One subject that has long been close to my heart is the experience of girls in environments of informal science learning. I’ve conducted interviews and presented papers on the subject, as well as designed and taught an all-girls summer class at a science center.
I was excited, then, to listen in today on “Exploring the Impact: Informal Science Experiences for Girls,” a webcast and teleconference presented by Lynn Dierking of the Institute for Learning Innovation and Dale McCreedy of the Franklin Institute. Unfortunately, I had to leave halfway through the presentation, but the work presented to that point was definitely thought-provoking.
Dierking and McCreedy pointed out that most studies of girls and informal science learning are limited by the term of a single program’s funding, typically three to five years. In contrast, their research looks at longer-term returns on the investment in girls. The two researchers are catching up with participants in five key programs targeted at girls, including one program that began back in 1982.
The session was well-attended. At the time I checked out, there were more than 50 participants. I’d love to see more such (free of charge!) research and professional development opportunities presented live online. A big thanks to Dierking and McCreedy for sharing their ongoing research.
The program was recorded and should be made available eventually–good news for those of you who missed the entire program, and for me, too, since I’m looking forward to hearing the second half of the webcast. When I locate the recording, I’ll let you know how to access the program.
