STEPS - ScienceTheater Education Programming System: A Vehicle for Professional Development, Enhancing Professional Identity, and Communicating Science

空间科学研究所正在建立一个由全国八家博物馆组成的博物馆教育/剧院网络，将规模较大的机构与规模较小的机构配对。科学技术中心协会和太平洋天文学会也是合作者。主要受众为非正规科学教育博物馆的教育工作者；二级观众是体验待开发项目的博物馆游客。科学戏剧教育规划系统（STEPS）是由PI和其他人开发的一项技术。该团队将继续为这个项目扩展系统的能力，合作的博物馆正在合作创建一套关于天体生物学的初步戏剧节目，以及一套培训计划和教育工作者的交流形式。STEPS技术允许根据每个组织的目标，在现场或通过外展方式交付这些项目。其目的是形成一个实践社区的核心，以提高非正式教育者的专业能力和身份。剧院项目形式被定位为灵活、低成本的巡回展览替代方案，特别是对于较小的机构。可交付成果包括：网络的建立、STEPS系统和计划、专业发展教程和研讨会、计划的评估，以及一个研究项目和报告，该研究项目和报告将网络作为一个实践社区和加强博物馆教育工作者职业身份的工具。

The Space Science Institute is establishing a museum educator/theater network of eight museums around the country, pairing larger with smaller institutions. The Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific also are collaborators. The primary audience is informal science education museum educators; secondary audiences are museum visitors experiencing the to-be-developed programs.The Science Theater Education Programming System (STEPS) is a technology that has been developed by the PI and others. The team will be continuing to expand the capability of the system for this project, and the partnering museums are collaboratively creating an initial set of theater programs on astrobiology, along with a suite of training programs and communication formats for educators. The STEPS technology allows these programs to be delivered both on site and via outreach, depending on the goals of each organization. The intent is to form the core of a community of practice that would enhance the professional capacity and identities of informal educators. The theater program format is positioned as a flexible, low-cost alternative to traveling exhibits, particularly for the smaller institutions. Deliverables include: the establishment of the network, the STEPS system and programs, professional development tutorials and workshops, evaluation of the programs, and a research project and report examining the network as a community of practice and vehicle for strengthening the professional identities of museum educators.