing partnership support and technical assistance to seed the six national partnerships, and 3) sharing evaluation and analysis services across all the partnerships. The outcomes of the work pertain to improvements in professional knowledge and practice in higher education and informal science education, as well as the improvement of learning by undergraduates and by the general public.

Funders

NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 1237463
Funding Amount: 377532

TEAM MEMBERS

  • William Burns
    Principal Investigator
    Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
  • REVISE logo
    Project Manager
    National Center for Science and Civic Engagement
  • Discipline: Ecology, forestry, and agriculture | Education and learning science | Engineering | General STEM | Health and medicine | Life science | Mathematics | Social science and psychology | Technology
    Audience: Museum/ISE Professionals | Scientists | Evaluators
    Environment Type: Professional Development, Conferences, and Networks | Resource Centers and Networks

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